Plotting: Freytag’s Pyramid

When thinking about plotting: Freytag’s pyramid is where we begin. We can apply it not only to novels, but to short stories, too. This imagery of plot could even be applied chapter-by-chapter in a novel.

There are several sections of plotting: Freytag’s pyramid. Outlined below:

• Exposition
• Inciting Incident
• Rising Action
• Climax
• Falling Action
• Dénouement

Sections of Plotting: Freytag’s Pyramid

Exposition

In the exposition of the story, this is where world building takes place. This is what I think of as the “day in the life of…” section. In a movie, this is where we follow the main character as they go about their day, this is before everything changes. For example: At the beginning of Game of Thrones (the book) they are going to see someone get beheaded. This serves to build the world, and also shows us what life is like for the character.

With today’s audiences, we don’t want to spend too much time on exposition. It is always good advice to: “start as close to the end as you can.”

Inciting Incident

During the inciting incident, something happens that sets the main character on their story-journey. For example: in Harry Potter, Harry receives a letter from Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The inciting incident can be anything, but it needs to be something that changes the main character, or starts them off on the way to change.

The inciting incident won’t be used if you are applying plotting: Freytag’s pyramid to a chapter in a novel that isn’t the first. This only happens once in a work.

Rising Action

Rising Action is where the meat of the story lives. Every chapter in a novel should raise the tension, bring on another conflict, or have some other complication for the main character and others. For example: In Gone Girl, we find out, about half-way through the book, that one of the characters has been lying the entire time. This effectively raises the tension and also acts as a kind of irony for the reader. We need to see our characters struggle, to fail. We need to worry that they won’t make it out of whatever jam they are in. The tension rises to a fine point.

Climax

The climax is the point where the tension finally boils over, and is resolved. This is the fight, the declaration of love that is reciprocated in a passionate embrace, this is the moment, near the end of the book/story where everything finally comes together. For example: in IT when the adults are able to finally beat Pennywise and stomp all of its eggs so that it cannot have any babies.

Falling Action

Falling Action/Resolution/dénouement this is the shortest part of the book/story. Essentially, you will want to end the story and get out. Spending too much time resolving the tale can cause readers to sour on the story. We need some resolution, we need to know that they didn’t die, maybe. Or that they got married, or moved in together, or that the killer was arrested, but much more than that is too much. For example: In You, the story ends with the main character setting his sights on another girl. It leaves the reader wanting more, which is what we all want.

Conclusion

This plot device is used to check your writing. You can use it to plot out things, if you want. But there are many other plot options that you can use as a framework for the plot.

Thanks for reading, and let me know if you want more information about plotting: Freytag’s pyramid. I will be putting up other plotting things soon.