Story Architecture

Structure story at multiple levels so that each scene, chapter, and arc serves the larger narrative. The patterns here apply across methodologies (three-act, hero's journey, kishotenketsu, etc.): adapt them to what the story needs.

Structural Levels

Stories operate at nested scales. Decisions at one level constrain and enable decisions at others.

Saga/Series: the full story spanning multiple arcs. What's the overarching question or transformation? How do arcs build on each other?

Arc: a self-contained narrative movement spanning multiple chapters. Each arc has its own question, rising tension, and resolution, but also advances the saga-level story. An arc that resolves its own conflict but doesn't change anything at the saga level is filler.