Plot Anchor Chart
How this helps us as
writers….
Story Plot Structure
Introduce the main
character (protagonist),
establish the setting, and
determine what the
protagonist wants.
Every story HAS to have a
problem/conflict/challenge
that can and WILL be
solved. Writers often use
an antagonist character to
perpetuate the problem
and get in the way of a
solution. In other words,
problems involve the
antagonist getting in the
way of what the
protagonist wants.
Create events in your story
that show the protagonist
trying to solve the
problem.
This is an event or
happening in your story
that let’s the reader know
the problem will be (or is)
solved.
After the climax, the
problem is solved. So
what happens since the
problem is out of the
way??? Give the character
what s/he wants.
Beginning
(Who? Wants What?)
The ending should give the
reader a sense of
completeness. Everything
is going to be okay. It’s the
part where you wrap up
the story.
Ending- wrapping up the story
by satisfying the reader that the
problem is solved and the
character gets what he or she
wants
How this helps us
as readers….
Expect to meet the
main character
(protagonist),find out
the setting and what
the character wants
Conflict/Problem/Challenge Every story has a
problem.
Something
(But?)
gets in the way of
what the protagonist
wants– an antagonist
(character) usually is
part of the problem.
Rising Action
(So?)
Climax – event leading to
problem solution
(So?)
Falling Action – the things
that happen because the
problem is solved.
(Then?)
Things that happen in
the story show the
character
struggling
with the problem
Problems in stories will
be solved. Look for the
event that is the key to
solving the problem.
After the climax, you
know the problem is
solved. This part of the
story is what happens
because the problem is
solved. It leads to the
ending.
The ending wraps up
the story for the
reader. It gives you a
sense of completeness.
Source: Notebook Know-How Strategies for the Writer’s Notebook by Aimee Buckner
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