'A Narrative Arc'

A narrative arc, or a story arc, is the general shape or structure of a story. It is the path a story follows, providing a framework that gives structure to a story, including exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. The narrative arc is useful for understanding the overall shape and pace of a story, and it gives cohesion to each of the individual plot points within a story.

The narrative arc comprises the events in a story, and the sequence of occurrences in the plot, and determines the peaks and plateaus that set the pace. A good narrative arc is vital if you want to engage your readers from start to finish and deliver a satisfying conclusion.

There are different narrative arcs, and researchers have found six common story arcs in literature. These include:

Man in a Hole: The protagonist starts in a good place, falls into a hole and must find a way out.

Cinderella: The protagonist starts in a bad place, and then rises to a good place.

Icarus: The protagonist starts in a good place, then flies too close to the sun and falls.

Tragedy: The protagonist starts in a good place, and then falls to a bad place.

Rebirth: The protagonist starts in a bad place, rises to a good place, falls to a bad place, and then rises again to a good place.

Quest: The protagonist starts in a good place, journeys, and returns to a good place.

When writing a story, it's important to remember that all impactful stories concern themselves with change, thus all good stories have an arc.

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