Plot

• The series of events in a story
• What happens in a story

Conflict

• The main problem that drives a story
• Can be
• internal (self doubt, depression, insanity)
• or external (fighting against another person, societal rules, nature, etc)

Exposition

• The beginning of a story
• Introduces the characters and setting

Exposition

Inciting Incident

• The event that introduces the main conflict
• The moment that changed everything

Inciting Incident

Rising Action

• The conflict becomes more complicated

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• Most of the story

Rising Action

Climax

• The moment of greatest suspense and tension

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• Peak or Turning Point

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• When the conflict comes to a head

Climax

Falling Action

• Things calms down, though there may still be problems.

Falling Action

Resolution

• The conflict is resolved and the loose ends are wrapped up.

Resolution

Exposition

Rising

Action

Climax

Resolution

Falling Action

Conflict

Inciting Incident

1. A junior agent makes a handoff in Washington D.C.
2. He gives a hungry pigeon a bite of his bagel, but it wants more.
3. The pigeon flies around him, trying to get the bagel and gets stuck in the briefcase.
4. The pigeon starts to figure out how to operate the briefcase.
5. The pigeon uses laser guns and rocket launchers to terrorize the city and go after the bagel.
6. The nuclear launch button gets hit by mistake.
7. The agent flies after the nuclear missile, trying to stop it.
8. The agent nearly shoots the pigeon but gives the bird the bagel instead.
9. The agent destroys the missile, lands and goes back to his secret agenting, even though the city is kind of a wreck.
10. The pigeon gets crushed by the fallen missile.

• A troll is in charge of manning the wish granting machine.
• Two people wish for love at the same time, but their coins block the love.
• The troll tries to unstick the coins, but it doesn’t work.
• The troll tries to use dandelions to grant the wishes. It doesn’t work.
• The troll tries a wishbone. It doesn’t work.
• The troll tries a shooting star. It doesn’t work.
• The troll almost gives up, but Mr. Moneybags gives him a coin.
• It’s almost too late, but the troll throws the coin in and it unsticks the pipe.
• The magic dust picks up the man and woman and brings them back to the fountain.
• They meet and their wishes are granted.

1. A young queen sits uneasily on her throne.
2. The royal advisor brings in a peasant accused of treason.
3. The advisor wants to execute the peasant but the queen wants a less dire punishment.
4. The peasant says the queen doesn’t deserve her throne and spits at her.
5. The advisor assures the queen execution is the right course.
6. The queen agrees but is unsure of her decision.
7. The queen yells stop just as the advisor beheads the peasant.
8. The queen sits in the dark throne room, regretting. The advisor assures her she made the right decision.
9. The queen stands up the advisor and vows to end the suffering of her people.