5 Steps To Nail Your Story's Arc Before You Write

This comes from a place of love - and from reading hundreds of manuscripts in the last year that all had the same essential problem:

They weren't complete. 

And I'm not talking about being "finished" with the end at the end - I'm talking about something really important that needs to be mastered, otherwise your book will fall flat every time. 

You guessed it: today we're talking about narrative arcs. 

What is a narrative arc? 

Before we dig into how to make your narrative rock, let's talk about what it is: 

It's the structured path a story follows from beginning to end, showing how the plot and characters develop over time. It's like the skeleton of a story, giving it shape and momentum.

This is different than the structure - you might be using a five-point structure, the hero's journey, save the cat methodology, that's not super important here. What is important is the writer's understanding of a few key things: 

1. How to make sure your story's arc is complete
2. What "Complete" even looks like
3. and why it's important. 

I usually run my 1:1 students through this as we edit the book, because it's a big deal. So let's talk about the narrative arc, and five steps to make sure yours shines through. 

Step One: Know Your Character's Transformation

No matter the arc of your story, your character has to change (unless it's a flat arc, but we'll get to that in a second). This change is essentially the reason the readers care about the story. Without it, the story will be lacking, and even if the readers can't articulate the reason, this is usually it. 

For example - have you ever read a book that just ended, and you're thinking...what was the point of that? For me it was ACOTAR. (Sorry to my ACOTAR fans....). Feyre's change was incomplete and unsatisfying, and throughout the next few books she kept flipping back and forth between what she wanted out of life. 

The contrast between her choices at the beginning and her choices at the end were minimal, at best - and I was disappointed with her when we got to the end of her story (or at least the end that we have right now. Maas might change this in future books - in which case, mea culpa). 

One of the most helpful ways to make sure your narrative arc is complete: the character's arc is complete, too. And the contrast is BIG. 

But what about different types of character arcs? 

Great question - glad you asked. There are three you need to think about as you're evaluating your book: 

1. The Positive Character Arc
2. The Negative Character Arc
3. The Flat Character Arc (this one is a little confusing, so stay with me here)

When you're thinking about complete character arcs, evaluate which type your character goes through and make sure you've held up your end of the deal with these. Otherwise, your reader might be a little disappointed with the character at the end. 

The Positive Character Arc

In this type of story, your character starts as bad (or super rough-around the edges, they may not necessarily be evil) and by the end of the story, they've completely transformed into something beautiful. This is normally the type of character arc we see in the hero's journey, and is super popular in fiction because readers want to see themselves this way. 

Think about the changes characters go through in books you like - how many of them overcome obstacles, learn something new, and become a better version of themselves by the end of the story? That's a positive character arc - and it's popular for a reason. It gives people hope. 

To make sure this arc is complete, present a character with a choice at the beginning of the story. Maybe they make the wrong choice or some kind of a mistake, and it costs them (or sends them on their journey). At the end, present them with the same choice. If they choose differently this time (and choose the better or more difficult option) then you know you've done your work. 

A good example of a positive character arc: Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Love that guy. He starts out as a villain, and ends as a hero (and if that's spoilers...that's your fault. You've had at least a decade to watch that show).

The Negative Character Arc

The negative character arc is a favorite of mine because it majorly subverts reader expectations and is just so darn fun to write. 

In this arc, your character starts off good (maybe even as a hero) and ends up bad. By the end of the story, they're jaded, untrustworthy, and probably about to be confronted by a new hero. 

To check that this arc is complete, use the same method as the positive character arc, and just flip it around so that they make a good choice first and a bad choice second. 

A good example: a classic one I never fail to reference when I teach this, Anakin Skywalker is one of the best negative character arcs out there. 

Killing younglings? Yikes. (Doesn't mean we didn't all cheer for the 20th anniversary re-run of Episode III)

The Flat Character Arc

The flat character arc can be tricky - in my experience, it's the trickiest of the three - because they're hard to do well. A lot of times, characters who are labeled as "flat characters" are just characters with poorly written positive character arcs, but that's not super helpful so I won't spend a lot of time there. 

Here's what a flat character is (typically): a character that doesn't change (in values, ideals, or morals) but changes the world around them. 

My favorite example of this is Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon. Hiccup is tricky to diagnose because he looks like a positive character arc - after all, he becomes a little bit beefy and the chief of the tribe, and all the stuff you expect from your hero. BUT I would say (and I've seen the films 57 times, so I can say this) that's all a fakeout. 

Hiccup, who he is and what he wants, never truly changes. 

Instead, he convinces the Vikings to accept dragons into their society, and changes the world he lives in. 

Throughout the course of his story, he only becomes more of himself. That shows up as confidence and heroic qualities, which is cool, but he is a flat character because those qualities were always there, if a little bit muted. 

To make a flat character check: ask the same question as the first two, but instead of the character, check the world around them. 

A Super Helpful Hint: 

If you struggle with character arcs or any part of character writing, or if this all sounds like latin to you, check out The Character Deep-Dive Guide (click here). It details exactly how to do all this, and a ton of other things you've probably never even heard about. 

It's helping writers all over the world with this - so I know it will help you, too. 

Anyway, back to our previously scheduled programming...

Step Two: Define the Beginning, Middle, and End

Now that we've got our characters sorted out, it's time to make sure you've hit all the high points with the beginning, middle, and end of your story. 

This might seem self-explanatory, but many of my 1:1 students have trouble identifying these parts exactly, and when we work through it, we can usually find the weak spots and fix them. 

I do that using the Q&A method, which is basically asking as many questions as you can about a problem until you get to the bottom of it. So, without further ado, take a look at your Beginning, Middle, and End, and ask these questions: 

1. Beginning: Set the stage and hook the reader

   1. Who is my main character, and what do they want at the start of the story?

   2. What is their “normal world” like before things change?

   3. What inciting incident disrupts their world and pushes them into the story?

   4. Why should the reader care about this character or situation right now?

   5. What tone or theme am setting from the very first page?

2. Middle: Build tension and deepen the stakes

   1. What major obstacles or complications is my character facing here?

   2. How is the character changing or growing as a result of these challenges?

   3. Are the stakes increasing in a meaningful and believable way?

   4. What’s the turning point or midpoint moment that shifts everything?

   5. What inner conflicts or doubts are beginning to rise to the surface?

3. Ending: Deliver resolution and emotional payoff

   1. Has my main character changed by the end, and how can the reader see that change?

   2. Is the main conflict resolved in a way that’s satisfying and earned?

   3. Did I tie up the important story threads (or leave intentional questions open)?

   4. What’s the final emotional note I want to leave the reader with?

   5. Does the ending reflect the theme or message I explored throughout the story?

If you can answer these, you've passed the second checkmark for your story's arc, and things are looking pretty good. Let's move on to step three: 

Step Three: Define Major Plot Beats

Now that you've nailed your character arc and outlined your beginning, middle, and end, it's time to zoom in a little more. Now we need to work on our plot beats: the moments that give your story shape, rhythm, and emotional impact.

Plot beats are the big moments. The turning points. The events your reader will remember long after they finish your book. They shift the story, reveal something about the character, or raise the stakes.

A helpful way to think about this: imagine describing your story to a friend in five sentences or less. What are the beats you’d absolutely include? Those are your major plot beats.

Here are some examples of beats to consider as you're shaping your story:

• The Hook – What grabs your reader from page one? What’s the emotional tone or curiosity you’re setting up?

• The Inciting Incident – What event turns your character’s normal life upside down?

• The First Major Decision – What choice does your character make that launches the journey?

• The Midpoint Shift – A revelation, betrayal, win, or loss that turns everything on its head.

• The Lowest Point – When it feels like all hope is lost. (This is the moment your reader’s heart breaks a little.)

• The Final Confrontation – When your character has to face the big challenge, the villain, or themselves — and make that ultimate choice.

• The Resolution – What’s life like now? Has the world changed? Has the character changed?

You don’t have to follow a rigid formula, but you do need to know where your story pivots, where it stretches, and where it lands.

If your plot feels “meh” or like it’s dragging, this is often the step that’s missing — your beats aren’t bold enough, or they’re buried under too much filler. Go back to those five core moments and make sure they’re hitting hard.

And if you’re not sure? That’s what writer friends, critique partners, and coaches (hi, that’s me) are for.

Step Four: Identify the Inner and Outer Conflict

One of the biggest reasons we fall in love with stories is conflict. Whether it's an epic sword fight or a quiet moment of emotional turmoil, conflict drives your story forward—and your characters with it.

You’ve got two kinds to think about:

Inner (Internal) Conflict

These are the doubts, fears, limiting beliefs, and unresolved emotional baggage. Maybe your character wants to be loved but is afraid of intimacy. Maybe they believe they're unworthy of greatness, even as they’re thrust into the spotlight.

This is where readers connect. Inner conflict creates empathy, tension, and depth. So ask yourself:

• What lie does my character believe?

• What fear is holding them back?

• How does this fear manifest in their choices?

The answers will help you build a compelling inner journey that supports your narrative arc.

Outer (External) Conflict

This is the stuff happening outside your character. The villain. The war. The job loss. The romantic misunderstanding. Whatever external force is keeping your character from what they want—that’s your outer conflict.

Great stories balance these two. The outer conflict pushes the character to change, and the inner conflict determines how they respond. When the two are woven together intentionally, that’s when your narrative arc becomes powerful and unforgettable.

Step Five: Check Your Themes

If the narrative arc is the skeleton, and conflict is the heartbeat, then the theme is the soul of your story.

Theme is what you’re really saying beneath all the action and dialogue. It's the quiet whisper that follows your reader long after they’ve turned the last page. Forgiveness. Redemption. Freedom. Identity. Love. Loss. Belonging.

Ask yourself:

• What do I want readers to feel, question, or understand by the end?

• What message am I communicating through my character’s transformation?

• Is that message consistent throughout the story?

A strong theme doesn’t hit your reader over the head—it subtly weaves itself into every major plot point, every decision, every turning moment. It’s what makes your story stick.

What's Next?

If you're struggling with any part of the writing process, or if you're looking to dig even deeper into your novel, then there's something you need to grab. It's called The Ultimate Plotting Toolkit, and it walks you through each part of outlining your novel from start to finish.

Here's exactly what's inside: 

500+ Prompts to help you outline every aspect of your novel, no matter the genre 

If you've worked with any of my guides before, then you probably know about my question-and-answer method. This is the method I use for all of my writing projects, and the key piece that works so well is that it asks open ended questions to spark your creativity.

Meaning that it works well for every project, regardless of genre, style, or even if you've used the guide before. 

(So you can use this over and over and over). 

Click here to take the next step on your book writing journey. I'm cheering for you! 

Happy Writing! 

Rachel