Hook (1% mark or scene #1) – This is your first opportunity to grab the reader’s attention and make them wonder what’s going to happen next.
Inciting Incident (12% mark or scene #5) – This is an event that upsets the balance of your protagonist’s world and gives rise to their objects of desire.
First Plot Point (25% mark or scene #10) – This is when the events of the story get personal. Something or someone allows or forces your protagonist to commit wholeheartedly to the journey ahead.
Act 2 (the middle) – about 20 scenes
First Pinch Point (37% mark or scene #15) – This applies pressure to the protagonist and reminds them who the antagonist is and what’s at stake.
Midpoint (50% mark or scene #20) – This is your protagonist’s "moment of truth." Somehow he or she finally realizes the true nature of the antagonist’s actions or intent. It’s also the moment your protagonist shifts from "reactive mode" to "proactive mode."
Second Pinch Point (62% mark or scene #25) – This another moment of applied pressure. The goal is to remind your protagonist what they still have to conquer, overcome, or accomplish in order to achieve their story goal.
Second Plot Point (75% mark or scene #30) – This is the final injection of new information into the story. The threat from the antagonist worsens, the stakes are raised again, the danger gets even more real, and emotions are at an all-time high. It usually includes or leads to an "all is lost" moment.
Act 3 (the ending) – about 10 scenes
Crisis (88% mark or scene #35) – This is a decision your protagonist needs to make between taking one action or another. It's a decision that serves as a last-ditch effort to achieve their story goal.
Climax (90% mark or scene #35/36*) – This shows the outcome of the choice the character made during the Crisis. It’s the moment where your protagonist finally faces the antagonist. It’s also the moment where your story’s meaning is bestowed upon the audience. *Usually, the Climax directly follows the Crisis, but not always.
Resolution (or the last scene/s) – This is the final scene (or scenes) of your story. You'll want to show what life is like now that your protagonist has achieved (or has not achieved) their story goal.
