Four Act Structure?

[Anders Ämting]

I had this idea that would potentially involve a story in four acts rather than three.

Now, Google tells me this is apparently a real term and not just something I made up myself, but other than that, I can't seem to find any information on how a four act story is constructed.

Has anyone here heard of such a thing?

 

[Benjamin Clayborne]

Keep in mind that most of Shakespeare's plays (as I recall) had five acts. I don't know of any reason why four couldn't work.

 

[Anders Ämting]

Keep in mind that most of Shakespeare's plays (as I recall) had five acts. I don't know of any reason why four couldn't work.

Oh, I'm not doubting that. I'm just asking wether there is any established method I can use as a template or if I should just start making up my own rules from scratch.

 

[Griffin]

I know little about the Four Act Structure. I know many films tend to use this structure. Here's how I think it goes:

Act One - Set Up and Inciting Incident
The protagonist's daily life, some world building, and the event that causes the story to move

Act Two - Response
How the protagonist deals with the event, the problems that occur, and things usually get worse

Act Three - Go for the Goal (or Hero mode)
The protagonist gathers himself up and prepares himself; usually ends with things looking bleak

Act Four - Resolution
The protagonist finally finds a way to solve their problem. They might succeed and become a legend or fail and become a penniless beggar.

 

[Anders Ämting]

I know little about the Four Act Structure. I know many films tend to use this structure. Here's how I think it goes:

Act One - Set Up and Inciting Incident
The protagonist's daily life, some world building, and the event that causes the story to move

Act Two - Response
How the protagonist deals with the event, the problems that occur, and things usually get worse

Act Three - Go for the Goal (or Hero mode)
The protagonist gathers himself up and prepares himself; usually ends with things looking bleak

Act Four - Resolution
The protagonist finally finds a way to solve their problem. They might succeed and become a legend or fail and become a penniless beggar.

...Interesting. Seems like I may be on to something, then.

 

[Penpilot]

This may sound weird but the three act structure is actually composed of four parts. The second act is basically act 2 and 3 of the four act structure mashed together under one name.

 

[Anders Ämting]

Again, interesting stuff.

What is a "pinch point"? I don't believe I've heard that term before.

 

[Penpilot]

A pinch point is just when something goes wrong and applies pressure on the character or characters. This happens in small doses through the book but in the specific diagram pinch point 1 does these things but it's significant in that it pushes the characters towards the mid-point, sometimes referred to as the mid-point climax. Pinch point 2 applies even more pressure. It's where the situation seems hopeless, a plan fails in a big way and the bad guys seem to win. These are the jaws of defeat from which your hero will be snatching victory. Make sure the teeth are sharp. Pinch 2 drives you towards act 3.

A generalization about all story structure. They're all just different sides to the same coin. They each contain common elements and can be superimposed on top of each other. The differences lies in the way you view the story. Each structure has a few things it highlights differently, giving different perspectives on the story and allowing you to see things that may be missing.

For example, if you think of a story as a car, a car in it's most basic form is a six sided box and say each of the sides of the box is a type of story structure. Looking at the car dead on from each of those sides lets you see and identify certain aspects of the car more easily while other aspects are obscured. But looking at the car from any side, you know it's a car with certain aspects that can be identified from any side.

Does that make sense?

 

[Anders Ämting]

A pinch point is just when something goes wrong and applies pressure on the character or characters. This happens in small doses through the book but in the specific diagram pinch point 1 does these things but it's significant in that it pushes the characters towards the mid-point, sometimes referred to as the mid-point climax. Pinch point 2 applies even more pressure. It's where the situation seems hopeless, a plan fails in a big way and the bad guys seem to win. These are the jaws of defeat from which your hero will be snatching victory. Make sure the teeth are sharp. Pinch 2 drives you towards act 3.

So it's basically conflict when applied as plot points? Good to know.

A generalization about all story structure. They're all just different sides to the same coin. They each contain common elements and can be superimposed on top of each other. The differences lies in the way you view the story. Each structure has a few things it highlights differently, giving different perspectives on the story and allowing you to see things that may be missing.

For sure.

The idea I had was to have a four act structure based on the classical Hippocratic humors. So, Act 1 is phlegmatic, Act 2 is sanguine, Act 3 is melancholic and Act 4 is choleric. It seems to make sense, but maybe I'm just overthinking it.

For example, if you think of a story as a car, a car in it's most basic form is a six sided box and say each of the sides of the box is a type of story structure. Looking at the car dead on from each of those sides lets you see and identify certain aspects of the car more easily while other aspects are obscured. But looking at the car from any side, you know it's a car with certain aspects that can be identified from any side.

Does that make sense?

Actually, you kinda lost me with the car metaphor, there.

 

[Penpilot]

The idea I had was to have a four act structure based on the classical Hippocratic humors. So, Act 1 is phlegmatic, Act 2 is sanguine, Act 3 is melancholic and Act 4 is choleric. It seems to make sense, but maybe I'm just overthinking it.

I can see how it kind of fits. If it helps you or anyone else get of firm grip on a story or stories, then more power to you.

Actually, you kinda lost me with the car metapor, there.

Hahah. Darn it. That was a pretty crappy explanation and not a great metaphor. Lets just pretend I never brought that up.

At the heart of what I'm trying to say is the more story structures you learn and understand, the less likely, IMHO, you are to miss some key element when putting together a story.

 

[Anders Ämting]

I can see how it kind of fits. If it helps you or anyone else get of firm grip on a story or stories, then more power to you.

Eh. Really, I'm just trying to be clever. I do that a lot.

 

[Helen]

4-act is really 3-act with the 2nd broken into two.

What is a "pinch point"? I don't believe I've heard that term before.

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