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skills/storyboard-manager/references/story_structures.md

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+# Story Structure Reference
+
+This reference provides common story structures and frameworks for planning narratives.
+
+## Three-Act Structure
+
+### Act One: Setup (25% of story)
+- **Hook**: Opening scene that grabs attention
+- **Inciting Incident**: Event that disrupts the protagonist's normal world
+- **First Plot Point**: Decision/event that propels protagonist into Act Two (typically at 25% mark)
+
+### Act Two: Confrontation (50% of story)
+- **Rising Action**: Series of obstacles and complications
+- **Midpoint**: Major revelation or reversal (at 50% mark)
+- **Pinch Points**: Moments that increase pressure on protagonist
+- **Second Plot Point**: Lowest point/crisis that leads into Act Three (at 75% mark)
+
+### Act Three: Resolution (25% of story)
+- **Climax**: Final confrontation or decision
+- **Falling Action**: Immediate consequences of climax
+- **Resolution**: New normal/equilibrium established
+
+## Hero's Journey (Joseph Campbell)
+
+1. **Ordinary World**: Hero's normal life
+2. **Call to Adventure**: Challenge or quest presented
+3. **Refusal of the Call**: Initial hesitation or fear
+4. **Meeting the Mentor**: Guidance or magical aid
+5. **Crossing the Threshold**: Commitment to the journey
+6. **Tests, Allies, and Enemies**: Learning the rules of the new world
+7. **Approach to the Inmost Cave**: Preparation for major challenge
+8. **Ordeal**: Greatest fear/challenge faced
+9. **Reward**: Achievement of goal or new knowledge
+10. **The Road Back**: Return journey begins
+11. **Resurrection**: Final test with everything at stake
+12. **Return with the Elixir**: Hero returns transformed
+
+## Save the Cat Beat Sheet (Blake Snyder)
+
+1. **Opening Image**: Snapshot of protagonist's world before change
+2. **Theme Stated**: Central question or theme introduced
+3. **Setup**: Establish protagonist's world, flaws, and stakes
+4. **Catalyst**: Event that starts the story (at 10% mark)
+5. **Debate**: Internal conflict about whether to act
+6. **Break into Two**: Protagonist commits to journey (at 20-25% mark)
+7. **B Story**: Subplot introduced (often romantic or thematic)
+8. **Fun and Games**: Promise of the premise delivered
+9. **Midpoint**: False victory or defeat (at 50% mark)
+10. **Bad Guys Close In**: External and internal pressure increases
+11. **All Is Lost**: Lowest point (at 75% mark)
+12. **Dark Night of the Soul**: Protagonist processes loss
+13. **Break into Three**: Solution discovered (at 80% mark)
+14. **Finale**: Climax and resolution
+15. **Final Image**: Parallel to opening showing change
+
+## Character Arc Templates
+
+### Positive Change Arc
+- **Lie Believed**: Character starts believing something false about themselves/world
+- **Want vs. Need**: What they think they want vs. what they actually need
+- **Ghost/Wound**: Past trauma influencing present behavior
+- **Moment of Truth**: Forced to choose between lie and truth
+- **Resolution**: Embraces truth and grows
+
+### Flat Arc
+- **Truth Known**: Character already knows the truth
+- **World's Lie**: The world around them believes a lie
+- **Testing**: Character's truth is challenged repeatedly
+- **Impact**: Character changes the world around them
+- **Affirmation**: Character's truth proven correct
+
+### Negative Arc
+- **Initial Weakness**: Character has a flaw or belief
+- **Escalation**: Flaw grows worse through choices
+- **Point of No Return**: Character chooses darkness
+- **Descent**: Consequences spiral
+- **Tragic End**: Character destroyed or becomes antagonist
+
+## Scene Structure
+
+### Scene Components
+1. **Goal**: What the POV character wants in this scene
+2. **Conflict**: Opposition to achieving the goal
+3. **Disaster**: Outcome (usually negative) that propels to next scene
+
+### Sequel Components (reaction to scene)
+1. **Reaction**: Emotional response to disaster
+2. **Dilemma**: Working through options
+3. **Decision**: Choice that leads to next goal/scene
+
+## Pacing Guidelines
+
+### Chapter Length by Genre
+- **Thriller/Mystery**: 2,000-3,000 words (faster pace)
+- **Fantasy/Sci-Fi**: 3,000-5,000 words (world-building needs)
+- **Romance**: 2,500-4,000 words (emotional beats)
+- **Literary Fiction**: 2,000-6,000 words (varies widely)
+- **YA**: 2,000-3,500 words (shorter attention span)
+
+### Tension Management
+- **High-tension scenes**: Action, conflict, revelations (shorter, punchier)
+- **Low-tension scenes**: Character development, world-building (can be longer)
+- **Rhythm**: Alternate between high and low tension
+- **Overall trend**: Tension should increase as story progresses
+
+## Plot Development
+
+### Conflict Types
+1. **Character vs. Character**: Antagonist opposition
+2. **Character vs. Self**: Internal struggle
+3. **Character vs. Society**: Against norms/systems
+4. **Character vs. Nature**: Environmental challenges
+5. **Character vs. Technology**: Man vs. machine
+6. **Character vs. Fate**: Against destiny/prophecy
+
+### Subplot Integration
+- **Mirror subplots**: Reflect main theme differently
+- **Contrast subplots**: Show opposite approach to theme
+- **Complication subplots**: Add obstacles to main plot
+- **Resolution rule**: Resolve minor subplots before climax, major ones during/after
+
+## Genre-Specific Structures
+
+### Mystery/Thriller
+- Introduction of crime/mystery
+- Investigation and clue discovery
+- Red herrings and misdirection
+- Escalating danger
+- Revelation and confrontation
+- Resolution and explanation
+
+### Romance
+- Meet-cute or introduction
+- Attraction develops
+- Barrier/conflict introduced
+- Relationship deepens despite obstacles
+- Black moment/breakup
+- Grand gesture/reconciliation
+- Happy ending or HEA (Happily Ever After)
+
+### Fantasy/Sci-Fi
+- Ordinary world establishment
+- Introduction to magical/sci-fi elements
+- Quest or mission defined
+- Journey and world exploration
+- Building towards prophesied/anticipated event
+- Final battle or confrontation
+- New world order established