How to Plan Your Novel

Act 1: The Beginning

• The Hook (approximately 1% or 800 words of the way into your story)
• The Inciting Incident (around 12% or 9,500 words in)
• The First Plot Point (around 25% or 20,000 words in)

Act 2: The Middle

• The First Pinch Point (around 37% or 29,500 words in)
• The Midpoint (around 50% or 40,000 words in)
• The Second Pinch Point (around 62% or 49,500 words in)
• The Second Plot Point (around 75% or 60,000 words in)

Act 3: The End

• The Crisis (around 88% or 70,000 words in)
• The Climax (around 90% or 72,000 words in)
• The Resolution (around 98% or 78,000 words)