Narrative Architecture and Pacing

Map a story's major turning points to a classic three-act structure (Setup, Confrontation, Resolution).

Analyze an inciting incident's function in removing the protagonist's ability to remain in their initial state.

Analyze a midpoint's function as either a major reversal of fortune or a significant escalation of stakes.

Structure a climax as a sequence of: forced decision, decisive action, and irreversible outcome.

Distinguish between resolution (answering the core question) and denouement (showing the new normal).

Analyze scene order by testing if rearranging scenes breaks the story's causal logic.

Identify strategic use of time compression (summary) versus time expansion (dramatization).

Differentiate fast-paced scenes (high event density) from slow-paced scenes (high introspection/description).