You’ve developed your characters, explored your fictional world, and discovered the heart of your story. Now it’s time to figure out what actually HAPPENS! Today, we’re identifying the major story beats that will guide your novel from beginning to end.
Welcome back to Day 17 of Preptober 2026! 🎃✍️
YOU GUYS!
We’ve officially made it to one of my FAVORITE parts of planning a novel.
PLOTTING! 🎉📖
Over the past sixteen days, we’ve been laying the foundation for our stories.
We’ve explored why we’re writing our novels.
We’ve brainstormed our ideas.
We’ve developed our protagonists, antagonists, and supporting characters.
We’ve figured out what our characters want, what they need, and what’s standing in their way.
And yesterday, we officially wrapped up our worldbuilding exercises!
Which means we now have a much better understanding of our characters and the worlds they inhabit.
But there’s one pretty important question we still need to answer.
What actually HAPPENS in our stories?! 😂
Because having an incredible protagonist and a fascinating fictional world is wonderful.
But eventually, something needs to happen that forces our characters to DO something.
And that’s where plotting comes in!
Today, we’re identifying the BIG moments in our stories—the major story beats that will help guide our novels from beginning to end.
And before my pantsers start panicking…
Don’t worry!
We’re not outlining every single chapter today.
We’re simply figuring out the major events that will give our stories direction.
So grab your free Preptober 2026 E-Guide, because we’ve got some plotting to do!
What Are Story Beats?
Let’s start with the basics.
Story beats are important moments or events that move your story forward.
They’re the moments that change something.
Maybe your protagonist makes an important decision.
Maybe they discover something that changes their understanding of the world.
Maybe they experience a devastating loss.
Or maybe they finally accomplish the goal they’ve been pursuing throughout the novel.
These moments help create the structure of your story.
And while every novel is different, many stories share certain structural turning points.
Think about some of your favorite books.
There’s usually a moment when the protagonist’s ordinary life is disrupted.
A moment when they commit to a new course of action.
A moment when something changes the direction of the story.
A moment when everything seems lost.
And eventually, a moment when the central conflict reaches its climax.
Those are the kinds of moments we’re looking for today.
We’re identifying the major events that transform your story from a collection of interesting ideas into a journey with a beginning, middle, and end.
And here’s the best part.
You don’t need to know every little detail between those moments yet.
We’re simply creating a foundation.
Why Should You Identify Your Major Story Beats?
Now, you might be wondering…
Elizabeth, can’t I just start writing and figure out what happens along the way?
ABSOLUTELY!
If you’re a discovery writer, you might prefer to uncover your story as you draft.
And that’s completely valid.
But even if you’re a pantser, having a general idea of where your story might be heading can be helpful.
Think of your major story beats like destinations on a road trip.
You know where you’re starting.
You know a few important places you want to visit.
And you have a general idea of where you’d like to end up.
But you don’t necessarily know every road you’ll take to get there.
And that’s okay!
Maybe you’ll discover an interesting detour.
Maybe you’ll change your destination.
Or maybe you’ll realize there’s a much better route.
Your story beats are meant to guide you, not trap you.
For plotters, they provide the foundation for a more detailed outline.
For pantsers, they can offer a little direction without taking away the excitement of discovery.
And for everyone in between?
They can help you recognize which moments are most important to your story.
The Seven Major Story Beats We’re Exploring Today 📖
Grab your free Preptober 2026 E-Guide and turn to the Story Beats section.
Today, we’re identifying seven major moments:
- Opening
- Inciting Incident
- Act I Turning Point
- Midpoint
- Act II Turning Point / Darkest Moment
- Climax
- Resolution
These are broad structural landmarks, not rigid rules.
Different storytelling methods use different names, divide beats differently, or place them at slightly different points.
And that’s perfectly fine!
For today’s exercise, we’re keeping things simple.
We want to understand the major events that move our protagonists from who they are at the beginning of the novel to who they become by the end.
Let’s break them down!
Beat 1: The Opening — Where Does Your Story Begin? 🌅
Every story has to start somewhere.
And your opening introduces readers to your protagonist and the world they inhabit before the central conflict fully takes hold.
This is our opportunity to establish who our protagonist is.
What their everyday life looks like.
What they want.
What they believe.
And perhaps what isn’t quite right in their world.
Now, here’s something important.
Your protagonist’s ordinary world doesn’t necessarily have to be peaceful or boring.
Maybe they’re already struggling.
Maybe they’re unhappy with their circumstances.
Or maybe they’re convinced that everything is exactly the way it should be.
The important thing is that readers begin to understand their starting point.
Because once the story starts changing their life, we want to understand what’s at stake.
Ask Yourself:
- Who is my protagonist at the beginning of the story?
- What does their life look like?
- What do they want?
- What problem or dissatisfaction already exists?
- What do I want readers to understand about them?
And remember…
You don’t need to figure out your perfect opening sentence today.
We’re just identifying where the story begins.
Beat 2: The Inciting Incident — What Changes Everything? 🔥
Okay, you guys.
THIS is where things start getting interesting!
The inciting incident is the event that disrupts your protagonist’s existing situation and sets the central story in motion.
Something happens.
And suddenly, life can’t continue exactly as it did before.
Maybe your protagonist receives an unexpected invitation.
Discovers a secret.
Meets someone who changes their plans.
Loses something important.
Or finds themselves facing a problem they can no longer ignore.
Whatever happens, the inciting incident introduces a change that demands a response.
Think about it this way.
What happens that makes this particular story worth telling NOW?
Why are we following your protagonist at this moment in their life?
What changes?
And why does that change matter?
Ask Yourself:
- What event disrupts my protagonist’s life?
- Why is this event important?
- What new problem or opportunity does it introduce?
- How does my protagonist initially respond?
And here’s a little reminder.
Your inciting incident doesn’t necessarily have to involve explosions, battles, or dramatic revelations.
Sometimes an unexpected meeting can change everything.
Especially in romance! 💕
Beat 3: The Act I Turning Point — There’s No Going Back! 🚪
Now that something has disrupted our protagonist’s life, we need to move them into the main conflict of the story.
That’s where the Act I turning point comes in.
This is the moment when our protagonist commits to a course of action or crosses into a new situation that drives the rest of the novel.
Maybe they make a difficult decision.
Accept an invitation.
Leave home.
Agree to an arrangement.
Or find themselves in circumstances they can no longer escape.
The important thing is that the story changes direction.
Our protagonist is no longer simply reacting to the disruption. They’re becoming involved in the central journey.
And ideally?
There’s something significant at stake.
Ask Yourself:
- What decision or event launches my protagonist into the main conflict?
- What are they committing to?
- Why can’t they simply return to their previous life?
- What do they believe they need to accomplish?
This is also a great opportunity to revisit our Day 10 exercise.
Remember?
Goal. Conflict. Stakes.
By the end of Act I, readers should have a clearer sense of what the protagonist is pursuing and what stands in their way.
Beat 4: The Midpoint — Everything Changes! 👀
Now we’ve reached the middle of our story.
And this is where things can get REALLY interesting.
The midpoint is a major turning point that changes the direction, stakes, or understanding of the central conflict.
Maybe your protagonist makes a surprising discovery.
Maybe they achieve what appears to be a major victory.
Maybe they suffer a significant defeat.
Or maybe something happens that forces them to reconsider everything they thought they knew.
A strong midpoint often changes how the protagonist approaches the rest of the story.
Before the midpoint, they might be pursuing one strategy.
Afterward, they realize that strategy isn’t going to work.
Or perhaps they finally understand the true nature of the problem they’re facing.
The midpoint should make the second half of the story feel meaningfully different from the first.
And this doesn’t necessarily mean you need an enormous plot twist.
Sometimes the most important midpoint is an emotional revelation.
Especially in a character-driven novel.
Ask Yourself:
- What major event changes the direction of my story?
- What new information does my protagonist discover?
- Do the stakes increase?
- Does my protagonist change their approach?
- How does this moment influence their emotional journey?
And remember our Day 11 exercise on wants, needs, and false beliefs?
The midpoint can be a wonderful opportunity to challenge what your protagonist believes.
Or maybe give them a reason to cling to that false belief even harder.
Either way, something important should shift.
Beat 5: The Act II Turning Point & Darkest Moment — Everything Falls Apart 💔
Okay.
Time to make our characters suffer.
FOR STORYTELLING PURPOSES, OF COURSE! 😂
As we approach the end of Act II, the central conflict intensifies.
Our protagonist may experience a major setback.
Their plans might fall apart.
They might lose something important.
Or they might realize the approach they’ve relied on throughout the story won’t work.
This is where we often encounter the darkest moment.
That point when everything feels hopeless.
When our protagonist believes they’ve failed.
When their greatest fear seems to be coming true.
Or when they’re forced to confront the consequences of their own choices.
Now, depending on your story structure, the Act II turning point and the darkest moment might be separate events.
That’s completely fine!
For today’s exercise, we’re looking at the major crisis that pushes our protagonist toward the final act.
What happens that forces your protagonist to confront the central conflict—and possibly themselves—in a new way?
Ask Yourself:
- What is the protagonist’s greatest setback?
- What do they lose?
- What makes this moment emotionally devastating?
- How does this crisis challenge their false belief?
- What must they realize or decide before moving forward?
And remember…
The darkest moment doesn’t always involve death or a catastrophic disaster.
Sometimes it’s the end of a relationship.
A betrayal.
A painful realization.
Or the loss of something your protagonist believed they couldn’t live without.
The emotional impact matters more than the spectacle.
Beat 6: The Climax — The Moment We’ve Been Building Toward! ⚔️
THIS IS IT!
The big moment!
The confrontation!
The decision!
The event we’ve been building toward throughout the entire novel!
The climax is where the central conflict reaches its decisive turning point.
Maybe your protagonist confronts the antagonist.
Makes an enormous sacrifice.
Confesses their feelings.
Solves the mystery.
Or finally makes a choice that demonstrates how much they’ve changed.
And here’s something I really want you to think about.
Your climax should connect to the story you’ve been telling all along.
Remember your protagonist’s goal?
Their conflict?
Their stakes?
Their false belief?
Their emotional journey?
The climax is an opportunity to bring those elements together.
Your protagonist might finally accomplish their original goal.
Or perhaps they realize that what they truly need is different from what they wanted at the beginning.
Either way, the climax should provide a meaningful payoff to the central conflict.
Ask Yourself:
- What is the decisive confrontation or choice?
- How does my protagonist actively influence the outcome?
- What is at stake?
- How does this moment demonstrate their growth—or failure to grow?
- How is the central conflict resolved?
And don’t worry if you don’t know every detail of your climax yet.
Sometimes you’ll discover the perfect ending while writing the middle.
For now, we’re simply identifying the major moment we’re building toward.
Beat 7: The Resolution — What Happens After Everything Changes? 💕
And finally…
THE RESOLUTION!
We’ve made it through the central conflict.
Our protagonist has faced their greatest challenge.
And now readers get to see what happens afterward.
This is where we establish the consequences of the climax.
What has changed?
What has been resolved?
What relationships have evolved?
And who has our protagonist become?
Maybe they return home.
Maybe they begin a new chapter of their life.
Maybe they finally find the love or belonging they’ve been searching for.
Or maybe they realize that the world—and their place within it—will never be the same.
The resolution gives readers an opportunity to experience the emotional payoff of the story.
And depending on your genre, it might also introduce a question that leads into the next book.
Ask Yourself:
- What does my protagonist’s life look like after the climax?
- How have they changed?
- Which relationships or conflicts need closure?
- What emotional feeling do I want readers to leave with?
- What final image or moment might bring the story full circle?
Remember Day 6, when we explored the heart of our stories?
This is a wonderful opportunity to revisit that exercise.
What do you want readers to feel when they reach the final page?
Because your resolution can help deliver that emotional experience.
What If You Don’t Know All Seven Beats Yet?
Okay, let’s address something important.
What if you sit down with your E-Guide…
Look at the seven story beats…
And realize you have absolutely NO IDEA what happens in the middle of your novel?
First of all…
WELCOME TO WRITING! 😂💕
Seriously.
You do not need to know every major event before you begin drafting.
Maybe you know exactly how your novel starts.
And you have a beautiful ending in mind.
But the middle?
It’s just one enormous question mark.
That’s okay!
Start with what you know.
Maybe you can identify your opening, inciting incident, and climax.
Great!
Write those down.
Maybe you know your protagonist’s darkest moment but haven’t figured out the midpoint.
That’s fine, too.
You can leave blanks in your outline.
You can write down multiple possibilities.
You can brainstorm.
And you can change your mind later.
Remember what we’ve been saying throughout Preptober?
Your planning process should work for YOU.
Not the other way around.
We’re creating a foundation that helps us write.
We’re not signing a contract promising never to change our minds. 😂
How to Make Your Story Beats Stronger
Once you’ve identified a few of your major beats, here’s a little exercise I love.
Look at each event and ask yourself:
What changes because of this moment?
Because a major story beat should generally create a meaningful shift.
Maybe it changes the protagonist’s goal.
Maybe it raises the stakes.
Maybe it introduces new information.
Maybe it transforms a relationship.
Or maybe it challenges a deeply held belief.
For example, imagine a fictional mystery novel.
Your protagonist discovers an old photograph.
Interesting!
But what makes that discovery a major story beat?
Perhaps the photograph reveals that someone they trust has been lying about an important event.
Now the discovery changes their understanding of the mystery.
And it forces them to reconsider who they can trust.
That’s a meaningful turning point.
The event doesn’t just happen.
It changes what happens next.
And that’s what we want our major story beats to accomplish.
Today’s Preptober Assignment ✍️
Grab your free Preptober 2026 E-Guide and turn to the Story Beats section.
Today, we’re identifying the BIG moments in our novels.
And here’s the best part.
We’re NOT outlining every chapter yet!
That comes later.
For now, I want you to spend about 15–20 minutes brainstorming the major events in your story.
Step 1: Write Down What You Already Know
Start with the scenes and events you’ve already imagined.
Maybe you know your opening.
Maybe you know your climax.
Maybe there’s a heartbreaking scene you absolutely cannot wait to write.
Write them down!
You don’t have to put them in order just yet.
Step 2: Identify Your Seven Major Beats
Using your E-Guide, try to answer these questions:
Opening: Where does my protagonist’s journey begin?
Inciting Incident: What happens that disrupts their life?
Act I Turning Point: What commits them to the main conflict?
Midpoint: What major event changes the direction of the story?
Act II Turning Point / Darkest Moment: What brings them to their lowest point?
Climax: What decisive confrontation or choice resolves the central conflict?
Resolution: What happens after the climax, and how has my protagonist changed?
If you don’t know an answer?
Leave it blank!
Or write down a few possibilities.
Step 3: Connect Your Beats to Your Character’s Journey
Now, take a look at your protagonist’s wants, needs, and false beliefs.
How might these major events challenge what they believe?
What will they learn?
What decisions will they make?
And how might those decisions influence the direction of the story?
Remember…
Your plot and your character’s emotional journey should work together.
Step 4: Don’t Worry About the Details Yet
I know.
I KNOW.
It’s tempting to start outlining every chapter immediately. 😂
But we’re going to spend the next several days working through our plots in more detail.
Today is about identifying the big picture.
Think of your story beats as the skeleton of your novel.
Over the next several days, we’ll start adding the details that bring that skeleton to life.
Follow Along With Preptober 2026! 🎃📖
If you’re just joining us, welcome!
Throughout October, I’m sharing 31 daily YouTube videos to help writers plan their novels and prepare for Novel November.
We’re working through my free Preptober 2026 E-Guide, one section at a time.
And whether you’re a dedicated plotter, a proud pantser, or somewhere in between, you’re welcome to join us!
You don’t need to know every scene.
You don’t need a perfect ending.
And you definitely don’t need a fifty-page outline before you can start writing. 😂
You just need enough direction to take the next step.
Coming Up Tomorrow: Let’s Map the Beginning of Your Novel! 📖✨
Tomorrow, we’re moving on to Day 18 of Preptober 2026, and we’re taking a closer look at the BEGINNING of our stories!
We’ll explore how to introduce our protagonists.
Establish their ordinary worlds.
Create an inciting incident.
And build toward the turning point that launches them into the main conflict.
Because now that we’ve identified the BIG moments in our novels…
It’s time to start connecting the dots!
And don’t worry.
We’re taking this one step at a time.
Before you go, I’d love to hear from you:
Which major story beat are you MOST excited to write? 👀📖
Is it your inciting incident?
Your midpoint?
That absolutely DEVASTATING darkest moment?
Or the climax you’ve been imagining since the moment you came up with your story idea? 😂💕
Tell me in the comments!
I’ll see you tomorrow!
We’ve got a novel to plan. 🎃✍️
