CHAPTER 7

THE THIRD PLOT POINT

 

Where Does It Belong?

From the 75% mark to the 100% mark in your story.

 

THE THIRD ACT occupies the final quarter of the book, beginning around or slightly before the 75% mark and continuing until the end. This is a relatively small portion of the story, particularly when you think about all that must be accomplished within it. One of the reasons the Third Act will pick up the pace compared to the previous acts is the simple necessity of cramming in everything that needs to be addressed before the book runs out of time and space.

All the characters must be assembled. Subplots must be satisfactorily tied off. Foreshadowing must be fulfilled. Both the hero and the antagonist (if there is one) must have time to put into play the final aspects of their plans. The hero must face his inner demons and complete his character arc in concert with the final conflict with the antagonistic force. And then everything must be capped with a satisfying denouement.

That’s a lot to accomplish in a mere 25% of the book, so there’s no time to waste. In the Third Act, you can see one of the primary benefits of structure: for the story to work, all the pieces in the First and Second Acts must be in place to lay the foundation for the finale.