The Shape of Stories: Arcs, Structures, and the Architectures of Narrative

Writers often fear that structure will stifle creativity, that once you start talking about arcs and acts and pyramids, the magic vanishes. But structure isn’t a cage — it’s scaffolding.

Structure holds the story steady while you climb. Painters use canvas; architects use blueprints; musicians use scales. Storytellers, too, have always leaned on shapes.