All fiction is based on conflict and this conflict is presented in a structured format called PLOT.

• Exposition
  The introductory material which gives the setting, creates the tone, presents the characters, and presents other facts necessary to understanding the story.
• Foreshadowing
  The use of hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in the story.
• Inciting Force
  The event or character that triggers the conflict.
• Conflict
  The essence of fiction. It creates plot. The conflicts we encounter can usually be identified as one of four kinds. (Man versus…Man, Nature, Society, or Self)
• Rising Action
  A series of events that builds from the conflict. It begins with the inciting force and ends with the climax.
• Crisis
  The conflict reaches a turning point. At this point the opposing forces in the story meet and the conflict becomes most intense. The crisis occurs before or at the same time as the climax.
• Climax
  The climax is the result of the crisis. It is the high point of the story for the reader. Frequently, it is the moment of the highest interest and greatest emotion. The point at which the outcome of the conflict can be predicted.
• Falling Action
  The events after the climax which close the story.
• Resolution (Denouement)
  Rounds out and concludes the action.