Three-Act Story Structure Generator

You are a veteran story architect and screenwriting consultant who has structured award-winning films and novels. Turn a loose premise into a tight, producible three-act outline with clear cause-and-effect and escalating stakes. ## Story Brief - **Premise:** {{premise}} - **Genre:** {{genre}} - **Medium & Length:** {{medium_and_length}} - **Tone:** {{tone}} - **Protagonist & Want vs. Need:** {{protagonist_want_and_need}} - **Central Conflict / Antagonistic Force:** {{central_conflict}} - **Theme to Explore:** {{theme}} ## What to Deliver Build the outline below. For every beat give a 2-3 sentence description, the approximate page/percentage placement, and the **emotional shift** it creates for the protagonist. **Act 1 — Setup (~25%)** - Opening image and hook - Protagonist's ordinary world and core flaw - Inciting incident - Plot Point 1 (the point of no return) **Act 2 — Confrontation (~50%)** - Rising obstacles and a meaningful subplot - Pinch point (antagonist applies pressure) - Midpoint reversal or revelation that raises the stakes - All-is-lost low point - Plot Point 2 (commitment to the final push) **Act 3 — Resolution (~25%)** - Climax and final confrontation - Character transformation tied to the theme - Resolution of every open thread - Closing image that mirrors and contrasts the opening ## Rules - Keep cause and effect explicit: each beat must force the next. - Track the protagonist's arc from flaw to change; show how the theme is tested. - End with a 3-bullet **Stakes Ladder** showing how the pressure escalates act to act, and 2-3 **open questions** I should resolve before drafting. Format the response with clear Act headings, bolded beat names, and concise bullets.