“Ask an Editor” is a forum wherein SCBWI members submit questions that are answered as part of our quarterly Kite Tales blog.
Hello Christine – I hear the words “story arc” and “story structure” but am not sure I know the difference. Can you explain? Thanks.
—J.R., Los Angeles
Hello J.R. – Arc and structure (hopefully) work seamlessly together. Let me try to explain.
Story arc (also known as narrative arc) is the trajectory that your story takes over its full progression. The arc provides structure—which makes these terms a bit confusing. Some story arcs and structures can be shown on a graph.
