plot-structure

---
name: plot-structure
description: This skill should be used when the user asks to "create a plot arc", "story structure", "add a plot point", "story timeline", "track foreshadowing", "pacing", "act structure", "story arc", "plot outline", or wants to plan and manage the narrative structure of a story.
---

# Plot Structure

## Overview

Plan and manage story arcs, plot points, foreshadowing, and narrative timeline. Each arc is a markdown file in `plot/arcs/` with a chronological timeline maintained in `plot/timeline.md`. The plot index tracks all arcs, their status, and theme coverage.

## Prerequisites

A story project must already exist (created via the story-init skill). Verify by checking for `story.md` in the project root.

## Choosing a Story Structure

1. Read `story.md` for genre and themes
2. Consult `references/structure-models.md` for available structures
3. Recommend a structure based on genre (default to three-act if unclear)
4. Update `plot/_index.md` frontmatter `structure` field
5. Populate the story structure section with the beat sheet
6. When CLI access is available, run `story validate .`

## Creating an Arc

1. Read `story.md` for themes
2. Read `plot/_index.md` for existing arcs
3. Read `characters/_index.md` to understand available characters
4. Ask for:
   - Arc name
   - Type (main, subplot, character, thematic)
   - Which characters are involved
   - Which themes it serves
   - Which MICE threads the arc carries (optional `mice-threads:` frontmatter, e.g. `[event, character]`; see `references/mice-quotient.md`)
5. Build the arc through conversation: setup, escalations, climax, resolution
6. Write the file using `references/arc-template.md` (or scaffold it with `story add arc "{Name}" --type main --character {id} --theme {theme}`, then fill in the sections)
7. Save to `plot/arcs/{arc-name-kebab}.md`
8. Update `plot/_index.md` arcs table
9. Update theme tracking in `plot/_index.md`
10. If characters are referenced, verify they exist in `characters/`
11. When CLI access is available, run `story reindex .`, `story links .`, and `story validate .`

## Managing Plot Points

Plot points live within arc files in the "Plot Points" table. When adding a plot point:

1. Read the relevant arc file
2. Add the plot point to the table with chapter reference (if known)
3. Add the event to `plot/timeline.md` in chronological order
4. If the plot point involves foreshadowing, add it to the arc's foreshadowing table
5. If the plot point creates a reader promise or mystery, create or update a record in `continuity/promises/` or `continuity/questions/`
6. When CLI access is available, run `story validate .`

## Timeline Management

The timeline at `plot/timeline.md` is a chronological master list of all story events across all arcs.

When adding events:
- Insert in chronological order
- Keep entries concise (one line per event)
- Use the `| When | Event | Arc | Chapter |` table with these cell formats:
  - **When:** story-relative time for story events (e.g. `Day 1, morning`), or how long ago for backstory (e.g. `12 years ago`, `~300 years ago`)
  - **Event:** one concise line describing what happened
  - **Arc:** the arc's display name as written in its file (e.g. `The Drowned Witness`), or `-` when the event belongs to no arc
  - **Chapter:** `Ch {N}` once the event is written (e.g. `Ch 1`), or `-` for backstory and unwritten events

When reviewing the timeline:
- Check for chronological consistency
- Identify pacing issues (too many events clustered, long gaps)
- Flag arcs that haven't progressed

## Foreshadowing Tracking

Each arc tracks its own foreshadowing in the "Foreshadowing" table:
- **Planted:** What hint or setup is placed
- **Payoff:** What the payoff will be
- **Chapter Planted / Chapter Payoff:** Where each occurs
- **Status:** `planned`, `planted`, or `paid-off`

During chapter writing, flag any `planted` items that haven't been paid off as reminders.

For durable cross-arc setup/payoff tracking, also maintain `continuity/promises/{promise-kebab}.md` with `status`, `planted`, `payoff`, `arcs`, and `characters`. For mystery or open-continuity tracking, maintain `continuity/questions/{question-kebab}.md`.

Scaffold chapters and scenes with `story add chapter "{Title}" --number {N} --pov {id} --arc {arc-id}` and `story add scene "{Title}" --chapter chapter-{NN} --scene {M} --pov {id} --location {id}`, then write the prose and outline content into the created files.

## Cross-Referencing

- Arcs reference characters via frontmatter `characters` field
- Arcs reference themes via frontmatter `themes` field
- Plot points reference chapters
- Timeline entries link arcs and chapters
- Theme tracking in `plot/_index.md` maps themes to arcs and chapters
- Promises and questions reference chapters, arcs, and characters where relevant

## CLI Maintenance

Use the Story CLI when it is available. If `story` is not installed, use `bun run story --` from the Story Skills repository checkout or the bundled fallback `node ../story-maintenance/scripts/story.js` with the same arguments, resolving the path relative to this skill folder. If no CLI is available, perform the registry, backlink, and word-count checks manually.

## Reference Files

- **`references/arc-template.md`** - Template for arc files with frontmatter and sections
- **`references/question-template.md`** - Template for continuity questions and mysteries
- **`references/promise-template.md`** - Template for setup/payoff tracking
- **`references/structure-models.md`** - Story structure models (three-act, hero's journey, save the cat, kishotenketsu, five-act, Fichtean curve, Harmon's story circle) with beat sheets
- **`references/mice-quotient.md`** - MICE threading: milieu/inquiry/character/event threads, start/end rules, and the optional `mice-threads:` arc frontmatter
- **`references/short-story-form.md`** - Short fiction form: one dominant change, single effect, narrow scope
- **`references/outlining-ladder.md`** - Premise → beat sheet → step outline → full outline, with exit criteria per rung (cross-links discovery-drafting)