Welcome to the Helping Writers Become Authors Podcast. I'm K M. Wyland and I am here to take you

deep with story theory, writing techniques, and the incredible wisdom of story.

I believe story is the greatest power on this earth,

and that as writers, we carry the torch of wielding that power

with responsibility, passion, and skill.

There is no such thing as just a story.

Today, it is my honor and my purpose

to help you write your best story,

astound the world, and maybe change your life.

Hello and welcome.

You are listening to The Secrets of Story Structure Part 3, The First Act.

The First Act is the first major section within Story Structure.

It comprises the first quarter of the story and focuses primarily on setting up and introducing the plot.

As the foundation of everything, a solid first act ensures your plot can achieve solidity

and depth in subsequent acts.

Within the first act, we find three important structural beats,

the hook at the 1%,

mark, the inciting event at the 12% mark,

and the first plot point at the 25% mark.

The hook, which we discussed in last week's episode,

begins the story by introducing the first

domino in the row of causality that will allow each scene to lead into the next.

...