What is Freytag's pyramid?

Freytag's pyramid, named after the 19th-century German playwright Gustav Freytag, is a model for structuring narratives in storytelling. The model outlines seven key steps:

1. Exposition: This provides background information, setting the scene for the plot.
2. Inciting Incident: An event that sets the story in motion by disrupting the status quo.
3. Rising Action: A series of events building up to the climax, increasing tension and developing the story.
4. Climax: The turning point or most intense moment of the story.
5. Falling Action: Events that follow the climax and begin to resolve the story.
6. Resolution: The conclusion where the story's conflicts are resolved.
7. Dénouement: Any final details that wrap up the story.

Although it's a fundamental structure for understanding the rise and fall of narrative action, author Chuck Wendig suggests starting with Freytag's pyramid can be like training wheels. Ultimately, engaging stories tend to deviate from this rigid structure to become more dynamic and engaging 1 2.