Here’s a free plot diagram worksheet for students, teachers and writers. The plot diagram provides a clear overview of the general structure of a story.
A plot diagram is a simple plot graphic organizer that provides a clear and concise overview of a story. In addition to being useful for looking at a general plot, a writer can use a plot diagram for their own specific stories.
The parts of the diagram are exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and conclusion. There are two pdf documents available to download below.
The first is a blank plot diagram for students to fill out. The second document is the complete printable plot diagram.
Printable Plot Diagram Worksheet
For students and teachers
What is a plot diagram?
By filling out the plot diagram template with the fictional events they have come up with, they can quickly discover whether the story structure makes sense, or whether it has a less interesting scene that could be taken out. Furthermore, if you’re a writer who has a few key scenes in mind, writing them out at the appropriate points of the plot diagram will help you see the entire story, and fill in any missing areas.
Literary Terms
Exposition: The beginning of the story. This is where a writer establishes the setting, main characters, and the conflict.
Rising Action: Here is where the story begins to build. Often the rising action line isn’t smooth, but broken down into a series of rising mountain peaks. Each of these peaks represents a key scene in the story, where the main characters either partially solve the main problem, discover a new problem, or are faced with a unexpected event.
Climax: The culmination of all the story’s events and the most exciting part of the story. This is the moment when the main characters face the main conflict and overcome it.
Falling Action: The main conflict is mostly resolved, but a few loose ends still need to be tied up. This happens here. Often the characters return to their initial setting.
Resolution: The end of the story. Everything is wrapped up and the world is good again. Curtains close.