Structural Analysis
Overview
The Structural Analysis evaluates the overall narrative architecture of your manuscript, focusing on how effectively plot progression, character arcs, subplots, and pacing work together to create a cohesive and impactful story. It examines whether the manuscript follows a deliberate and emotionally satisfying structure—one that maintains momentum, balances reflection with action, and supports character development across acts.
A well-structured manuscript doesn't just hit expected beats; it integrates plot and character in a way that feels inevitable, clear, and resonant. This report surfaces both strengths and opportunities in the story’s scaffolding, offering suggestions for structural refinements that support clarity, momentum, and emotional payoff.
Purpose of the Structural Analysis
The goal of this analysis is to help ensure that your manuscript holds together at the macro level. It looks at the sequencing and pacing of key events, the placement and payoff of turning points, the integration of subplots, and the interplay between internal and external arcs.
This analysis is particularly useful when entering or revising a full draft. It reveals whether the reader’s experience is likely to feel smooth, emotionally impactful, and narratively rewarding from beginning to end.
What the report includes
Strengths
This section highlights what’s already working well in the manuscript’s structure. Common strengths include:
- Clear and effective inciting incidents, midpoints, and climaxes
- A protagonist arc that aligns with the external plot structure
- Strong subplots that reinforce the central conflict or theme
- Pacing that adapts appropriately to narrative stakes and tone
- Structural integration of emotional beats and world developments
“The midpoint shift from a mission-focused narrative to one of survival and ethical reckoning creates a compelling reorientation, deepening both plot stakes and character growth.”
Suggestions
This section surfaces areas where structure could be refined for better cohesion, pacing, or payoff. Feedback may include:
- Clarifying or strengthening turning points and transitions
- Weaving in or resolving subplots more cleanly
- Revisiting the aftermath of major events to sustain narrative drive
- Ensuring key character decisions have structural impact
- Compressing or expanding sequences for improved flow
“Cray’s death holds emotional weight, but its structural impact is underdeveloped. Reinforcing how it informs Kyle’s decision-making could create a more cohesive causal chain.”
Summary
The Structural Analysis provides a top-level view of how well the manuscript is organized and paced. It focuses on whether events unfold in a logical, emotionally satisfying order; whether characters’ arcs are woven into that progression; and whether the resolution delivers a sense of completion.
This report helps ensure your story feels intentional—each act building on the last, each decision leading somewhere, and every thread meaningfully connected to the whole. It’s a critical tool for finalizing structure in revision, helping writers identify not just what happens in their story, but how and why it lands.
What We Evaluate
This analysis draws from a set of story architecture principles grounded in narrative craft. While the internal evaluation process is proprietary, the report reflects structured feedback across elements such as:
- Clarity and impact of structural milestones (inciting incident, midpoint, climax, resolution)
- Pacing across acts and scenes
- Alignment between external events and internal arcs
- Cause-and-effect logic in narrative progression
- Subplot integration and payoff
- Thematic and emotional progression across the manuscript
- Use of transitions and hooks to maintain momentum
- Resolution quality—are arcs completed, and is the conclusion earned?
- Use of scenes to reinforce rising stakes, emotional depth, or narrative tension
The result is a focused guide to help shape a story that holds the reader from start to finish—and feels cohesive at every turn.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as a beat sheet?
No. While a beat sheet outlines major plot points, this analysis assesses how those beats function in context—whether they’re paced effectively, emotionally resonant, and well-integrated with character arcs and subplots.
Does this analysis favor traditional three-act structure?
Not exclusively. The analysis is flexible and adapts to your manuscript’s unique shape—whether nonlinear, episodic, or multi-POV—while still applying core narrative principles like momentum, escalation, and resolution.
Will this help with series structure?
Yes. If your manuscript is part of a series, the report considers how well the structure sets up future installments while delivering a satisfying arc within the current book.