When starting to write, a good plot is absolutely critical, but to take a plot to the next level, having a solid story arc is vital. I’ve been reading Reedsy‘s blogs and a lot of them have recently been about different story arcs, making me think back to when I started writing the first few drafts of Atlantic Split.

It was very early on that I learnt about story arcs, and for a book series such as The Luke Bright Series which is full of action scenes and emotional ones, it was important to balance these out.

The story arc I followed was very similar to this  with ups and downs dispersed throughout the beginning, middle and end. In fact, if you’ve read Atlantic Split, you’ll notice that the intensity of the action scenes is also reasonably similar too. Story arcs are a proven method to make sure to keep up the momentum and also leave space for the plot to develop in between the tense and climatic scenes. I’ve aimed to do something similar with the following three books in the series, ensuring the action scenes make sense and follow a structure.

An infographic that I found very interesting was the hero’s journey  which again I could relate to Atlantic Split, but also to The Luke Bright Series as a whole. Being able to compare it to other classic books and films using the same structure, I could easily tell that my books were able to stand up there with the big boys in the industry.

Make sure to check out Reedsy’s blog  to find out all about the other types of story arcs that may work for you. It’s a really useful tool for aspiring authors, and explains the importance of using the arc structures and the effect they can have. Sure, you can write a book without one, but why fault a proven method of success? Many stories use the same styles of arcs, but it doesn’t mean they are all the same. It’s how you work your plot around the arc that really gets you to stand out and makes your book an individual. It’s certainly worth a shot.

Atlantic Split is the first book in The Luke Bright Series and is available to purchase NOW! Please follow me on my blog and my social media links below and use the links on my website to purchase a copy if you have not done so. Don’t forget to leave a review! The second book, At Liberty To Live will be released in AUTUMN 2018. Thank you once again for taking the time to read this blog post.

N.A.K.