PlotGerüst

PlotGerüst is a term used in narrative theory and screenwriting, especially in German-language writing communities, to describe a skeletal framework for a plot. It provides a reusable scaffold that guides the development of a story from premise to resolution. It is not a fixed rule set but a flexible structure that writers can adapt to genre, length, and style.

A typical PlotGerüst includes major structural beats such as setup, inciting incident, rising action, turning points, midpoint, crisis, climax, and denouement. Many implementations also incorporate a clear protagonist goal, obstacle escalation, subplots, and character arcs. The image or template is often modular: writers can swap, remove, or reorder sections to fit their narrative needs.

In practice, PlotGerüst is used as a planning tool in workshops, classrooms, and writing software. It can be expressed as a beat sheet, timeline, index cards, or digital template. By focusing on the skeleton first, authors can test pacing, coherence, and thematic throughlines before committing to prose.

Relation to other concepts: PlotGerüst is closely related to the three-act structure, beat sheets, and story skeletons. It is commonly taught as an introductory planning technique, but experienced writers may extend it with more granular milestones or thematic markers.

See also: beat sheet, three-act structure, story arc.