#152. Three Act Structure Breakdown: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Fiction Writing Made Easy

How did Rowling deliver on the life-and-death stakes an action story requires, but in a way appropriate for middle-grade readers? How did she consistently weave together the external plot and Harry’s character arc in such a way that they’re inseparable?
Tune into this episode to hear Abigail K. Perry and I talk through the plot structure of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone using the Story Grid’s Five Commandments of Storytelling. Yep, we’ve broken down the beginning, middle, and end of the first Harry Potter book so you don’t have to. Cool, right?
You’ll hear us talk about things like:

• 02:26] The structure of the beginning hook—aka how Rowling introduced us to Harry and immersed us in his world before sending him to Hogwarts.
• [10:08] How the middle build-up leads to the all-important midpoint moment. What will Harry do now that his life’s been threatened by a teacher?
• [22:56] How the middle breakdown brings Harry to an all-time low—and why this is critical in terms of Harry’s growth and ability to defeat Voldemort
• [27:57] The structure of the ending payoff—aka how Rowling continued to raise the stakes and delivered an awesome Hero At The Mercy Of The Villain scene
• [32:25] And so much more…

If you like this episode, you’ll LOVE my book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: A Story Grid Masterwork Analysis Guide. Click here to pre-order a copy and get access to a collection of bonuses in addition to a copy of the book.
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🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Pre-order my new book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: A Story Grid Masterwork Analysis Guide, and get a handful of special bonuses!
• Watch the video interview on Story Grid’s YouTube channel

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👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Chapter

1. Harry Potter Plot Structure Analysis (00:00:00)

2. Harry Potter Inciting Incident and Decision (00:04:55)

3. Harry Potter (00:17:09)

4. Analyzing Harry Potter's Plot Progression (00:20:23)

5. Harry Potter Climactic Showdown Resolution (00:26:30)

6. Podcast Listener Appreciation and Call-to-Action (00:37:34)