Story Structure
Beat Sheet
Validate document structure against beat sheet percentages — Catalyst, Midpoint, All Is Lost.
What It Does
Divides the document into percentage-based sections and checks for the presence of key structural beats from the Save the Cat! beat sheet methodology. Flags missing beats and pacing anomalies.
Why It Matters
The beat sheet provides a structural scaffold for stories. Whether you follow it strictly or use it as a compass, knowing where your key moments fall relative to the total length helps diagnose pacing problems. A Catalyst that arrives at 30% instead of 10% means the reader waits too long for the story to start. A Midpoint at 70% means the second half is compressed.
What Gets Flagged
Missing Structural Beats
Severity: Information
The analyzer checks for these beats at their expected positions:
| Beat | Expected Position | What it looks for |
|---|---|---|
| Opening Image | 0–5% | Scene-setting or status quo |
| Catalyst | ~10% | Inciting incident keywords |
| Debate | 10–20% | Hesitation, questioning |
| Break into Two | ~25% | Decision, departure |
| Midpoint | ~50% | Reversal, stakes-raising |
| All Is Lost | ~75% | Defeat, loss, lowest point |
| Finale | 80–95% | Climactic action |
| Final Image | 95–100% | Resolution, new status quo |
Example (flagged):
Beat sheet: no Catalyst detected in the expected range (8–15% of document). The inciting incident may be arriving too late.
Pacing Anomalies
Severity: Hint
Flagged when tension keyword density doesn't match expectations for a given section — for example, high-tension keywords in the "Debate" section or low-tension keywords in the "Finale."
Configuration
No configuration options.
Technical Details
- Source:
prose-craft - Scope: Document-level (percentage-based sections)
- Minimum text: Requires substantial text (500+ words) for meaningful analysis
- Method: Keyword density per section; beat position validation against Save the Cat! percentages