PlaybookPrompts

Outline a story in a 3-act structure with stakes ladder

Creative & Design storystructure

Three-act outlines are common; three-act outlines with an escalating stakes ladder are not. This prompt forces both.

Prompt 
Outline a story in 3-act structure with a stakes ladder.

Logline: {{LOGLINE}}
Protagonist: {{PROTAGONIST}}
World: {{WORLD}}
Thematic question: {{THEME}}

Produce:
- ACT 1 — setup, inciting incident, plot point 1. Stakes at this point.
- ACT 2A — rising action, false win/midpoint. Stakes raised here.
- ACT 2B — collapse, all-is-lost, dark night. Stakes raised again.
- ACT 3 — climax, resolution. Final stakes.

For each act, also state: what the protagonist believes that is wrong, and what they have to learn.

No cliches (no 'chosen one', no 'amnesia start') unless explicitly requested.
Variables to fill in
  • {{LOGLINE}}
  • {{PROTAGONIST}}
  • {{WORLD}}
  • {{THEME}}

How to use this prompt

  1. Copy the prompt above (Copy button on the top-right).
  2. Replace each {{VAR}} with your own value. Variables: {{LOGLINE}}{{PROTAGONIST}}{{WORLD}}{{THEME}}.
  3. Paste it into one of the recommended tools below.
  4. Iterate: tighten constraints in the prompt if the output is generic.

Why this prompt is structured this way

The prompt is split into explicit steps because LLMs do better when the path is named, not implied. Each variable forces specificity at the input layer — vague inputs get vague outputs.

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Pair this prompt with a tool

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Synthesia

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Descript

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