The Story Plan template is a ready-made Storyflow board for mapping a complete narrative in one place, with blocks for premise, three-act structure, key beats, character arcs, and themes laid out across an infinite canvas.
About this template
The Story Plan template gives you a single canvas to see your whole story before you write a word of prose. Instead of scene-by-scene outlines or storyboard frames, it stays at the structural level: logline and premise up top, then act one, act two, and act three columns, turning-point beats, character arc tracks, and a themes section you can revisit as the draft evolves. You move blocks around as the shape of the story changes, so the plan grows with your thinking instead of locking you into an early version.
It is built for novelists, screenwriters, short-fiction authors, and story-driven game and comic writers who want to pressure-test structure early. It also works for writing teams and showrunners planning a season or anthology together, since you can invite collaborators onto the same board.
On the board you get labeled note blocks for each act and beat, character arc lanes, a stakes and conflict area, and open space to pin reference images, links, and research. The AI assistant reads the active board to help you spot a sagging middle, suggest where a missing beat could go, or talk through a character's turn, so you think faster while you keep control of the story.
How to use the Story Plan Template
- 1
Open the Story Plan template in Storyflow to load the act, beat, and character-arc blocks onto your canvas.
- 2
Fill in your logline and premise at the top, then sketch the major turning points across the act one, two, and three columns.
- 3
Add character arc lanes and a stakes section, and pin reference images, links, or research notes anywhere on the board.
- 4
Rearrange and connect blocks as the structure shifts so the plan reflects your current draft.
- 5
Ask the Storyflow AI assistant to review the active board for gaps, pacing issues, or a weak midpoint, then adjust the beats yourself.
- 6
Invite collaborators to plan the story together and keep everyone working from the same canvas.
Frequently asked questions
What is a story plan?
A story plan is a high-level map of a narrative's structure: its premise, acts, major beats, character arcs, and themes. It sits above a scene-by-scene outline and helps you see whether the whole story holds together before you start drafting.
How is the Story Plan template different from a story outline or storyboard?
The Story Plan stays at the structural level (acts, turning points, and arcs), while a story outline breaks the story into individual scenes and a storyboard visualizes shots or frames. Many writers build a story plan first, then expand it into an outline.
Who is the Story Plan template for?
It is built for novelists, screenwriters, short-fiction authors, and game or comic writers who want to plan structure early. Writing teams and showrunners can also use it to plan a season or shared project on one collaborative board.
Can the AI assistant help with my story plan?
Yes. Storyflow's AI assistant reads your active board and helps you find structural gaps, talk through a character's arc, or suggest where a missing beat could go. It helps you think while you keep control of the actual story.
Is the Story Plan template free?
Storyflow is free to start and runs in your browser, so you can open the Story Plan template, customize it on the canvas, and invite collaborators without paying upfront.
