by Lisa Miller

One definition of a landmark: Prominent features used for orientation.

Landmarks may mark a boundary. Landmarks often mark locations with historical, cultural, or geographical significance.

How do landmarks relate to a story?

Story Landmarks are events or interactions within a story. They help keep the reader oriented to what has happened so far and what the reader might anticipate coming. Readers expect specific Story Landmarks within each genre.

No love genre can exist without the two main characters meeting and developing a growing attraction.

Police procedurals and mysteries often begin with the discovery of a body and then investigating suspects that may be blamed for the death.

If the writer leaves out even one of these Story Landmarks, especially early in the story, readers may feel unsatisfied and hesitate to read another book from this author.

Four-part structure makes the most sense to me to study and develop stories. I call each of these parts Zones. Each Zone making up approximately ¼ of the story.

Each of those four Zones has elements and situations of character development unique to that part of the story. Those are the Story Landmarks.

Think of this four-zone overlook as having a square story arc shape.

Scenic Overlook of the Four Story Zones With Story Landmarks

Each Zone has its own purpose and personality.

Think geographic or climate zones.

The desert in summer gives us different obstacles and challenges than does a mountain range in winter. We must wear certain types of clothes and carry specific equipment to survive a hike in these two very different ecosystems.

The same is true of the protagonist moving through the four zones of a story. His or her behavior and the obstacles he or she will face will be different in each zone and impact the character’s need to change.

Zones Need to be Connected

What I’ve discovered in all my studying of story breakdowns and analysis is how connected the Zones must be.

You can’t have the needed Reactions in Zone 2 without the Set-up in Zone 1.

Zone 2 is necessary to force the protagonist from reaction behavior and thinking into becoming a Warrior and taking action in Zone 3.

The All is Lost Moment aka the 2^nd Plot Point at the end of Zone 3 thrusts the Protagonist into their lowest point in the story and movement into Zone 4.

Sacrifice and transformation in Zone 4 make the Protagonist ready to face the Climax so that the story and the characters can find a Resolution.

Each Zone needs to prepare the Protagonist and the reader for what is coming next in the story.

The Three Most Important Story Landmarks

These are the non-negotiable Landmarks. Every story must have them.

These are the Landmarks that transition the story from one Zone to the next Zone.

They are the 1^st Plot Point at the end of Zone 1, the Midpoint at the end of Zone 2, and the 2^nd Plot Point at the end of Zone 3.

The 1^st Plot Point is what thrusts the protagonist out of the Ordinary World of Zone 1 and into the Exotic World of Zone 2.

To give that feeling of a big change, I want you to think of that end of Zone 1 as making ready the catapult.

Your character is going to be literally or emotionally catapulted into Zone 2. So, the beginning of Zone 2 is no soft landing, and the Protagonist is likely confused about where he is.

An Example

I’m a practical teacher. I encourage my students to find examples from successful writers or filmmakers. Study what an effective scene or character looks like on the page or in a show. I call these books, shows, or movies Creative Guides.

This Creative Guide example come from Jennifer Estep’s Kill The Queen novel. That story has one of the most literal 1^st Plot Points I’ve read.

Part One of the novel is The Royal Massacre. So, we know right up front this is likely an action, fantasy with lots of death involved.

The main character, teenager/young adult Lady Everleigh, has a low level of magical powers and is relegated to the shadows of the royal court. She’s 17^th in line for the throne.

During a big royal event, her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her own mother, the Queen, and takes the throne by force. All the royal family is being killed in front of Lady Everleigh.

Vasilia turns towards Everleigh, who is standing, horrified, by the wall surrounding the castle. Vasilia throws a deadly bolt of lightning at Everleigh, whose hidden power is her immunity to magic. The bolt of magic doesn’t kill Everleigh, but the force throws her over the wall and down into the wilderness below.

Everleigh literally falls into the Exotic World of Zone 2.

Focusing on the Most Fun Zones

The most worked on parts of a story or novel are usually the beginning and the end. Zones 1 and 4.

But my two favorite Zones to work on with my students are Zones 2 and 3. Often maligned as the Mushy Middle.

In Part 2 of the Story Landmarks blog I’ll dig deeper into the specific Landmarks of Zones 2 and 3 and how they impact a story.

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About Lisa

Lisa taught middle-school science and was a certified counselor in Texas for 30 years. Her passion for teaching met her love of writing. After not finding the writing classes she needed, Lisa spent several years on a deep study of story structure. That led her to create a powerful and well-loved online course Story Structure Safari.

She has joined the staff at Deleyna Marr’s No Stress Writing Academy  where she is developing new classes. Her Creating A Constellation of Characters is available there January and June 2027. Story Structure Safari runs every September and April. The next Safari is September 2026.

Top image licensed from Depositphotos.