A major story event that changes the direction of the plot and forces the protagonist onto a new path.
A plot point is a significant event that shifts the trajectory of your story. It is not just something that happens; it is something that changes what happens next. The term was popularized by Syd Field in his screenwriting framework, where he identified two key plot points: one at the end of Act 1 (locking the protagonist into the central conflict) and one at the end of Act 2 (launching them toward the climax). But most stories have more than two. Any event that fundamentally redirects the narrative counts as a plot point.
Plot points are the skeleton of your story. They are the moments the reader will remember and retell. Without strong plot points, your story meanders. Your scenes might be beautifully written, but if no single event ever changes the direction of the narrative, the reader will feel like they are walking in circles. Plot points give your story momentum and purpose.
Plot Point 1: Luke's aunt and uncle are killed, destroying his reason to stay on Tatooine and launching him into the adventure. Plot Point 2: The Rebels obtain the Death Star plans' analysis showing the exhaust port vulnerability, giving them a chance to win.
Plot Point 1: Nick is invited to one of Gatsby's parties and meets the man himself, entering the world of wealth and obsession. Plot Point 2: The confrontation at the Plaza Hotel where Gatsby's fantasy of reclaiming Daisy begins to crumble.
Plot Point 1: Amy disappears on their anniversary, and Nick becomes the prime suspect. Plot Point 2: Amy's perspective is revealed to the reader, completely upending everything we thought we knew about the story.
A plot point changes the direction of the story. A character having a good conversation is a scene. A character learning their best friend is the killer is a plot point. The test is simple: does the story go in a different direction after this event?
If everything is a huge twist, nothing is. Your story needs breathing room between major directional changes. Save the big plot points for structural beats and let the scenes between them build naturally.
A real plot point should make the protagonist's path harder, different, or more urgent. If they can just keep doing what they were doing before the event, it is not a plot point. It is set dressing.
Plot points have ideal positions. Plot Point 1 belongs around the 25% mark, the midpoint around 50%, and Plot Point 2 around 75%. Stray too far from these positions and your story will feel lopsided.
Outline a story in five sentences. The first sentence is your setup. The second is Plot Point 1 (your protagonist commits to the conflict). The third is the midpoint (something shifts). The fourth is Plot Point 2 (everything changes and the final confrontation begins). The fifth is the climax. Read it back. If any sentence could be removed without breaking the chain, it is not pulling its weight as a plot point.