The Adrenaline Machine promptly drops the characters into peril, into slow trudges towards progress and straight back into the inferno. Loss, struggle, loss… Progress, progress, progress… and then everything comes to an abrupt halt and hangs in the air.

Stage Front:

This is going to be your “opening scene,” this is where you plunge the reader head-first, straight into the characters’ current world. This is sometimes referred to as The Ordinary World inside some other outlines.

The Abyss:

Any momentum that is occurring in Stage Front promptly drops in a heart-stopping de-escalation. In other words, welcome to Hell… Population: Your Characters.

The Trudge:

In the thick of adversity, whether it’s internal or external, mental environmental or physical, the characters begin an arduous trudge towards progress.

The Surprise Shaft:

Why would you allow your characters to make progress? This is where they’re suddenly surprised by the worst regressions possible, all but eliminating any current progress and they’re all worse off than ever before.

Progress:

This is where the characters can finally see a tiny light in the tunnel of all encompassing darkness. This is where the characters should make a small shred of progress.

More Progress:

The shred of progress turns into a palpable pivot in the right direction. This tiny success breeds a little more success as the adrenaline continues to intensify.

Stakes Intensify as Progress Continues:

The characters are finally on to something. They’re no latched onto a chain of steady progressions and successes, but adrenalin is skyrocketing, because now they know that they’re almost there and they know too that they have everything to lose.

Full Steam Ahead:

In a sudden breakthrough or a unforeseen stream of confidence, the characters seem to completely seize the moment and plow full steam ahead.

The Big Pause:

But wait… there’s more… perhaps there’s a new threat, an obstacle bigger than anyone could have imagined or a sinking feeling that something else unknown is about to be in play… but suddenly, everything comes to a silent halt and the chapter ends with everything hanging in the air.