Beats Quote by Marcus Sakey

Personally, one of the most helpful things I learned was three-act structure. For my first four or so novels, I built the structure intuitively.

— Marcus Sakey

I love the three-act theory. It works and works beautifully. But you don't necessarily have to structure a story that way: Cortazar and Borges…

— Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

I studied screenwriting at film school and was constantly learning how to construct three-act dramas.

— Tobias Lindholm

Life is a moderately good play with a badly written third act.

— Truman Capote

When I first started, I didn't really know how to structure a play. I could write dialogue, but I just sort of failed beyond…

— Sam Shepard

I've long believed that the work-out life has lessons for the writing life. I've 'solved' a lot of books while at the gym, in…

— Laura Lippman

I think I've written 40 books, and none of them have been heavy on action. I'm an introspective person.

— Lois Lowry

My goal is to get better with each book, and I feel like I am.

— George Pelecanos

When I first started, I didn't really know how to structure a play.

— Sam Shepard

I like to say that I always have a whole book in front of me. I write down the major beats, the major action…

— Leigh Bardugo

When your life has had few events to occupy it, it's amazing how a simple encounter can seem like an entire three-act play.

— Mary E. Pearson

Every book teaches me something about my process, and they are all challenging in one way or another.

— Sarah Dessen