{"id":5992,"date":"2026-04-23T18:09:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T17:09:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wp.novlr.org\/?p=5992"},"modified":"2026-04-23T18:09:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T17:09:18","slug":"the-fichtean-curve-how-to-escalate-tension-and-conflict","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/the-fichtean-curve-how-to-escalate-tension-and-conflict\/","title":{"rendered":"The Fichtean Curve and How To Use It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019ve ever felt the grip of a good book, unable to put it down, you understand the pull of a well-told story. Behind the scenes of your favourite books, you\u2019ll often find plot commonalities and narrative techniques. Some will be immediately recognisable, like The Hero’s Journey<\/a>, or the ABDCE<\/a> structure, but if you’ve ever attended any writing seminars or taken a writing class, you may have heard of the Fichtean Curve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the Fichtean Curve?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Fichtean Curve is a narrative structure first penned by John Gardner in his book, The Art of Fiction<\/em>. He named it for the German philosopher Johann Gottlieb Fichte, who was a key figure in the German Idealism philosophical movement and the originator of the dialectic method (often summarised as thesis \u2192 antithesis \u2192 synthesis<\/strong>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dialectic method is a way of thinking through ideas by setting up a tension and resolving it into something more complete. The thesis<\/strong> starts with an idea, position, or claim (example: \u201cTechnology improves human life.\u201d) The antithesis<\/strong> is the contradiction or opposing idea to that thesis (example: \u201cTechnology harms human connection and wellbeing.\u201d). Then, with synthesis<\/strong>, you resolve the tension between thesis and antithesis by forming a new idea that incorporates elements of both (example: \u201cTechnology improves life when used intentionally, but can harm wellbeing when overused.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Fichtean Curve takes the dialectic method and applies it to a plot development<\/a> model that emphasises a rising action peppered by a series of crises leading up to a climax and eventual resolution. The curve represents the intensity and pacing of the story, suggesting that tension should rise progressively with periodic peaks of intense action or emotion to keep readers engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key elements of the Fichtean Curve<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Fichtean Curve is a simple idea that comprises three principal components: rising action, climax, and falling action. The reality, however, is a little more complex, as these elements must be bookended and punctuated for greatest effect. It\u2019s a lot like a wave in the way you can visually imagine your narrative (which is how you’ll often see it represented).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A story written using the Fichtean Curve must have the following elements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n