Story Structure—Should You or Shouldn’t You?

I want to talk about story structure.
 
Do you know how it works? Or do you write your way through your stories from beginning to end without following any structural guides at all?
 
A lot of writers know there are guidelines for good structure, but they have not studied them or put them into action in their plots.

Story structure is pretty complex, so I understand why some writers resist learning about it. “I don’t want to write in a formulaic way,” is one of the common responses. And I get that. I don’t want to write to a formula either. But story structure does not require you to write formulaically.
 
Story structure is the skeleton upon which you hang your plot. It gives it the natural ebb and flow that keep readers moving forward. Turning pages. Satisfied.
 
Following the rules of good story structure is the one thing that can boost your novel not only to the next level but the one above the next level.

Story structure is a superpower.
 
You’re probably already following some of the basic tenets of story structure in your current works, even if you’re not doing so purposely. If you start your book with a “hook” and move on to an "inciting incident," you’re using story structure.
 
But what about after that? Do you know how to keep the middle from becoming saggy and boring? Do you know how to raise the stakes so that the conflict hits as hard as you want it to hit, and ensures readers will remember your book and recommend it to others?
 
Story structure does.
 
I cannot reveal how to make story structure work for you in a short post like this one. But I can recommend a great way to learn all about it, if you’re interested. It’s a book called Structuring Your Novel by K. M. Weiland. (I am not affiliated with this author or book in any way.)
 
Once I read K. M.’s book, I started writing novels readers actually wanted to read. It works. I encourage you to take the time to educate yourself. I really do believe you'll be glad you did.