Plan a Short Story Structure in 30 Minutes

You have an idea and the itch to write but no shape to hang it on. This takes you from concept to a five-act plan adapted for short fiction, sized to your target word count, before you write a line. It suits anyone who wants scaffolding without killing the spark. You finish with opening image, turn, and ending mapped out.

<context>
You have a short story idea: {STORY_CONCEPT}. You want to move from vague concept to a workable structural plan before you write. Target word count: [e.g. 1,000 / 3,000 / 5,000 words]. Your short story writing experience: [beginner / have written a few / experienced].
</context>

<task>
**Plan your short story structure** using the Freytag five-act model adapted for short fiction:
1. Opening image / situation: set the world and introduce the tension in the first paragraph
2. Inciting incident: the event that disrupts the status quo and forces the protagonist into motion
3. Rising action and complication: one or two escalations that make the central problem worse
4. Crisis and climax: the moment of maximum tension and the protagonist's key decision
5. Resolution and final image: what has changed, and what image or moment closes the story?

For each stage, allocate a rough word count appropriate to your target total.
</task>

<output_format>
- Five-stage plan (one paragraph per stage with word count allocation)
- Opening line draft (one sentence, ready to use or adapt)
- The story's central question (one sentence: 'Will [protagonist] [do/achieve] [thing] even though [obstacle]?')
</output_format>