Which term describes the way a story is organized?

The term that best describes the way a story is organized is "story structure." This concept encompasses the arrangement of events and elements within a narrative, defining how the story unfolds and the relationships among its parts. Story structure outlines the overall framework, which typically includes components such as the beginning, middle, and end, as well as the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Understanding story structure allows readers and writers to recognize how narratives are built and how they convey meaning, emotion, and themes.

While "plot structure" closely relates to the sequence of events and their causes and effects within a narrative, it is slightly more specific and emphasizes the arrangement of actions rather than the broader organizational aspects of the entire story. "Narrative framework" can refer to the context or structure that supports storytelling but is less common as a specific term for organization compared to "story structure." "Character development," on the other hand, focuses primarily on how characters grow or evolve throughout the narrative rather than how the story itself is organized.