> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.pensiv.so/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# 3.3.4 Plotboard view modes and how to use them

> Checking five-act structure, episode flow, emotion curve, effective use

The plotboard is not for reading documents.\
It’s for **seeing structure on one screen**.

If the document scrolls with the content,\
the plotboard is built so you see the story’s shape as a **horizontal flow**.

The point of this space is not detail;

> it’s **seeing the story’s structure and balance at a glance.**

***

## How to look at the plotboard

Don’t zoom in to read.\
Step back and look at **flow**.

* How the big cards are divided
* How part cards sit inside each card
* Whether any section is too long

All of that appears on one screen.

***

## Typical ways to use it

### 1) Checking five-act structure

You can lay out the big cards like this:

* Introduction
* Development
* Turn
* Climax
* Resolution

Put part cards under each,\
and the story’s density and balance become visible.

* Is one act overloaded with part cards?
* Is the climax set up enough?
* Does the ending feel rushed?

You can spot structural imbalance quickly.

***

### 2) Managing episode flow

For serials or long works,\
the plotboard works as a **progress dashboard**.

* How far you’ve written
* What the next scene should be
* Where the gaps are

The card layout alone keeps you oriented.

The plotboard

> constantly shows **"where am I?"**

***

### 3) Checking the emotion curve

If you tag each part card with emotion,\
the story’s rhythm becomes visible.

Examples:

* Conflict
* Transition
* Release
* Climax

You can check whether\
cards repeat in a clear pattern\
or run flat without tension.

The goal is\
**to see the emotion flow without reading the text.**

***

## How to use the plotboard well

The plotboard is summary-focused.\
Part cards work best when you:

* Don’t write long descriptions
* Make the scene’s function clear first
* Keep it to one definable sentence

When you write a card, ask:

> Can this scene’s role be said in one sentence?

If the description gets long,\
the scene’s function may not be clear yet.

***

## Where can the plotboard live?

You can use the plotboard in two ways:

1. **Under a project or file** – flow for a character, theme, or structural unit
2. **Standalone plotboard** – main structure for the whole project

The role is the same.

> The plotboard is\
> not a container for content;\
> it’s a **space to see structure.**

***

## Summary

The plotboard is

* not for polishing detail
* but for **designing the whole.**

If the document is the "reading" space,\
the plotboard is the

> **"seeing" space.**

***

When the story feels complicated,\
instead of opening more documents,\
open the plotboard and look at one screen.

When structure is visible,\
what to fix becomes obvious.

The plotboard is\
not for writing the story;\
it’s for **designing it.**