What is the Uphill Climb in Story Structure? (With Examples)
If you’re here, you have that burning question: “What the heck is the Uphill Climb?” and also maybe: “Why should I care?” The Uphill Climb is a story structure term that can help you fix your second act problems, build excitement in your audience, and set up an important moment in the middle of your story. Here’s a quick guide to get you started:
What Is The Uphill Climb?
The Uphill Climb is the seventh step in the story structure model Universal Story Language. It’s a phase that comes near the middle of Act 2, and its main purpose is to show the protag finding a series of successes.
You may know this as the “Approach to the Inmost Cave” in Cristopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey or as the “Fun and Games” in Save the Cat!’s Beat Sheet. In most cases, when writers talk about the ‘Uphill Climb’, they are referring to the positive section right before the middle of Act 2.
Here’s a diagram of Universal Story Language and where the Uphill Climb fits in:
What Does It Do?
The Uphill Climb shows the protag finally finding their footing in the New Situation and seeing a series of successes. It usually points toward the Midpoint, and it will often showcase a training montage that shows the protag mastering a new set of skills. It’s an overall positive phase that has an upward trajectory.
The easiest way to think about this phase is as the protag finding a series of successes. It also helps point toward the upcoming Midpoint, which will feature a huge success and a huge failure.
Some Examples
Here are a few examples of the Uphill Climb in action:
Example #1: Mulan
Here’s the Uphill Climb from 1998’s Mulan:
Mulan struggles to hide her identity as she swims with the other soldiers. Mushu fakes a letter calling Shang and his men to the mountain pass. They set off and climb the mountain in a literal uphill climb.
Example #2: A League of Their Own
Here’s the Uphill Climb from 1992’s A League of Their Own:
Dottie does the splits as she catches a ball and makes it on the cover of the magazine. Suddenly, the league picks up, and they begin selling lots of tickets. Marla gets married and leaves with her new husband. On the bus, Dottie talks to Jimmy about her husband in the war, and how she’s worried that he hasn’t written lately.
Example #3: Legally Blonde
Here’s the Uphill Climb from 2001’s Legally Blonde:
Elle buckles down and studies, soon excelling in her classes. She helps Paulette confront her ex-husband and reclaim her dog. And when Elle outwits Warner in class, Professor Callahan pulls her aside and asks her to apply for his internship.
Diving Deeper
If you want to learn more about the Uphill Climb, here’s a link to a free course on Universal Story Language. It’s included in Plotwell’s Ultimate Story Structure Mega-Course, which you can access totally free on their website:
https://plotwell.podia.com/the-ultimate-story-structure-mega-course
