If you look at all the famous stories they usually follow the Hero's Journey. This tracks your character's experiences from beginning to end. This outline was created by Joseph Campbell and later reworked/explained by Christopher Vogler. Both these men had a big part in creating better stories & better writers.
You can fit Star Wars, Harry Potter, The Wizard of Oz, Iron Man all into the format of the Hero's Journey.
The basics of the Hero's Journey are better explained but here's a simplified version of the basics;
- The Ordinary World - Where the MC (main character) is now.
- The Call to Adventure - Event that makes the MC alerted to the challenge ahead.
- Refusing the Call to Adventure - Might not want or be able to join the adventure.
- Meeting the Mentor - Someone who imparts advice & encouragement for the journey.
- Crossing the Threshold - It's happening, the MC is part of this now.
- Test, Allies, and Enemies - Things start happening, this shit's getting real.
- Approach to the Inmost Cave - Almost there, approaching the climax of the story
- The Ordeal - The big event/goal is reached.
- The Reward - Achieves the goal and gets what the MC was seeking
- The Road Back - MC head for home, thinking it's over. Is it?
- Resurrection - One final test.
- Return With the Elixir - MC returns home a hero.
What more details? Check out this link from Grand Valley State University
Just Google the Hero's Journey and you'll find some easy to use graphics that map out the most popular stories.
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