Story structure matters because it creates a map for your readers to follow as they experience your story. Readers value purposeful storytelling over meandering detours. The way you can tell if your structure is working is to evaluate how each element of plot interacts with the other.
Plot is where reputations are made. Even if a reader has only an instinctive understanding of plot, they can tell when the essentials are missing. These five elements—inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution—act as benchmarks that guide both writers and readers through compelling stories.
Kenneth W. Myers 