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You're working on a novel, and you're a few chapters in. You had lots of ideas about how the action of the story began, and you know what the ending's going to be ...
but the middle seems very fuzzy.
You're not sure what should happen next. You're worried you might not actually have enough "middle" for a whole novel.
If that sounds familiar, you're absolutely not alone. A number of writers mentioned these struggles in the Aliventures
survey, and this is also an issue that often comes up when I'm coaching novelists.
I find that writers often do one of two things at this point:
- They keep writing slightly "random" scenes, hoping desperately that it'll all come together ... somehow.
- They stop writing, waiting for inspiration and clarity about their plot ... but a few days off turns into weeks, then months, away from their novel.
Neither of these approaches is bad, but
they can also leave you feeling stuck and unsure of how to find a way forward.
If you'd like to have more momentum and clarity about your story, here are a few things to try:
#1: Figure Out the Midpoint of Your Story
If you've got a beginning and an ending, that's fantastic! The piece you're missing is your story's midpoint.
Your midpoint is a crucial structural point for your story. And the good news is that if you have the beginning and the ending, you're already partway to figuring out that midpoint.
The midpoint is where everything changes for your protagonist. They move from a "reactive" mode (reacting to events as they occur, perhaps panicking or waiting for someone else to rescue them) to "active" mode (taking charge, gearing up to fight or pursue their goal much more proactively).
Your protagonist's midpoint needs to make sense within their character arc. It's when they really discover their true power and their agency within their own life. So you can look at who they are and what circumstances they're in at the start, think about who you want them to be and what they'll have achieved at the end, and find a midpoint that makes sense as a major turning point for them.
For more help with the midpoint, check out:
Three Act Story Structure (Including the Seven Key Plot Points Your Novel Needs)
#2: Plan Roughly Three Chapters Ahead
When I'm outlining, I find that if I detail more than about three chapters ahead of where I am, my plan's likely to change!
But by having the next three-ish chapters in
mind, I've got something to aim for. I don't end up with scenes where characters just talk endlessly or meander around, waiting for something to happen.
You might find this is a helpful approach to outlining for you too. Get major plot points like your beginning, midpoint, and ending in place (and think about key events that go in between these), following the three act structure.
Then, as you write, take a step back every few chapters to outline the next little section of your story in more detail.
#3: Think About the Logical Consequences (and Make Them Worse)
If you've got a scene that's falling flat or you're not sure what scene should come next, think about the action that's just happened. What might now happen as a consequence? (If the consequences are minimal, think about what might make it
worse.)
For instance:
- If your protagonist got into a fight after school with the school bully, perhaps the bully's parents are raising hell about it ... and now the headteacher's getting involved.
- If your protagonist stayed late at work, maybe she
missed her flight for an important trip ... and the next flight isn't for 12 hours.
- If your protagnist's magic spell failed, perhaps it actually did something unexpected ... but they won't find out what until it's too late to stop it.
You might want to brainstorm a few different potential consequences to see what resonates best with the themes
and storylines you're pulling together.
Good luck with your middle! If you'd like more help figuring out the next pieces of your story, I'd be delighted to have a chat about ways I can help, whether that's through writing coaching, Writers' Cafe, or even a new Aliventures resource. Just drop me an email (ali@aliventures.com) or hit "reply" to get in touch.
Happy writing,
Ali
P.S. If you missed last week's blog post, you can find it here:
Why You Should Stick to One Name for Each Character in Your
Novel
