{"id":23748,"date":"2020-11-30T03:00:52","date_gmt":"2020-11-30T11:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=23748"},"modified":"2020-11-29T11:49:01","modified_gmt":"2020-11-29T19:49:01","slug":"fixing-a-sagging-middle-in-your-novel-by-kay-keppler","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2020\/11\/30\/fixing-a-sagging-middle-in-your-novel-by-kay-keppler\/","title":{"rendered":"Fixing a Sagging Middle in Your Novel by Kay Keppler"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Fixing<\/a>Let\u2019s welcome back monthly columnist, editor, and novelist, Kay Keppler<\/a>, as she shares with us \u201cFixing a Sagging Middle in Your Novel.” Enjoy! <\/em><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Many writers are excited at the start of a story<\/strong>, writing fast and furiously, and know how it ends. But the middle of a book often loses momentum for no obvious reason and with no clear solution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What went wrong with the sagging middle?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

You might need an objective eye to help you find your specific story problem, but four common issues will force the air out of your manuscript faster than a needle can pop a balloon. These are:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The plot fell apart<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. The characters fell apart<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. The story stakes fell apart<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. The tension disappeared<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Seems pretty basic, right?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    These are the building blocks of story, and something went sideways with one or more of them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s take a look at what might have happened.<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. \n

      The plot fell apart\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      I talked <\/span>about outlining last month<\/span><\/a>. I know\u2014you hate doing it. But it\u2019s the best way to see what\u2019s going on with the bones of your story, especially if that story isn\u2019t working.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Make a bullet-point list of what you have so far and where you plan to go.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

      That might be as few bullets one per chapter or maybe one per scene. Keep that list outline short and basic. Not only is that easier and less time consuming, but brevity helps you see more clearly what you\u2019ve got.<\/span><\/p>\n

      When you\u2019re done, check to see if every plot event<\/strong>\u2014every bulleted item\u2014is a result of the bullet that preceded it and that every bullet leads inevitably to the next.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      You want to create a chain of cause-and-effect events that makes your book unputdownable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      If your book meanders a bit into backstory or subplots<\/strong>, tighten, revise, or write new scenes to improve its flow. Is every bullet point scene essential to the story and its outcome? If not, delete it.<\/span><\/p>\n

      That\u2019s not to say that you can\u2019t introduce new information to add tension or complications. By all means, go for it!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Just remember that then the next scene has to build on that.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Cause and effect: That\u2019s what keeps readers turning the page.<\/span><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. \n

        The characters fell apart<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        What are your protagonist\u2019s goals?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Keep that front and center in your story.<\/strong> Don\u2019t be afraid to have her focus on these in every chapter to remind the reader what\u2019s important.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        S\/he should always be striving to achieve these goals, motivated by needs and wants, overcoming difficulties all the way. You want to give your characters agency\u2014keep them busy doing what they need to do to get what they want.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        For example,<\/strong> let\u2019s say your character wants to buy a house (her goal) because she grew up impoverished and living in a car and she doesn\u2019t want her own children to experience that kind of deprivation (motivation).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        To buy the house, she needs a job that pays more.<\/span><\/p>\n

        To get that job, she needs 1) training, 2) a successful job interview, 3) a positive evaluation from her boss.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        These are intermediate goals with their own sets of challenges<\/strong>, which she must successfully navigate to achieve her final goal.<\/span><\/p>\n

        Your story will be more complex, but the structure is the same: have your character solve a set of increasingly difficult challenges to achieve her final goal. If she has enough challenges, the slow pace in the middle of your book will take care of itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. \n

          The story stakes fell apart\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          What happens if your character is not able to buy the house?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n