Welcome to July and happy Fourth.
I am writing this in the midst of the 2024 Cascade Christian Writers Conference held at a campground in Canby, Oregon. Since indoor plumbing and air conditioning are part of my belief
system, "camping" at an upscale (refrigerator and microwave) Motel Six.
This conference has many craft workshops.
I took one on fixing the sagging middles of plots. My instructor used examples from movies, but her suggestions easily apply to novels.
Most stories start with an explosive element. (Think Dorothy and the cyclone.) Because of the opening event, the Main Character (MC) has a GOAL, and the adventure starts.
Roadblocks appear but the MC keeps striving toward the GOAL until the DREADED MIDDLE.
The following are her suggestions to make it EXCITING:
Turn the tables which means give the MC a new goal. (Wizard won't help till Dorothy brings him
the Wicked Witch's broomstick).
The MC loses something or someone valuable and is forced to go on alone. (Star Wars-Obi Wan dies.)
MC faces greatest fear. (Indiana Jones left underground with snakes.)
A truth is revealed. (Hamlet realizes his uncle killed his father.)
The MC is betrayed. (Lord of the Rings Book #1 Fellowship of the Ring=Boromir, a trusted comrade, tries to steal the ring from Frodo.)
NOTE whatever happens must affect the character both outwardly and inwardly and leave MC available to head towards a new GOAL. (Anyone who has read or seen Hamlet knows he is all about inward, inward, and, yes, even more inward.)
If you handle the DREADED MIDDLE correctly, it should run the rest of the book as in, back to Dorothy with a new GOAL, to get the Wicked Witch's broom.
Obstacles #1 Flying monkeys
Obstacle #1 imprisoned by the Wicked Witch.
Final crisis: Witch killed and return to Emerald City with broomstick.
Red herring: the balloon takes off without her.
Glinda arrives.
Dorothy goes home.
This was a delightful conference, and I'm still trying to process all of what I learned. More craft may appear in later columns.
I hope to see you all at our next meeting on July 16.
Keep writing,
Sarah Pruitt
CCW President
Central Coast Writers
PO Box 997 - Pacific Grove, CA 93950
Copyright © 2024 Central Coast Writers - All Rights Reserved.
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