Photo credit |
A: Saggy middles are one of those hard to avoid things in life. But in our stories? It's the worst! So you might be surprised at my answer. Saggy middles are a symptom of the writer getting off track. To simplify, we have act 1 that sets up the problem, right? We end in Act 3 with the resolution. So we need to get our character from point A to B. Simple? Yeah right. But the point is, you have to keep in mind the whole time whether what you are writing is indeed moving the story forward. Every word on the page should move the story and/or character forward. If it doesn't, as interesting as it may be, it doesn't belong there.
Now I'm not saying that if you do it right, the saggy middle doesn't exist. Perish the thought! We all have to fight it. That's what revision is for (I think that's becoming my mantra). Seriously though, as you do a pass, ask yourself the following three questions about each page:
- Does this move the plot forward?
- Does this help build my character arc?
- Is there tension?
Because there should be tension on every page. If it isn't there, add it. It doesn't have to be the world at stake. Just make sure there's something in the way. That will help force numbers 1 and 2 into action. Make sense?
How do you avoid saggy middles?
Blog: Paranormal Point of View (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: HOW?, revision, Add a tag
photo credit |
Grechensaid...
My question deals with your genre, howdo you balance adult interaction with teens without having the adults becomeunderdeveloped absentee people?
A: Great question, Gretchen! Here’s ablogpost where I talk a bit about that.
DeanK Miller said...
27 Comments on A Whole Bunch of Answers!, last added: 2/2/2012
Display Comments
Add a Comment
Blog: Paranormal Point of View (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Pantser, Julie Musil, HOW?, Elizabeth Craig, Add a tag
photo credit |
Julie Musil asked "You're a pantser, so how do you know when you'vegot the pacing right, and where you need to insert plot points? "
Great question, Julie! First let me qualify that my process, like everyone, is probably slightly unique. When I started I simply started with a file filled with random notes/thoughts/names/etc. and jumped right in. Lately I've been using more of a format like the Beat Sheet from SAVE THE CAT. Either way, the outcome is the same. When I have the idea, I quickly realize that certain big "events" have to take place in order to tell the story. I also typically have a good idea how it's going to turn out. There are still plenty of opportunities for surprises on the way, trust me!
These major turning points, whether named correctly or not, represent the major turning points in the story. If I have the right characters, and the right inciting incident, it works out.
It's funny how the subconscious works as well. I recall one time where things seemed to be going too fast. But I couldn't exactly stop everything, or force non-essential material in. What happened? My character did the opposite of what I expected, which delayed the inevitable for just the right amount of time and built far more tension and depth than I'd anticipated. Voila! That's what's so great about really letting the characters fully develop.
Hope that answered the question! I guess the point is that it falls into place one way or another. And when it doesn't? You can make it work.
19 Comments on Pacing for Pantsers, last added: 1/26/2012
Display Comments
Add a Comment
Blog: Paranormal Point of View (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Hook, HOW?, Add a tag
photo credit |
Good question! We certainly don't want to bore our readers. The last thing we want - dare I say our nightmare - is to have the reader put the book down, unread. *shudders*
Here are some tips we can use to keep the momentum going, and the reader hooked!
- Change it up! Take a step back and look at your pages. Are they filled with words, with hardly any white space? That's a clue that you might have overdone the description. We want the white space varied on any given page. We want a mixture of dialogue, description, and action. Does every paragraph start with "I"? Vary paragraph length, sentence structure, and content. It's a juggling act, and you have to keep the balls in the air. The good news? That's what revision's for!
- Make the reader react as strongly as the MC. If you can make the reader empathize with your character? You've done your job. The reader has to be invested. Give them something to feel connected to. Do they recognize a quality in your character that reminds them of themselves? Do they understand WHY the character acts the way they do? Internal dialogue helps here, and we'll go into that more on another post (we have a question about that!) Then when something stressful happens, and we get that reaction from the character, the reader will feel it too.
- Keep up the tension. This does NOT mean dangle the MC by his toes over a vat of piranhas in every scene. It means, present a goal (big or small), put an obstacle in the MC's path or reaching it and or another conflicting goal, and voila! Recipe for tension. Which brings us to my favorite thing: TORTURE YOUR CHARACTERS. I always say if mine came to life I'd be in BIG trouble. But that's what makes for an exciting read!
- Avoid the info dump. We hear it all the time. But we sometimes make excuses like, but I have to tell them this or they won't get it! You're a writer. Be creative! If your MC lives in this world, he's used to it. We don't discuss with each other what coffee cups are do we? No. We don't call someone and say: "Hey! I'm five foot four with red hair!" Um, I hope not. You get the idea. Make it natural and don't overwhelm. A little at a time is all the rea
16 Comments on How NOT to Bore the Reader, last added: 12/20/2011Display Comments Add a Comment
Blog: Paranormal Point of View (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Twists, planting clues, HOW?, Elizabeth Craig, Add a tag
I went to the source for the following questions:
Susan Quinn asked: How do you reveal a key clue to the mystery in yourstory, without letting the reader know it's a clue until later, when everythingfinally clicks into place?
Both of these questions relate well to mysteries. And there's no better blogging mystery expert than Elizabeth Craig! SO here's her response:
Thanks so much to Lisa for inviting me here today to talk abouta couple of important mystery elements. Since she’s recently gotten questionsin her comments about laying clues and including twists in our stories, thoseare the two topics that I’ll cover today.
Clues
One of the most important rules of mystery writing is thatthe reader must be kept in the loop. We can’t write mysteries where the sleuth is privy to information thatwe don’t provide the readers. Reading a mystery is almost an interactive experience—we’re solving thecrime alongside the sleuth.
So how do we supply enough clues to point to the murdererwithout actually giving away the killer until the end of the book?
The best way I’vefound to lay clues is a technique I think most mystery writers employ:distraction. Here are some ways to do it:
Include the clue in a list of other, less-crucial observations.There’s a smudge of white paint on a suspect who is also unshaven, unkempt,smells like oranges, and has a runny nose.
Lay the clue but immediately introduce a red herring (falseclue) that seems much more important. The suspect mentions going out forbreakfast at a time he previously stated he was sleeping at home. This information is immediatelyfollowed by Penelope’s revelation that Cindy, the victim’s secretary, will unexpectedlyreceive a large sum of money from the victim’s estate.
Drop the
26 Comments on Laying Clues and Adding Twists to Our Story—guest post by Elizabeth S. Craig, last added: 1/13/2012
Display Comments
Add a Comment
Blog: Paranormal Point of View (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Inner conflict, HOW?, Add a tag
photo credit |
Laura Pauling asked...
How do you find that balance betweenemotional motivation/inner conflict for your main character and not going tooemo? I know it has to do with story tone and genre too but do you have anytips?
Wow, Laura you did set the bar high on this one. What a great question! Yes, it does have to do with genre. For example, if you write YA, like I do, well, teens tend to get a little emo on occasion. More so than say a fifty-year-old lawyer. Yes, tone is important too. But that often depends on genre as well.
photo credit |
Let's dig a little deeper. You can't argue Twilight's success, but I've heard the complaint that Bella is a whiner, over and over again. When do you cross the line between whining/self-absorption and communicating true inner conflict?
I admit that was a major complaint from one of my trusted beta readers on my last manu
26 Comments on Emo MCs, last added: 12/11/2011
Display Comments
Add a Comment
Blog: Paranormal Point of View (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: HOW?, Contest, WHY?, Add a tag
photo credit |
I would like to help answer questions that you have on HOW. How do I...? SO, the best (judged by moi) how or why question in the comments section by this time next week will win a first chapter critique by yours truly. Keep in mind my forte is YA, but I will also look at MG. This way the contest is open worldwide. Oh heck, Aliens are invited too, but it has to be in English if you want comments because that's all I speak!
If it's a great question but I don't know the answer? I will FIND SOMEONE WHO DOES and still get the answer. If I get more than one? I'll give away up to three critiques, but potentially use more questions. And don't forget I'll link back to those who asked them.
Good luck! Can't wait to see what you come up with. ;D
20 Comments on How?, last added: 11/30/2011
Display Comments
Add a Comment
Great picture!
Saggy middles are so hard! I know I struggle with them every book. And jot just saggy middle but middles that fit right with the story. Arg.
I'm getting better at avoiding the saggy middles when I outline. This is also the benefits of beta readers. Good ones will tell you when your scene is boring and pointless. Then you know how to tone the story.
Too bad our sagging tummies aren't as quick to deal with as highlight and delete. :P
I think like with avoid a body saggy middle - make every bite count, we can use the same idea for writing - make every word count. As you said, Laura, every word needs to contribute to tension and pushing the story and characters forward.
And I totally agree with Stina's last statement! :-)
Great advice, Lisa! That darn saggy middle. Like Stina, I'm trying to avoid saggy middles by preparing better outlines using my trusty index cards. Then when I display the cards, I see where I'm lacking. At least it's a good place to start. And then I need to rely on brilliant beta readers. Ahem...no pressure.
We interrupt this comment for a James Scott Bell commercial...In his book "Plot & Structure" he offers great advice for avoiding the saggy middle. A new twist, a new character, stuff like that.
Those questions are great, Lisa. I usually need help with my saggy middles from critique partners. They can see so much more easily than I where things go awry. Then, armed with their ideas and your questions, my saggy middle has hope.
Hooray for critique partners! They're great for pointing out whether your story needs to do a few more crunches.
This is awesome advice as usual, Lisa! I think strong plotting and always thinking about pace and tension makes sure the middle is trim. But what about the writer's middle? It's a vicious cycle, needing inspiration, getting it from chocolate, then feeling bad about eating chocolate so you eat some more...LOL
I don't know--lol! :D But I think it's a lot to do with what you're saying here. Make sure every scene is getting us to the action and keep the tension high. And revise. :D Great post, LG~
Arrg! MIddle gone to beer. Not pretty in the least. One thing I've found in my middles are a few self-indulgent passages where I go into flashback or description that do absolutely nothing to move my story forward. I cut them out, put them into a file called "FAT." I often refer to this file to keep myself on the right path while I'm writing.
Glad to read your post as always, Lisa!
Good post,
structure always helps me in the middle. The story has to keep moving forward, so I make sure there is plenty of goal, motivation and conflict and that the character is getting closer to the end goal. Perhaps a couple of small victories along the way as the end goal seems so far away.
Great tips, Lisa (as always)!! It's definitely a bit difficult to avoid the saggy middle but you've listed a sure-fire way to ensure we all avoid it in the future!
Now, can you tell me how to do that with the 'physical' middle? LOL j/k! ;)
Seriously, Lisa. You didn't actually have to use a picture of me in this post. Here, here, that critique partners help poke fingers in that droopy belly. Thankfully I've learned to torture my characters from beginning to end which helps suck in that saggy middle.
I like CLee's idea of sag as self-indulgence. I know there are scenes that I WANT to write, but then later cut, just because they were fun for me, but not so much the reader. Plotting structure ahead of time reduces a lot of that (for me).
Great tips! I'd add that making sure the stakes are still high in the middle is important.
Okay, I can't get that picture out of my head. :(
I read an article once about how Twilight was a great example of tension on every page, and I thought, NO WAY! But I re-read the first few chapters, and it's true!!! (it's her secret!! that and shiny vampires!!)
Makes total sense! And this method is very similar to what I use to avoid saggy middles. Making sure anything and everything moves the plot or characters forward is the best way to go. Excellent post!
Great tips! I've rewritten my current WIP about three times, and I've pretty much carved away the middle-saggage. (Can that be considered a word? Discuss.) But next time around, since I'm going to be plotting much more anyway to avoid all the rewrites, I'm hoping to avoid most of the sagging in the same way.
Tension on every page has become my mantra. : ) Middles are tough, but as others have already commented, I have found that outlining has helped me to replace the sag with more tension and tighter plotting.
Revise, revise, revise, just like you said. Even when I plan ahead, I have a lot of scenes throughout my middle that need to be revised or cut, or even new scenes to add. It helps me to re-read things about story structure, so I can make sure I'm keeping on track.
The picture made me laugh. You're right, that tension and the overall goal have to be everywhere in the book.
It reminds me a little of what my very thorough dentist says to me. "Did you brush well in the lower back area? Make sure to get the gums too. and the back of the front teeth-"
"So, basically, brush and floss everywhere."
"yes."