Jim Butcher on Story Middles

[Ireth]

Found this a while back, and it was recently brought to my attention again. It might be of use for those trying to slog through the middle of a WIP, with the end but a speck on the horizon.

jimbutcher: The Great Swampy Middle

 

[Ruby]

Hi Ireth, thank you for posting this. This is useful advice for those of us with a beginning followed by a muddle, and who never quite reach the end. (I had to go back and write the prequel instead. But now I know what it's all about!- the story, that is.)

 

[Bansidhe]

I love this, because it's oh-so-true. Learning how to break up my middle into workable bits (or sections) was the saving of my story structure. Some people use a four-act structure, but I still use three acts with a Pinch Point 1 (an added complication, possibly from the antagonist's POV, at the 32.5% mark), Midpoint where EVERYTHING CHANGES at the 50% mark, and a secon Pinch Point at 62.5%.

Then, before I know it, I'm in Act III and heading for Plot Point 1 at 75% and the race to climax and catharsis. This has kept my middle from saggin' and draggin' lemme tell you.

 

[Ireth]

I sometimes have trouble structuring my stories, mainly because I can't always predict how long certain things will take in story-time or page count. I do outline, often chapter by chapter, but I have to keep it flexible in case plotlines sprout and grow off of the main one. Makes it hard to pinpoint exactly where my end will be, and thus how to structure the middle.