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6. THE MUDDY MIDDLE

You've thought up this great story idea, crafted some well-rounded characters, and have the most epic climax ever. So, why is your plot coming across as less than thrilling?

A lot of the time, the problem lies in the middle. As is the case with many things in life. Middle child syndrome, threesomes, and ketchup sandwiches, just to name a few.

Coming up with the beginning of the story is typically the easy part. Some would even say, the most fun part. Creating your world and setting, writing all the cool introductions for characters and story elements. These things are exciting and require nothing more than your imagination (and maybe a little research). And chances are, if you know your characters well, then you know where they need to be at the end of your story, or at least have a general idea.

The problem most writers have is connecting the two... filling in all that blank space in between. It can be a daunting task, one that requires a lot of thought, planning, problem-solving, and organization, especially if you plan to tell a story with an even half-way complex plot.

WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE SURE MY MIDDLE ISN'T MUDDY?

One of the most valuable pieces of writing advice I've come across was this:

Plot your story from the middle.

It's a relatively simple idea, one that sounds a little bit odd, but it can make a world of difference.

If you take a look at some of your favorite books and movies and skip to the middle of the stories, they will typically all have one thing in common... a scene where the character reflects on their decisions and has a major turn in their character development. This is the scene where your protagonist will look themselves in the mirror and decide what person they want/need to be to achieve these goals, usually brought on by some kind of revelation. This is the first step toward the person your character will be at the end of your novel. This scene is known as the midpoint, or mirror moment.

❯ The midpoint is an event that affects a great change in the plot. The mirror moment is how the character reacts to this event. ❮

In other words, this is when your character moves from reactive to active. This moment is extremely important because, at its core, story is not about the plot or the characters. Story is about how the things that happen in the plot affect the protagonist, and how he or she changes internally as a result.

In a romance, this is usually when the two love interests have sex for the first time. The scene where they have sex would be the midpoint. The scene where the protagonist is reacting to this huge turn of events would be the mirror moment. Maybe they fought their feelings for each other at the beginning and now that they've finally given in and had sex, they have decided to give it a shot. 

In a mystery, this is where there is usually some big revelation that will make the hero question everything they thought they knew. This is the midpoint. Their reaction to this revelation is their mirror moment. Maybe the protagonist was investigating a murder and the killer kidnapped their significant other. It is now personal and the protagonist will do whatever it takes to find the killer and save the person they love at any cost.

This midpoint/mirror moment typically defines what your story is truly about... the message that your story is delivering. That love is worth the risk. That in order to defeat true evil, you have to be willing to go to extreme lengths. That even if the odds aren't in your favor, you can still go down fighting. (The Hunger Games)

SO... what does all this mean and how can I use this to strengthen my plot?

Following the steps below can help you to better understand your story and to write a killer middle that will keep your readers engaged.

STEP 1:

Define your story's true message. What is the point? The lesson to be learned? Why are you telling this story? Do your best to answer this very loaded question.

STEP 2:

Where is my character emotionally at the beginning of the story? Where is my character at by the end of the story? How has the character changed and why?

STEP 3:

What kind of situation must your character face to make them achieve this change? How can you incorporate your story's message into this situation? Remember, it works best if one echoes the other.

STEP 4:

Write down any and all of your ideas. Play around with them. Try to think outside the box. You never know what you may end up using.

STEP 5:

Choose a scene/situation that makes the most sense for your character and your plot.

STEP 6:

After choosing your midpoint/mirror moment, make sure it checks all of these boxes:

1.) Conveys your story's message in a clear and cohesive manner.

2.) Forces your character to examine their inner self and begin to take a more active role in the story.

3.) Gets your reader asking questions, wanting to find out what happens next.

4.) Most importantly, your midpoint moment should convey the emotion behind your character's struggle with their inner conflict.

In a way, the midpoint is its own ending and beginning. It's the end of the character that we knew and the beginning of a character that will be. Write the first half of your book with this goal in mind, this end of the character as we know him/her. Write the second half starting from this point of uncertainty and lead it up to your climax. Breaking it into two halves helps to create a natural progression of conflict by slowly raising the stakes and tension, each event escalating things toward a clear end goal. Think of each half as a reflection in a mirror and the midpoint is where the reflections meet.

Hopefully, this chapter helped you to better understand what your story's middle is all about. If you are still struggling, remember, some stories are not always so black and white. Their messages may not always be clear or they may have more than one message, or more than one character arc (working with multiple POVs).

It is your story and at the end of the day, only you know how to write it. Go with your gut. And when in doubt, you can always ask for opinions in Wattpad's wonderful writing community.

AND REMEMBER: