~ Act 2 ~
Main Components: The second act includes the Rising Action, the First Pinch Point, the Midpoint, and the Change.
The middle of your book can get messy and tangly. The best Rising Action happens when protagonists trip over their own swords on their way to fight the dragons. They need to learn skills, maybe through a mentor, a failed experience, a black eye, a quirky friend with a sense of humor. Consider your character arc here. Where did your protagonist start their journey, where are they going, and what is unique about both?
The character has just emerged from the dramatic events of the Binding Point at the end of the first act. His world has completely changed, whether positively or negatively, and he is scrambling to keep up with events. He is aggressively pursuing his main story goal, but he doesn't quite have his feet under him. Turn up the pressure and amp up the threat with the First Pinch Point. Maybe the villain kidnaps the love interest. Or the river overflows and destroys the protagonist's prize winning rose garden. The pinch reminds your audience of the danger facing the protagonist and the force of the antagonist's power. This should occur in the first half of the Second Act.
The Midpoint of the novel comes halfway through the rising action, right around the middle of your book. Here, we enter a whole new world where we know the protagonist can never return to the way things were. Sometimes the midpoint is the first time the character tries to solve the problem and it actually works...somewhat. Or maybe it's an unmitigated failure. Either way, this act often ends with the impetus for Change.
Act 2 Example: The Hobbit
First Pinch Point: During the Rising Action, Bilbo gets his first taste of danger; an encounter with three hungry trolls.
Midpoint: Bilbo and the dwarves are captured by goblins in the mountains.
Change: Bilbo is separated from the others and finds a ring that turns him invisible. Suddenly, he is a useful member of the company.
Photo credits: The Hobbit film production by MGM