No, I'm not talking about my middle, which certainly isn't as firm as it once was...but let's not go there. I'm talking about the middle of my manuscript. My books are about 90,000 words. I hit the 50,000 word mark and came to a bumpy halt in my current work in progress. I know how it ends and have enough exciting action planned for the last 20,000 words (hopefully), but that gives me 20,000 words to get to that point. (This is a series with each book required to be roughly the same length, so shortening it isn't an option.) I have a couple of events scheduled for this middle section, but I've been diddling around for days writing the first one and getting nowhere. It finally occurred to me that I'm not moving the action plot forward. It's stagnating, waiting for the exciting end. The build-up of my villain has happened. It's too early to spring the really creepy part, and the feeling of danger has tapered off with a whine and a whimper.
What to do? What to do? I think all authors go through this sagging middle phase in their writing. Or maybe they don't, and I'm just lame! It's not because I haven't made a rough outline because I finally broke down and did that. But these two big events on the schedule (a wedding and an overnight getaway for the hero and heroine) serve to progress the romantic conflict. They do zip, nada, zilch for the suspense. The problem is my book is romantic suspense. Readers expect to be kept on edge! So, what's the solution to prop up my suspense?
I turned to my trusty CP, Margo, who suggested making something happen to give the villain a sense of urgency that causes her (yes my villain is a woman) to lash out. A very good idea. Now I just have to figure out what and how. But since none of my potential bad girls have a reason to be at the wedding in progress (and I certainly can't drag all of them there), I'm still stuck. Deep sigh. So, what do all you authors do to claw your way out of the sagging middle of a manuscript. I could use a few brilliant suggestions!
My latest release, WILDE THING, doesn't have a sagging middle. I promise. Nor does the first book in the series, WILDE ONE, currently on sale for 99 cents. Get your copy now! Visit my WEBSITE for more info on my other straight-up books that don't sag. Happy reading!
20 comments:
Still thinking. Thinking. Maybe I'll think of something by morning.
I have a system that works for me. I keep a minimum of three books going at one time. I've got four in process right now. Two Shifter books, one that hops from '66 to present day, and an updating of a previously published romantic suspense. When I hit a spot in one that I don't know what to do, I hop over and open another manuscript and write on it for a week or two. Meanwhile, my subconscious untangles the knots I've created in my primary WIP. I typically wake up early one day with the idea in place and reopen the closed document and happily get to work.
Granted, one has to be half mad to write like this, but... *cough*
I think it was Maas who made our whole class answer the question: What's the worst thing that could happen to ____ ?(fill in the blank a character or a couple). So we wrote that down on our paper. Then he said: NOW what's the worst thing that could happen to _____ . He made us do that four or five times so. It may not give you the answer you want, but it will push you to more edginess. Good luck, Jannine!
Believe me, your efforts on my behalf are appreciated, Margo!
Your idea is an excellent one, Vonnie. It does help to take a step back. Unfortunately I don't have a couple of weeks to spare with deadlines looming, but since I'm not getting anything done anyway, maybe I should start something new! I did take a day to pull together my ROP Christmas stories and put them in one doc. Then I came up with a title and cover image (Heads up, Alison!). I want to publish them in the fall. Unfortunately, my day off didn't jump start my brain on my current WIP.
What an interesting exercise, Rolynn. My hero is definitely going to have the worst thing ever happen to him...but not quite yet. I'll have to work on the worst thing for my heroine. She has a few issues I can exploit in the romance plot. I'll have to think about using that concept for the suspense plot, as well. Thanks for the suggestion.
This is a problem, a worse one because of your deadline. I went to a Maas workshop once and remember his instructions about the wort that can happen. That helped me with a problem I had. He also asked what was something the hero, heroine, or villain would never do. Make him/her do that. Why? I'm glad you asked those questions because the responses jogged my memory about what I learned in workshops. Good luck.
Ooh, that's a good one, Diane. What they would never do. Especially the villain. Take them out of their box! That might really help. Glad I made you think about it, too. This could help jump-start all of us!
I've been to the same Donald Maas workshop and have both his book and the accompanying workbook. I'm ashamed to say I haven't put his advice to work yet, but there's no reason you can't be the guinea pig! I'd love to know how it works for you.
I'm going to see what I can do with his advice, Alison. Especially about acting out of character. It's always good when our characters surprise us!
I have no idea Jannine but I'm now interested in going to the Maas class everyone keeps mentioning! LOL good luck with the book!
Thanks, Andrea. Actually (since I still seem to be brain dead regarding my WIP) I'm editing the old Christmas stories I want to publish. I think I needed a big dose of nostalgia and fun.
I want to go to that Maas workshop now, too! I'm at the end of a project that I've been working on for a couple years. (That wasn't a typo. It's that bad.) I realized just this morning that there is nothing happening through the middle. Or more accurately, things happened but they've taken place sort of "in camera," so the reader hears about it after the fact. (Head smacking going on here.) Looks like it'll be a while before I finish this one.
BTW, I can attest there are no sagging middles in the Wilde books! Just finished Wilde Thing and loved it, despite my aversion to anything related to the "S" word (snow). :-)
Sorry about all the S word stuff in that book, Leah. But I'm glad you enjoyed it! LOL Wilde Horses (the last in the series) is out in May. No snow in that one. I sympathize with your middle issues. Best of luck working them out.
Another alum of the Maas workshop here. Yep worst thing ever and what they would never do. Ooooh. Getting a brainstorm. Talk soon.
Hmmm, I can't wait to hear what you have in store for my characters, Margo!
Well, dang...looks like I started something by mentioning Maas' method...so glad we chew these things over together!
Yes, Jannine, I agree about the sagging middles. It's not just you! I am happy to hear all the Maas talk, because, while I've read his books, I've never attended a workshop. However, I am going to one in April in Vegas. Can't wait! This is all good advice. Another thing to consider, James Scott Bell talks about the middle of your book is when the character should have a 'Mirror Moment' where he or she takes a figurative look at themselves and realizes what they must do to avoid death. (In all stories, the character is likely facing one of three 'deaths' - Physical (where they or someone else will literally die), Profressional, or Psychological. At that point, when they look themselves in the mirror and say, "If I don't change, or if I don't do so and so, I will die." If you do that, it's possible some kind of action will result out of their epiphany. Don't know if that helps, or makes sense, but there you have it. :)
I know, Rolynn, it does help to have these discussions!
That's interesting, Ally. In the wedding chapter that is currently giving me fits, the hero just realized if he doesn't step up, he's going to lose the heroine. She finally realizes she's ready for a commitment. So, both have those sort of mirror moments (which doesn't fix my action plot but moves my romance plot forward). Then, of course, he does something to blow it, and her fragile moment of conviction is destroyed. I hadn't thought of it in those terms, but the hero is going to have to do "something he would never do" like Maas suggested to fix the problem. I actually got a lot out of this whole discussion! Now I need to apply it to my villain, and all will be good.
I've been flat on my back for a few days with a nasty bug so I'm late to the party. Doesn't sound like you need anymore advice. I did want to comment on Maas. The first workshop of his I attended (I think I've done two now), I started the day hating him. I was writing romance, not the suspense kind, and I thought his advice sucked. I certainly wasn't going to kill anyone like he threw out. I obstinately sat there thinking I was totally wasting my time. I tried to loosen up and listen to the second half of his class. It took me a week or better for his guidelines to sink in. I ended up with his book which you've reminded me I should find and skim again.
I tend to do that, Brenda, be unwilling to try new things. I have a tendency to think I know it all...imagine that! But then I get stuck in a rut. I'm glad we've both become old dogs willing to consider new tricks on occasion!
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