tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post5001425338249910705..comments2024-03-27T10:02:56.747-04:00Comments on Fiction University: The Middle of Our BooksJanice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-44594594572752948922011-06-22T10:07:21.991-04:002011-06-22T10:07:21.991-04:00Thanks so much for hosting me, Janice!~Thanks so much for hosting me, Janice!~Elizabeth Spann Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15625595247828274405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-9761128882872145322011-06-22T07:58:55.094-04:002011-06-22T07:58:55.094-04:00Thanks so much to Elizabeth for coming by and shar...Thanks so much to Elizabeth for coming by and sharing her middle tips! It's always great having you on the blog :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-13417381258629605432011-06-22T07:26:55.745-04:002011-06-22T07:26:55.745-04:00Clarissa--I like to keep folks guessing!
jenny-...Clarissa--I like to keep folks guessing! <br /> <br />jenny--I like the idea of writing something to help just get you over the hump--knowing that you might *not* use it! That, to me, is really working through a block.<br /><br />Karen--Great point! Some natural fireworks can liven things up, too. :)Elizabeth Spann Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15625595247828274405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-35146965329541781212011-06-22T05:16:53.248-04:002011-06-22T05:16:53.248-04:00You can also introduce a flood, wildfire, tornado ...You can also introduce a flood, wildfire, tornado - Mother Nature likes to up the ante.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-18196192006266188002011-06-22T04:44:23.367-04:002011-06-22T04:44:23.367-04:00Elizabeth,
Thanks for such a great list! Whenever...Elizabeth,<br /><br />Thanks for such a great list! Whenever I can't figure out how to move in the direction I'm going, I write scene. For some reason, that short burst helps me over the hump. Sometimes I even use the scene. :-)jenny Hansenhttp://jennyhansenauthor.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-1904482796302698152011-06-21T22:26:53.733-04:002011-06-21T22:26:53.733-04:00These are really great points. I love them! Now I ...These are really great points. I love them! Now I know you kill off your main suspect but it's a great idea.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12160669603997465454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-52032536945053634902011-06-21T18:48:01.133-04:002011-06-21T18:48:01.133-04:00Natalie--Thanks! Yep, I've done the chapter sw...Natalie--Thanks! Yep, I've done the chapter swapping thing, too. It's amazing what a little moving around can do!Elizabeth Spann Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15625595247828274405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-10800789583102997842011-06-21T17:44:38.581-04:002011-06-21T17:44:38.581-04:00Great suggestions for dealing with middle problems...Great suggestions for dealing with middle problems. I often have to swap around chapters to add the tension there. I love the setback and revealing a secret ideas.Natalie Aguirrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03756087804171246660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-13167686580829574392011-06-21T16:04:35.937-04:002011-06-21T16:04:35.937-04:00Bethany--Good luck with it!
Madeline--Secrets rea...Bethany--Good luck with it!<br /><br />Madeline--Secrets really spice up a story, I think. :)<br /><br />Rebecca--Thanks for coming by!<br /><br />Angie--Isn't it great to create surprises? :)<br /><br />The Old Silly--I love the "Choose Your Own Adventure" way of writing, where you come up with several possible endings or solutions to a story...sounds like you've got the perfect example of making it work!<br /><br />Thanks so much! I'm honored. :)<br /><br />Hart--Hope this helps with your wall! Believe me, we've all been there (and, if we haven't, we'll be there at some point!)<br /><br />Anne--Thanks so much for coming by!<br /><br />Alex--You know, I'd LOVE to work an explosion into my book! Wonder if my editor would think I'd lost it (if it would fit in with my genre?)<br /><br />Anna--I wrote one story *completely* out of order. The first draft was a breeze to write, but I will admit that my transitions took a long time to fix during my second draft. So....not sure I'll repeat the experiment again to *that* extent, but I still really enjoy writing out of order some days. :)<br /> <br />M.E. Summer--It's sort of a weird way to write a story, and I think the very weirdness of the approach is what makes it work so well.<br /><br />Maryann--You're so right--sometimes it can really indicate a messed-up story that needs major reworking. Although, boy, that's never fun!<br /><br />Elspeth--Ooh...a mysterious person who's not who they said they were! Love it. :)Elizabeth Spann Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15625595247828274405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-968851692368969252011-06-21T15:52:15.696-04:002011-06-21T15:52:15.696-04:00Oh, those blasted middles! These are great tips, E...Oh, those blasted middles! These are great tips, Elizabeth! I've never thrown in another body, but I have put in twists like someone not being who they said they were.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-46386696528782123452011-06-21T15:50:14.042-04:002011-06-21T15:50:14.042-04:00I often refer to this as the "Boggy Middle Bl...I often refer to this as the "Boggy Middle Blues." It doesn't happen with every story, thank goodness, but it did big time with the last book. Took me forever to figure out that I had a major plotting problem and all the tricks in the world was not going to help until I fixed the problem.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-19414177979330968542011-06-21T15:04:36.059-04:002011-06-21T15:04:36.059-04:00Fabulous suggestions! I'll have to try the one...Fabulous suggestions! I'll have to try the one about working backward. Thanks for the tips!M.E. Summerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15721635796108451198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-38633984724855742752011-06-21T14:42:23.154-04:002011-06-21T14:42:23.154-04:00Great advice! I usually write the almost-ending ne...Great advice! I usually write the almost-ending near the beginning of my WIP. I work backwards whenever I feel tired or can't think of the next scene. I also allow myself to work out of order. Oftentimes a bit of dialogue or intrigue will come to me out of the blue, and I'll scratch it down before I forget. I usually have five or six loose strands I can work on at any given time.Annahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961332983813359209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-47380052625985460622011-06-21T14:17:08.540-04:002011-06-21T14:17:08.540-04:00Good tips! So far I've escaped saggy middles. ...Good tips! So far I've escaped saggy middles. Dropped a big battle and an explosion in the middle of my latest work just for some excitement!Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-9763230115852747072011-06-21T14:16:50.397-04:002011-06-21T14:16:50.397-04:00Excellent tips. Every writer needs these at some p...Excellent tips. Every writer needs these at some point. Thanks Janice and Elizabeth!Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-32012402523870377512011-06-21T13:37:29.599-04:002011-06-21T13:37:29.599-04:00Man, I so needed this RIGHT NOW! Thank you! I lo...Man, I so needed this RIGHT NOW! Thank you! I love the 'undoing a fact' suggestion, and I PLAN on starting my 'plan' backward from the end. I am at about the 80% mark and have run up against a wall, so this was perfect timing!Hart Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17599570189253229318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-14620623009053398902011-06-21T13:25:15.900-04:002011-06-21T13:25:15.900-04:00These are all great ideas, Liz. I like the "t...These are all great ideas, Liz. I like the "think backwards" one especially. My last novel, I wrote three different possible endings for the story while still in the first 20K words. As the story evolved, whenever I got stuck I'd re-read the ending scenarios, and finally one of them stood out as best, and most attainable from where I was in the story.<br /><br />I copied and pasted your tips in one of my writers' aids folders - hope ya don't mind. (wink)<br /><br /><a href="http://theoldsilly.com" rel="nofollow"><b>Marvin D Wilson</b></a>The Old Sillyhttp://theoldsilly.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-86045621661209382072011-06-21T13:10:49.372-04:002011-06-21T13:10:49.372-04:00Thanks Elizabeth! What great ideas. I especially l...Thanks Elizabeth! What great ideas. I especially like the idea of contradiction. I try and do something that no one--characters or readers--sees coming. Thanks for the tips.Angela Cothranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09243582290698922119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-50474603053400065092011-06-21T13:05:59.028-04:002011-06-21T13:05:59.028-04:00I love these. Great post. Thank you!I love these. Great post. Thank you!Rebecca Bradleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10194524230109997420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-25138959055533946872011-06-21T12:59:16.854-04:002011-06-21T12:59:16.854-04:00Awesome tips, I'll have to watch for saggy mi...Awesome tips, I'll have to watch for saggy middles now! Revealing a secret is always my favorite strategy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-4343291153067656502011-06-21T12:39:13.236-04:002011-06-21T12:39:13.236-04:00That's fantastic advice! I'm approaching t...That's fantastic advice! I'm approaching the middle on my story - I'll be sure to keep this in mind!Bethany Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12829932931010851406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-72682932829666427912011-06-21T11:44:02.789-04:002011-06-21T11:44:02.789-04:00Margot--Good idea! I love the righteous indignatio...Margot--Good idea! I love the righteous indignation I feel as a reader when I know the investigators have nabbed the wrong guy in a mystery. That's another great conflict to add to the middle of a book.<br /><br />djskrimiblog--You're too sweet, Dorte!<br /><br />Raelyn--Sounds like you do a good job keeping your middles from sagging! (I'm having way too much fun with the "saggy middle" concept. :))Elizabeth Spann Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15625595247828274405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-7688901488248854162011-06-21T11:32:12.997-04:002011-06-21T11:32:12.997-04:00A great list of ideas to help out that dreaded mid...A great list of ideas to help out that dreaded middle :) I've used the secret and setback before and will have to give these others a try. Thanks for sharing this Elizabeth.Raelyn Barclayhttp://raelynbarclay.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-72030969848571653542011-06-21T09:46:58.144-04:002011-06-21T09:46:58.144-04:00Saggy middles?
No problem at all. I just ask my ...Saggy middles? <br /><br />No problem at all. I just ask my blog friend Elizabeth and she tells me what to do ;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-83940424339448588562011-06-21T07:32:25.413-04:002011-06-21T07:32:25.413-04:00Elizabeth - Those are such good ideas for adding z...Elizabeth - Those are such good ideas for adding zest to the middle of the "story sandwich" ;-). Sometimes I use the "second death" technique to avoid saggy middles, too. Often I have that happen just after the second victim finds out something about the first victim's murder. I also use the "wrong suspect arrested" technique to up the ante, so to speak. Anything that keeps the interest up without getting melodramatic can be useful.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com