Saggy Middle, anyone?

 

I think I’ve reached that place that writers call a saggy middle. I understand it is a perennial problem. My characters have done so well, and fought all obstacles, but now – where do they go from here?

Stakes (in story telling at least) are those things that keep a reader reading. Without them, then the story sags and loses momentum.

A story starts with a challenge to a characters' ideas and plans. They are forced into new directions. But the character needs ever new challenges. Words like Then - but - therefore - but - then - but - therefore - but..."come to mind.

If you have more than one strand or thread, then they need to interweave in an interesting way. Each time you switch from one strand to another, the reader loses emotional involvement in one thread, and needs to pick up rather quickly on another. This can slow reading to a crawl. What? Who is this? What happened to the other person? Find a place where a breather is sort of welcome but also promises Things are going to get Hairy when you turn the Page.

The big turning point needs to have things change for ever. In Pride and Prejudice Mr Darcy's first proposal to Elizabeth is such a turning point: she is offered a splendid marriage which will help both her and her sisters and she turns it down. Why?

Elizabeth finds herself at the crux or the midpoint, where the theme, present in the story right from the beginning, is tested. She made her decision and may well rue it. The very end of the story is where it is finally resolved.