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Middles are Tough

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KatherineWriting
201228 words so far Winner!

This is the time when I have to resist the urge to erase an entire 1500 word scene and try again. Middles are tough. The characters want to moan about nothing, or talk about where they went to school, or why they just ordered a pineapple milk shake. Not stuff that advances the story, not very interesting. Very tempting to delete and try again. I've found that if I move a few paragraphs around, I can sometimes be half-way satisfied. And I keep chugging along, reminding myself that middles are tough.

Sapphire
56476 words so far Winner!

Characters are also tough. Tonight (since I'm ahead), my plan is not words and is instead going back and revamping a scene from the beginning of my novel, where my main character Dimitri meets his assigned (fifteen year-old) mentor.

I know, I know! It's editing! But it'll add words!

I originally envisioned her as a sort of socially awkward character, almost bordering on Aspergers, but I realized after writing her first couple of scenes that she was really coming across as an unlikeable b*(female dog). Which is bad and makes for extremely plain and awkward writing.

I don' think I've technically reached my "middle" yet. The trouble is starting to unfold, and the stakes are beginning to rise. I think I've got around 5-10k to go before the sh*(fecal matter) hits the fan.

jen.e.moore
50738 words so far Winner!

I've definitely reached the part of the middle where I usually bail out. I am determined not to bail out this year. I have downloaded the Penmonkey's Paean wallpaper for my desktop and am writing horrible, badly-structured scenes where people scream at each other for no apparent reason. But I have not yet given up.

I hate middles.

KatherineWriting
201228 words so far Winner!

jen.e.moore wrote:
I've definitely reached the part of the middle where I usually bail out. I am determined not to bail out this year.


Just keep writing and you'll be glad that you did. If you get stuck, introduce a new character. Maybe in your case, one who has a sore throat and has to whisper. (That might balance the screaming that the other ones are doing.)

It only seems like the scenes are horrible, badly-structured. A little tweaking in December, and you may be amazed at what you have. But you have to keep writing to get there.

Good luck!

Phoenixica24
50230 words so far Winner!

I know where I need to go. It's the knowing and the getting there that are a problem. I'm serious! How do I fix this.......My MC has to meet her dad in the next chapter, but I have to get her back home and then make an excuse for her to go back so soon, and then I hit some good stuff. Or at least a bunch of stuff I can be very descriptive with, seeing as her father is really a king who's rich and has fancy stuff everywhere, but really has a modest heart. So that will kill a few hundred words if not a thousand or two (stretching it maybe but a girl can dream)
Any advice? It's not the middle of my story but a middle between exciting parts. Does that even count? I just struggled through one of my favorite scene ideas ever! D:

KatherineWriting
201228 words so far Winner!

Phoenixica24 wrote:
How do I fix this.......My MC has to meet her dad in the next chapter, but I have to get her back home and then make an excuse for her to go back so soon,


I'm not sure where she's going back to--but could she have left something behind that she has to have?

Or instead of going home, could she send a message home and stay where she is?


New Anobi 9 months ago
Anobi
54273 words so far Winner!

I hit my middle, and decided to throw a thunderstorm at my pilots. Nothing gets you through a dry spell like a storm. ;)

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