I’ve learned a lot in the process of writing a novel. To say I’ve been surprised by many facets regarding the craft of storytelling would be an understatement. Most of the time, I fly by the seat of my pants … until I look around and realize I’ve written my character into a corner. Or perhaps an editor and/or beta reader reveals where something isn’t quite working. Then I eat lots of salted caramel dark chocolate and moan and groan for a few days about how no one ‘gets’ my writing.
It’s so exciting to take a little tiny seedling of an idea and run with it. The downside? When you are in that danger zone known as the ‘sagging middle’. The action has come screeching to a halt, you’re writing about your main characters eating spaghetti. Again. Note: there’s nothing wrong with your characters eating in a particular scene, as long as it advances the plot. Just sayin’.
Regardless of experience, I’m sure every writer encounters an ‘I have no idea what to do next’ moment. When I’m stuck, I try to ask for help. Not that I have a vast number of authors on speed dial, but I have noticed that most authors are generous in sharing the survival skills gleaned along the way.
The folks over at My Book Therapy have copious amounts of information available for the fledgling author. That’s where I first learned about the story question and raising the stakes.
Beth K. Vogt has two excellent posts about both topics:
- http://www.mybooktherapy.com/what-and-why-of-writing-stakes/
- http://seriouslywrite.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-power-of-story-question-by-beth-vogt.html
One more, from aspiring author, Lindsay Harrel, where she talks about the benefits of attending a writing retreat and the ways answering the story question transformed her writing: http://thewritersalleys.blogspot.com/2012/11/three-big-takeaways-from-my-book.html
How about you? What big question is your hero or heroine striving to answer? How do you raise the stakes and avoid the dreaded sagging middle?
