We learn early on in our writing journey that every story must have a beginning a middle and an end. We are also taught that our main character should change in some way, learn something or achieve a goal.
All this is true, and most authors polish the beginning of their novels to within an inch of its existence. The culmination of the story is also refined, rewritten and honed to make it as satisfying as it can be. However, what about the middle of the story? Some authors pad that mid-section of their book to reach their word-count while others are less rigid in the standards they set themselves there, resulting in the dreaded mucky middle of the story.
Many novels lie unfinished or unpublished (and probably unpublishable) because of the challenges posed by a mucky middle. Let us consider how the chances of a this can be reduced so that your book doesn't suffer that fate.
First, let us consider what causes a mucky middle. Any story may sag when it loses focus between the midpoint and the climax. There can be many reasons for this. It may be that the author has woven a story with so much going on that even they cannot see how to bring all the plot lines together. Alternatively, the opposite can happen and ideas that once were flowing suddenly dry up. This can discourage the author and make it difficult to work out how the characters get through the final crisis.
You also have to beware that if the story begins to wander or the midpoint doesn't have enough serious consequences your readers may lose interest as fast as your story has lost its way. Make sure your excitement for your story remains charged. You cannot expect your readers to retain interest if you as the author do not. If your enthusiasm wanes the likelihood is that you will abandon your book or you will complete it with a much weaker finish than it deserves.
It was Kurt Vonnegut who wrote "Every sentence must do one of two things—reveal character or advance the action." This is especially true of the middle of your novel. It is here that you risk getting side-tracked by interesting tangents and throwing in a bunch of random conflicts so you don’t lose the reader’s interest, whereas, in fact, the tangents may just serve to confuse and distract your readers.
A draft plot line or plan comes in handy at this point. Even if you have to break from writing your narrative to create one. This will give you targets for your characters to aim for and alleviate your own feeling of being bogged down in the middle. It gives you a chance to set up everything you need for the climax to work and ensures the characters overcome the challenges you have set them in a way that feels like a true accomplishment.
To this end, exploiting conflict is a powerful strategy for keeping the middle of your book exciting. It can drive the plot and ensure the story doesn’t lose interest for the readers before they get to the end. You want to ensure that there is something significant at stake if the characters don't achieve their goals that will make them take desperate measures. This will keep your readers engaged as they try to work out how the conflicts will be resolved.
Another tip that will help you avoid a mucky middle to your novel is to ensure that your characters are seen to make their own decisions and actively pursue their goals. This means the reader sees them affecting the outcomes. When your characters are proactive and not just reacting to the circumstances in which they find themselves you will find the middle of your novel lifts and you will avoid the dreaded mucky middle that all authors worry about.
Val Penny
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