For many writers, Openings and Closings aren’t the problem with story. We all have problems with the Messy Middle—or the Saggy Middle—or that long slog between fantastic Opening and stupendous Ending.
It’s the Middle that causes the most groans.
In the Archetypal Story Pattern, the Greatest Plot Structure in the world—that troublesome Middle is Stages 4 to 8. It’s not Stage 4 that creates the problems. It’s not Stage 8 or Stage 7.
Nope, what causes the most angst for writers is our focus in this episode—Stages 5 and 6.
Follow along for clues that will change your approach to Stages 5 and 6 and hopefully keep them from turning into the Messy Middle Mire that causes angst for so many writers.
TIMINGS
- 00:00 Welcome
- 00:40 Introduction
- 01:47 Stage 5
- 03:30 Thresholds
- 04:47 Four New Things in the Story
- 07:05 Analysis through Example
- 09:16 Crossing the First Threshold
- 10:43 Stage 6
- 12:50 Purpose-Filled Examinations
- 15:50 Thresholds are Tests (and are Try/Fail Sequences)
- 16:47 How Many Tests?
- 19:50 Last Words / Closing
Total Run Time:: 21:33
Examples from Patricia Briggs’ The Hob’s Bargain, Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
Links to the Ebook
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0838PTN49
https://books2read.com/u/bOJK6K
Links to a paperback 8 x 10 bundle for plot / characters / branding / sentence craft, called Discovering Your Writing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08691892S
Trailer https://youtu.be/hTVQn92kNBk
Thanks for listening to The Write Focus. We focus on productivity, process, craft, and tools. Our podcast is for newbies who want to become writing pros and veterans who are returning to writing after years away.
Our current focus is Discovering Your Plot, from host M.A. Lee’s guidebook of the same name.
Support the podcast with a cup of coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/winkbooksr
- You can find workbooks and templates at Buy Me a Coffee. Available is the Enter the Writing Business Workbook and templates from the Discovering Characters
- Available Now: worksheet templates and a video trailer script for Discovering Your Author Brand.
For more links and resources, visit www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com .
Write to us at winkbooks@aol.com.
If you find value in this podcast, please share with your writing friends or write a review. (We’re small beans. We don’t have the advertising budget of the big peeps. You can make a difference.)
Listen on your favorite
podcast site: from Apple to YouTube, Spotify and Podbean (my favs), Google
Play, Amazon Music and Audible, Samsung and Player FM, Deezer and Podcaster,
the rivals iHeart and Tune-in, and too many to list.
Here are the easiest. Make
us a favorite, and follow along easy-peasy, once a week, while you fix a quick
dinner, drive a short commute, or take a brisk walk.
My favorite podcast is Podbean.
https://eden5695.podbean.com/
YouTube direct link to the Current
Playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXi3M_aM-d7JRRacR_0tlplDqSeHp5c-o
Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-write-focus/id1546738740%20
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4fMwknmfJhkJxQvaaLQ3Gm?si=ffeb71ed17c3409d
Amazon/Audible https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/062ecc60-d61c-432a-ad99-8234c1044ef1
ListenNotes https://lnns.co/y_Jg5rpaMNo
Google https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2VkZW41Njk1L2ZlZWQueG1s
Tune-In https://tunein.com/podcasts/p1608565/
IHeart Radio https://iheart.com/podcast/90647163
No comments:
Post a Comment