plot trouble

What I've found recently works well is actually writing backstory - little page-long bits from my two MCs' pasts, alone and apart; I like using prompts but if you don't need to, more power to you. I have a lot of times where I don't particularly want to write the real story, usually because it's flat, and by writing down specific instances in their pasts, I can often reveal or create a new problem - that's the basic advice, of course, just keep throwing obstacles at them. Sometimes this means I bring up an issue that hasn't been even hinted at before, but that's what second drafts are for. I haven't tried it, but I imagine if you have a villain, you could write about what they're up to when you want a break from writing about the hero(es), and I'm sure they'd be happy to provide problems.

Of course, that works best when you've already started writing the main story. If you want to outline beforehand... well, then throwing obstacles is all I can say: how do they get from the start to the end? Once you set down each point along the way, see at which points you can add extra trouble. Heck, try to come up with a plot twist that makes /you/ think that they'll never reach the end you have in mind. Then wait a few days and see if you don't come up with a way out after all.

That's a rather broad topic, I could help you out better if I knew more about the story at hand. However, here are some general tips to fix up a sagging middle.

If it's finished and you haven't put it aside already (2 to 3 months is ideal), this may help. It will give you some perspective on the story that you're otherwise lacking.

Once you've put it aside watch for the following potential problems:

--Know what your story is really about: Can you define your story in a sentence? Imagine that you were pitching it as a movie idea to a Hollywood producer, what would you say? Is there anything in the story that doesn't emphasize this? If so, get rid of it.

--Flashbacks: Eliminate those that aren't absolutely 100% necessary in moving the story forward. Sure, it's fascinating that your MC is so scared spitless of dogs that even a chihuahua barking in the distance sends him in the corner sucking his thumb, but if dogs don't really have any impact on your storyline, you don't have to explain to your reader why he's so scared of them.

--Combine Characters: Are there so many characters in your story that you're having trouble keeping track of them without a three page sheet that lists their names only? (that's an exaggeration, but I think you get the point) Check and see if you can combine a few of them that may have enough similarities in common so it's easier for your reader to keep track of those that are truly important to your story.

--Action Scenes: Are they as tight as they can be? This isn't the time to go on an expositional meandering about how beautiful the neighborhood is, have your characters run, fight, bleed, die or whatever else is absolutely necessary for this scene and nothing else. Make sure your sentences are short, quick and simple. Long, convoluted phraseology during these scenes will only slow them down.

-- Dialogue: Have you found yourself with a number of "As you know Bob" pieces of dialogue? This is a common (yet horribly bad) trick that some writers use to have two characters talk about something that each of them know about but the reader doesn't. It gets its name from the fact that a lot of these (but not all) bits of conversation start out with: "As you know Bob...we did xyz so many years ago." If the information is so vital that your reader needs to know it, find another way to pass it along.

--Description: While describing how something or someone looks may be absolutely necessary for a story, if you expound on a point for pages on end, see if you can figure out a way to break it up. Some ways to do this are: pepper it into dialogue (ie, show the shiny cufflinks when the male MC places his hands on the table to lean closer to the person he's talking to), split it up throughout the novel instead of "forcefeeding" it to your reader, and finally, mention briefly how grateful your MC is that he or she took some sort of special training (ie First Aid) during the aftermath of an action scene.

--Read the story aloud: This overly simple piece of advice can do wonders. It will show you exactly where the story is slowing down, where dialogue is stilted and where you may have sentences that are just too dang long, among a number of other flaws that you won't find any other way.

I find that if you know the ending, the middle should consist of three things that prevent the MC from getting to the climax. The MC essentially fails or meets obstacles. That is the middle plot. What keeps the MC from reaching his/her goal? A strong plot would be a mix of internal and external obstacles.

BYjazz

Strong beginning? And End? Will this work? Bring them together - like bookends - and add a fresh beginning, leading in to your already good start. Then tack on a new ending, sort of a post-ending.

Now, if your new ending can be slid in to where your 'middle' is (the current flat spot), and your new beginning carries the promise that you indicate your existing beginning contains, I dare say you will have solved your problem. The transition from your current beginning and end, which would contain your post ending thoughts, can be reworked into anticipation, possibly an alternative ending fear, possibly all the material you need to liven up that flat spot.

The new beginning? If your current beginning has pizzazz, you already know where you're going to be in a chapter or two, so breathe a sigh of relief and take your MC from some new starting point and weave your magic to get into the current starting of your story. Because what you deem your 'flat point' might simply be a small transition, once you see the current beginning as your middle-story. That post-ending rewrite will help with this 'transition' - hope some of this is something you can use.

Good luck with your story!

thanks for all the advice. j.b.m., i'm not quite sure that could work as my book starts as a journey my characters must take to find something important (trust me, i'm trying to keep it as cliche-free as possible), so i'm not sure i can bring the beginning and ending together. it's good advice, though.

milo, i love you. let's meet again, next time, in paradise.