The other day, I reached the mid-point in the book I'm currently writing. It wasn't a planned middle. I didn't reach any arbitrary number on an outline or some magical word count. As I was writing the scene, I began to struggle and I realized it was because I'd reached the point where the story must take a turn. The scene needed to bring a few conclusions, but those answers needed to lead the main character to even bigger questions. The middle and I had finally met.
One of the aspects of novel writing that you cannot teach is how to have a handle on the pace of the story. It's one of those things that comes over time. When you've done it enough, you get the feel for telling a story of novel length. You know when you reach these moments and therefore can make sure each scene is achieving what it needs to. It took me a good two days to get it right, but I'm happy to say I've turned the corner.
Here's hoping the path ahead remains clear.
A novel seems a bit like a chess game (I'm a keen player) with an opening, middle and ending. Good luck with the rest of the novel.
ReplyDeleteI wish you the best of luck in your novel. Great things happen when you least expect it.
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