Lore & LilacThrough the middle: what to do when the draft sags
Treat the slow stretch between the opening and the ending as a diagnosis to make, not a verdict on your book.
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Related glossary terms
- MidpointA turning point near the middle of a novel where a revelation or reversal changes what the protagonist understands or how they act.
- Rising actionThe stretch of story after the inciting incident in which complications, obstacles and pressure build toward the climax.
- Try-fail cycleA pattern in which a character attempts to solve a problem, falls short or succeeds at a cost, and must try again with more at stake.
- StakesWhat a character stands to gain or lose depending on whether they succeed, which gives the reader a reason to care about the outcome.
- SubplotA secondary storyline running alongside the main plot, usually with its own characters or goal, that complicates or reflects the central story.
- Ticking clockA deadline built into the story that limits how long a character has to act, adding urgency to the plot.
- Dramatic questionThe central yes-or-no question a story raises early and answers at the climax, which keeps the reader reading.
- AgencyA character's capacity to make meaningful choices that change the course of events, rather than simply being carried along by them.