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Home » Writing Craft » Page 8

Writing Craft

Story Structure Part #4 – Three Act Structure

By Lynette Easonon December 13, 2023
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[Due to a technological glitch, this post did not go out in our newsletter feed, so we are posting it again for those who missed it.]

Welcome back to our series on story structure. Last time I talked about Pinch Point #1.

Remember, a “pinch point” in a story is a moment where the antagonist’s power is showcased, applying pressure to the protagonist and emphasizing the stakes at hand. Pinch Point #1 usually occurs around the midpoint of the first half of the story, serving as a reminder of the antagonist’s strength and the challenges the protagonist must overcome. The pinch point in Oliver’s story is the message with the painting containing the incomplete facial reconstruction, only there’s a single tear painted on her partially finished face.

Now, we’ve arrived at the midpoint of the story. This is where your protagonist has some kind of “mirror moment,” an epiphany about himself or herself for character growth. It can also be a good place to have some kind of break in the case. Or a new character shows up to create havoc. Or your main character’s secret child shows up.

For now, in our story, up until this point Oliver has been trying to finish the face; but a car accident leaves him unable to work for a few days. He’s had to send his daughter and mother to stay with other relatives because of the increasing danger. And so on. But, now we’re at the middle of the book and the reconstruction is finally finished and … it’s not Cassidy, Sophia’s sister. However, the face is eerily familiar to Sophia. It’s a friend of Cassidy’s from high school who also went missing, but everyone thought she’d run away because she was a “troubled teen.” Sophia immediately knows this is connected to her sister’s disappearance.

Now, because of the pantser that I can be (someone who tends to write by the seat of their pants as opposed to a plotter who plots everything out), I’ve decided that Oliver’s daughter (Have I given her a name? If not, let’s call her Gia.) had been working on a school project. (I’ll introduce this right at the beginning of the story, and it will become a subplot.) She and her class have been researching the town’s history for a special program.

When Oliver sent her away, she left what she’d been working on, thinking everything would be resolved and she’d get back to it in a couple of days. She had newspaper articles and pictures spread across the dining room table. When the face he finishes is finally revealed, not only does Sophia recognize her, so does he. She’s in several of the pictures on his dining room table. As are Sohpia’s parents.

WHAT??

I know, right? I’m as shocked as you are! What could this possibly mean? And there you have it. We’re at the midpoint. We’ve got our turning point in the story. This stunning revelation not only takes the investigation in a whole new direction, it does Sophia’s personal life as well (more subplot material). While Sophia was relieved that the dead woman isn’t her sister, she’s still got questions. Sophia’s mirror moment is that she knows she will not rest until she uncovers the rest of the secrets and finds out what happened to her big sister. What are her parents hiding?

I have no idea!

But we’ll find out. Eventually. So, there you have it. Take a look at your midpoint and see what it does for the story. Sometimes it’s a subtle shift. Sometimes it’s major, but it should be there, whatever you decide it is. I’ll be honest. Sometimes I don’t know what my midpoint is until I get there. I’ve been at 50,000 words and think, Wait, what’s my midpoint? And I have to go back and make sure it’s clear. Other times, depending on how well laid out I have the story in my head, I know exactly what my midpoint will be. (I’ll admit that makes things a bit easier when it comes to writing the first half of the story! LOL.)

Anyway, what do you think makes a good midpoint? I’m interested in hearing your thoughts.

Have a blessed day!

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Category: Craft, Writing Craft

Writers Learn to Prepare

By Steve Laubeon December 4, 2023
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Preparation is awfully important if you are planning to climb Mt. Everest. If you show up in a T-shirt, shorts, and flip flops, with a sack lunch, it is likely you will perish during the ascent. The same idea applies to the writer. Preparation is one of the keys to success. There Are No Shortcuts Despite numerous methods for efficiency, there is still no shortcut in writing a great book. It is …

Read moreWriters Learn to Prepare
Category: Craft, Rejection, The Writing LifeTag: Creativity, Rejection, Writing Craft

November 22, 1963

By Dan Balowon November 22, 2023
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Today marks the sixtieth anniversary of the deaths of three well-known authors: US President John F. Kennedy (he wrote three books before becoming President), C.S. Lewis, and Aldous Huxley. JFK was 46 years old when he was assassinated. In the car driving through Dallas that day, Texas Governor John Connally’s wife turned around and said, “You certainly can’t say that the people of Dallas haven’t …

Read moreNovember 22, 1963
Category: Creativity, Encouragement, Inspiration

Story Structure Part #3 – Three Act Structure

By Lynette Easonon November 9, 2023
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Welcome back to our series on story structure. As I’ve said before, this is only one of many options to choose from when it comes to plotting your stories. In the last two posts, I covered the inciting incident and Plot Point 1. I left poor Oliver attacked outside the restaurant with a head wound and a warning to “let the dead stay dead.” Someone doesn’t want the skull reconstructed. Oliver’s …

Read moreStory Structure Part #3 – Three Act Structure
Category: Craft, Writing Craft

R Is for Reserve Against Returns

By Steve Laubeon November 6, 2023
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Every traditionally published author needs to understand the principle of “Reserves Against Returns,” which is an integral part of publishing economics. It can reduce the amount of money an author receives in their royalty statement. It is usually a shock and elicits a phone call to their agent crying, “What happened to my money?” Did you realize that book publishing is the …

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Category: Book Business, Publishing A-ZTag: Book Business, Contracts, Get Published, Money, Traditional Publishing

Story Structure Part #2 – Three Act Structure

By Lynette Easonon October 31, 2023
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Welcome back to the continuation of story structure. For this series, I’m using the Three Act Structure. However, there are other models you can use. Just because I’m using this one doesn’t mean none of the others won’t work as well. However, the three-act structure is a tried-and-true method for crafting a story and is utilized by screenwriters and novelists alike. So, here we are in Act 1. Act 1 …

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Category: Craft, Writing Craft

J Is for Just-in-Time

By Steve Laubeon October 30, 2023
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The economics of bookselling are complex and ever-changing. There is a method of inventory control called “Just-in-Time” (or JIT) that revolutionized both the retail and manufacturing industries. When I began as a bookseller, there was no such thing as computerized inventory, at least not in the Christian bookstore business. We used a method called “Stack ’em high and watch ’em fly.” Because “If …

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Category: Book Business, Marketing, Publishing A-ZTag: Book Business, Economics, Publishing A-Z, Technology

Develop Your Book’s Concept by Brain Dumping and Mind Mapping

By Megan Brownon October 26, 2023
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One of the first challenges many first-time authors face when it comes to beginning or completing a manuscript is getting their content clear and organized. Specifically, authors aren’t always able to clearly articulate their main idea–the thesis of their book–or illuminate the supporting evidence for their claim in the following chapters. Without taking the time to truly develop their …

Read moreDevelop Your Book’s Concept by Brain Dumping and Mind Mapping
Category: Creativity

Story Structure Part #1 – Be Wise When Crafting Your Fictional Foundation

By Lynette Easonon October 17, 2023
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When you were a child, did you sing that song about the wise man and the foolish man? The foolish man built his house on the sand, and the wise man build his on the rock. So when the rains came, the wise man’s house was still standing; but the foolish man’s house came tumbling down. It’s the same with story structure. If you build your story with a firm foundation, it will stand; but if the …

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Category: Writing Craft

Interrupting God

By Dan Balowon October 11, 2023
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I find it humorous when someone brings up a list of questions that they would like to ask God face-to-face when they get a chance. It is funny because the statement assumes that we would have a back-and-forth discussion, as we insert “Yeah, but what about …” between his responses to our questions. If there is a heavenly Q&A opportunity, if indeed we could manage to pick ourselves off the …

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Category: Craft, The Writing Life, Theology
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