In this video, I’ll share three thought-provoking questions that, when combined with the 8 tips I’ve previously shared on fixing saggy middles, will put you back in the driver’s seat of your story and breathe life into stories in any genre. Whether you craft tales of mystery, adventure or any genre your heart desires, these strategies are universal.
Hello, Jane Cleland here. I’ve been doing a series of these YouTube shorties on saggy middles, how to tell if you have one, um, the difference between a leisurely pace and a sag, how to combine them, the idea that there’s no one best approach, and then eight specific tactics. Now, I want to give you three questions that will help you think it through. Remember, there’s not ever just one approach. You need to experiment. You need to think about your particular story in the context of your genre for your target readers.
Question number one: What’s the absolute worst thing that could happen to your protagonist? Do it. What’s the one thing that would make your protagonist give up? Do it. Is someone guarding a secret that if revealed ruins everything? Reveal it. Food for thought, right?
If you want to know more details about this thinking process, the webinar on this topic, “Plotting Perfection: Overcoming Saggy Middles with Ever Escalating Conflict,” is available for rent on my website. And I’d love to hear your thoughts. What have you done to really ratchet up the stakes? Put them in the comment section. I’d love to hear.
And if this YouTube short had value, would you like it? Would you share it? Would you subscribe to the channel that opens up features that let these videos become even more valuable for you? Thank you.
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