Halfway through our stories, something marvelous happens. There
we are, minding our own business, toiling along in the seemingly endless desert
of the second act, when—whap! bang! shazam!—everything
changes all over again. Legendary director Sam Peckinpah talked about how he
always looked for a “centerpiece” on which to “hang” his story. That centerpiece
is your second major plot point, the midpoint, which divides your second act.
The midpoint is what keeps your second act from dragging.
It’s what caps the reactions in the
first half of the book and sets up the chain of actions that will lead the characters into the climax. In many ways, the midpoint is like a second inciting event. Like the first inciting event,
it directly influences the plot. It changes the paradigm of the story. And it
requires a definitive and story-altering response from the characters. The
largest difference is that the character’s response is no longer just a
reaction, but the moment at which he begins to definitively take charge of the
story and act out against the
antagonistic force.
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| Image by emedeme |
What is the midpoint?
If we return to our visualization of a story as a line of
dominoes, we can envision the midpoint as a turn in the domino design. The
line of reactions from the first half of the second act finally whacks into that
domino at the turn—and begins a whole new line of falling dominos. This is a big
moment in the story, a major scene, one that is the logical outcome of the
previous scenes, but also one that is dramatically new and different from
anything that has come before. It could be the capture of the main characters, as
in Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher.
It could be a battle, as in The Magnificent Seven directed by John Sturges. Or it could be the death of an
important character, as in Dragon Seed
by Pearl S. Buck. It might even be something slightly less dramatic, such as
the close call and subsequent rescue of a main character stranded in the
mountains during a storm, as in Kristen Heitzmann’s Indivisible, or a daring speech, as in I.Q. directed by Fred Schepisi.
Whatever your choice of events, the midpoint is yet another
moment in the story that changes the direction of the characters. This is the
moment that will push them out of their reflexive reactions. From here on, if
they’re to survive (spiritually or physically—or both), they’re going to have to
stop defending themselves and go on the attack. This series of actions (which we’ll discuss more fully
in the next post) won’t always be a dramatic storming of the enemy’s castle walls. Sometimes, it can just be a figurative squaring
of the shoulders and a first step toward the decision not to take “it”
(whatever “it” may be in your story) anymore.
Where does the midpoint belong?
Not surprisingly, we find the midpoint (*drumroll please*)
at the middle of the story. Your
midpoint should take place roughly around the 50% mark. Why, you ask? Right
away, we can see several important reasons for this placement.
1. As the smack-in-the-middle scene in your story, this is
your centerpiece. If it happens too far in either direction, it’s not a centerpiece. (If you figured this one out ahead of time, go ahead and pat yourself on the back.)
2. As with the first major plot point at the 25% mark, a
second major plot point at the 50% mark is very much an instinctive placement.
Readers (and writers) have an internal sense for when something big is supposed
to happen in a story. If some new and interesting development isn’t changing
things up every quarter of the book, we feel the drag and get antsy.
3. Your story requires the full first half of the book to develop
the character, his dilemma, and his internal weaknesses. It needs the second
half of the book to resolve all the problems set up in the first half. The
midpoint marks the turning point (the swivel, of sorts) between these two parts
of the story. Placed too far to either side of the 50% mark, the midpoint will cut off
important developments in one half of the story or the other.
Examples from film and literature
So what do our master authors and directors have to say at
the midpoint of their stories? Let’s take a look at how the midpoint can be
effectively used in a variety of ways.
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813): Austen makes
readers sit up straight by hitting them with a humdinger of a midpoint. Not
only does she give us an unexpected (or is it?) proposal from Mr. Darcy to
Lizzy, she also smacks it out of the park by having Lizzy turn him down flat
and cast in his face everything she hates about him. Up to now, the
relationship between Lizzy and Darcy has been nebulous. Now, everything is out
in the open, and both characters have ended their period of reaction with a set
of strong actions that will force them to reevaluate both themselves and each
other.
It’s a Wonderful Life directed by Frank Capra (1947): George
Bailey’s period of reaction ends when Mr. Potter summons him to his office and
offers him a job. This entirely unexpected and unprecedented move on the antagonist’s
part sends George’s head spinning with the possibilities. Suddenly, the life he’s
always dreamed of is within his grasp. He’s within seconds of accepting the
offer, when he comes to a realization that changes his life just as surely as
Mr. Potter’s job offer would have. This is the moment when he stops reacting to
his fate in Bedford Falls and deliberately (if still unhappily) embraces it.
When George leaves Potter’s office, he’s the one in control of his life for the
first time in the story.
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (1977): Ender’s apprenticeship
in Salamander Army ends abruptly when he is given command of his own Battle
School army. This dramatic change in the character’s circumstances would have
been enough, by itself, to create a solid midpoint. But Card takes it one step further and complicates the character’s plight by giving him, not the standard
army, but a group of the worst students in Battle School. This brand new army—Dragon
Army—is created especially to test Ender. If he’s going to survive, he has to
stop reacting to the pressures put on him by others and go on the offensive.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World directed by Peter
Weir (2004): After losing the Acheron
as a result of the lethal accident at Cape Horn, Jack has no choice but to spend the
rest of the first half of the second act reacting. But when the Surprise rescues a group of marooned whalers
whose ship was sunk by the Acheron,
everything changes. Jack immediately goes on the offensive and begins plotting
ways to track down and capture the Acheron
before she can again disappear.
Takeaway Value
So what have we learned about the midpoint? What are the
must-have elements that will lift this crucial centerpiece into memorability
and allow it to drive the rest of the story onward to the climax?
1. The midpoint should take place right around the 50% mark,
both to properly highlight it and to allow it to separate the reaction and
action periods.
2. The midpoint should be dramatic in a way that is new and
fresh. What happens at the midpoint should be a natural outflow of the previous
scenes, but it should be different from anything that has come before.
3. The midpoint must act as a personal catalyst upon the
main character. It must force him to change his modus operandi. After this, simply reacting won’t be good enough.
Like the first major plot point, the midpoint is one of the most
exciting moments in any story. Don’t settle for anything drab. Plan yours
carefully, so you can dazzle readers with the kind of scene they’ll carry with
them for the rest of their lives.
Stay tuned: Next week, we’ll talk about the Second Half of the Second Act.
Tell me your opinion: Does something dramatic happen at your story’s midpoint?
Related Posts: The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 1: Why Should Authors Care?
The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 2: The Hook
The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 3: The First Act
The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 4: The First Plot Point
The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 5: The Inciting Event and the Key Event
The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 6: The First Half of the Second Act
Tell me your opinion: Does something dramatic happen at your story’s midpoint?
Related Posts: The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 1: Why Should Authors Care?
The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 2: The Hook
The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 3: The First Act
The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 4: The First Plot Point
The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 5: The Inciting Event and the Key Event
The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 6: The First Half of the Second Act
_________________
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Story by K.M. Weiland
Tags: Feature , middles , midpoint , plot points , second act , second plot point , secrets of story structure , story structure , SYN
Thank you for this fantastic post. You wrote exactly what I needed at exactly the right time. Your percentages and examples drove home what others had hinted at.
Awesome post. I haven't gotten that far in my story yet, but yes, it'll have a midpoint reversal.
@Kittie: Glad the post's timing was good! Thanks for stopping by.
@Natalie: Those midpoint reversals are always fun to plan. Everything changes all over again - and the story gets *really* exciting!
Thank you! This was very helpful and sparked some ideas. :D Which is always a good thing, right? ;) I'm almost exactly halfway through my action/suspense-with-a-hint-of-romance book, so I was delighted to read this article.
Methinks I'm going to have the two main characters betrayed, one of them saving the other and getting shot in the process. Sound good? :D
Following your blog now... :D
Blessings!
Julia
Sounds perfect! Nothing shakes things up more than an upheaval in character relationships - and a betrayal requires at least one of the characters to completely rethink things. Thanks for stopping by!
K.M.;
I have been following your story structure posts with great interest. I am (endlessly) revising my first novel and your posts are helping me to see things a little more clearly. I _do_ have structure! I'm finding nearly ewverything you've written about so far, but in the process of identifying these elements, I have been able to feel out the intrinsic weaknesses and look for opportunities to make the whole better.
With regard to the Mid-point of my novel (epic fantasy), my protagonist, having nearly died as a result of the last plot point, discovers, as she tries to put her life and self back together, that her problems are only part of a more devastating scheme. The war that destroyed her home has a goal that threatens to end the world as she knows it. She has to stop being a victim and figure out how to prevent the sourceror Kane from releasing the mad god Yllel from his prison.
I did say epic ... yes? LOL
I'm working with an on-line critique group in Author Salon, and have shared your blog with them. I've subscribed. I've become a huge fan. Thank you so much!
I even blogged about your series (in curation mode): http://melaniemarttila.ca/2012/03/29/two-approaches-to-novel-structure-i-recommend-you-check-out/
Just finding my blogging feet so I hope it passes muster.
Again, thank you for helping me to re-envision my novel. It's been a long road.
Melanie Marttila
Thanks so much for sharing the blog with your group and your blog readers! I appreciate that very much. I'm so glad you're enjoying the series. I love epic fiction if for no other reason (and there are many!) than the fact that it's plot points have the opportunity to be so dramatically pronounced. In quieter stories, the plot points tend to be correspondingly quieter, to the point that we sometimes have to do a little hunting to realize what they are. But the big, dramatic stories are always super obvious.
Thanks for the mention, Katie - and you give wonderful examples here. I love that Sam Peckinpah quote about hanging the entire story on the midpoint - in fact I was ambling back to the house today with thoughts of a new WIP and thinking that very same thought. If you know the midpoint, it makes so much about your story clear to you.
You bet! This, of course, is yet another reason to outline, At the very least, if we know our major plot points, we'll have a feel for the overall arc of the story.
Thanks for the mention, Katie - and you give wonderful examples here. I love that Sam Peckinpah quote about hanging the entire story on the midpoint - in fact I was ambling back to the house today with thoughts of a new WIP and thinking that very same thought. If you know the midpoint, it makes so much about your story clear to you.
Thanks for sending me here. I am so myopic, I don't usually think this clearly or this structurally. In fact, I blogged today about how distracted I get sometimes by certain details in novels . . .
Thanks again!
Writing a novel is hugely distracting. We have so many things we have to think about and keep track of at once. Really, it's a miracle any novel makes sense! But structure is one of the best and most important ways in which we can keep track of everything that needs our attention.
Thank you! I have a dramatic midpoint scene but I think I was ruining it by delaying my character's response. If I use the midpoint to go from reaction to action like you explained, I think it will work a lot better.
Don't you find it amazing how the slightest of tweaks can sometimes make all the difference? Never ceases to fascinate me.
I can't wait to see the rest of this series. I only just came across it today and it has come at a point when I really needed it. Not only has it helped identify where I need to put certain vital scenes to ensure their impact but it has helped me realise that my outline needs rejigging to accomodate all the pacing in between and build up to each milestone in my book. Thank you!
Outlines make the concept of structure so much easier. When you're in the heat and rush of writing the actual story, it can be difficult to see the big picture. But in an outline, everything is so much more streamlined that it's much easier to get a grip on what the major plot points need to be.
What a great post. You certainly have a knack for saying a lot with few words. I love this one:
Characters stop defending themselves and go on the attack.
I placed it in my structure template as a reminder whenever I start a new idea. When this first clicked in my head, the second act was A LOT easier to deal with, but I still need a reminder:) I can't stress how much outlining has helped me as well. Seeing the big picture – and knowing my story works before I start writing it – make the writing process easier for me.
For whatever reason, second acts tend to get the short end of the stick in writing how-to - which is ironic, since they compose the largest section of the story. Once we start breaking them down, though, they're really pretty easy to understand.
This is really helpful! Sometimes it's nice to step back from my particular WIP and think about the structure of a story as a whole. It's a good reality check :) Thank you!
Writing is very much a balance between being "in the flow" and stepping back and evaluating. We have to combine the art with the craft - and structure is an inherent part of that. Thanks for stopping by!
Definitely in my mystery. The antagonists finally catch up to my MC and attack her.
I'm still working on my other projects and getting them to fall in line.
This has been a great series thus far. Out of the ballpark! :)
Nasty attack by bad guys (and, if I remember correctly, it was *really* nasty!) is exactly the sort of memorable midpoint we're looking for. Anything that's a game changer works perfectly.
When will the 'Second Half of the Second Act' article be available?
Great blog, I'm utilizing all your wonderful articles for my novel, my first one. I'm still in the research phase, as I know nothing about writing novels, your blog has been very helpful in this endeavor.
Writing a Steampunk novel. Working title: The SteamSphere Wars
So glad you're enjoying the blog. The next part of this series will be on Sunday, April 15th.
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