To Middle (To Write or Not To Write, #1)

Today I will have a few tips on writing a middle. I was inspired by Liv (who suggested this post) and Cora, who started the blog tag To Write or Not to Write and nominated me. To find out more about that, go here.

I’m calling this the first, as it is the first on Reveries, and I have no idea what number to use. Anyway, time for the tips.

Some things I’ve learned about writing the middle of a novel …

Don’t drag it out too much. Build suspense and tension, but don’t bring the reader to dozens upon dozens of false climaxes! Remember, your novel doesn’t have to be War and Peace! It can be short; it can always be short. I can’t stress this enough. A novel can be as short as 40,000 words before you move it down to novella status, unless if it’s a children’s book. I’d say middle-grade fiction doesn’t necessarily have to be more than 30K.
Don’t timeskip without accounting for the time in-between. (Yep … my mom made me add that one in …) If nothing exciting or important is going to happen for a couple months, you don’t have to describe every day in detail. However, you don’t want to let anything important (like, at all!) happen in that time. That’s right! I’m talking to you, Henry James! Since when is Pansy grown-up enough to have suitors? Why don’t we have Isobel’s POV anymore? WHY!? And why is she so different? I LIKE THE OLD ISOBEL EVEN IF SHE WAS AN IDIOT!!!
Remember to build up … and up … and up … There’s a reason the middle is called ‘rising action.’ Everything – everything, I tell you! – is aimed at the climax! If it doesn’t point towards the climax in some way, say good-bye to it. It ain’t goin’ in.

And … that’s all I have to say.

What?! These are supposed to be short posts. Besides, I’m beta-reading for a friend today. I have a lot of beta-reading to do. And reviewing. And … watching Studio C.