Plot Ideas to Write through the Middle: How to Advance the Thematic Significance throughout the Middle and Create Tension

Middle slowing you down?

A Twitter friend refers to the theme bubble exercise I use in The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories as theme clouds, a term I prefer ever so much better. (NOTE: I wish my publisher would change all theme bubble references - never did much like bubbles anyway - in both The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories and The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master.)

You've filled in scene clouds, perhaps all of them including the big one in the middle with your thematic significance statement or perhaps that cloud is empty as you continue to explore (experiment with ideas - use pencil).

Say your story deals with taking risks for the one you love. You introduce the concepts of both love and of risk-taking in the beginning.

Ideas for the Middle:
Use the middle as the place to deepen the reader's understanding of risk-taking and love in all the various forms you wish to portray of your theme.

Show us a character(s) who embodies the opposite -- too safe. Reveal the positive effects of caution in a relationship(s) thereby seemingly to disprove the theme. Interacting with someone who challenges his belief system creates tension in your protagonist who believes risk-taking is necessary to seize the one you desire.

Let us see what safety and caution in dating looks and feels like. Let us feel his emotion - not told about how he feels. Shown how his confusion, doubt, uncertainty shows itself through him, his actions, dialogue, attitude, posture, habits.

Characters who embody the ideal reveal a unexpected shadow-side the protagonist has failed to consider thereby seemingly to disprove the theme. Again, tension is created in scene as the protagonist's belief system is challenged.

The middle of any story is the place to deepen the readers understanding of all aspects of all plot lines through creating conflicts and challenges for your protagonist as she suffers the trickery of antagonists in their exotic world while also moving steadily, or so she hopes, toward her goal.

For tips how to plot and revise your novel, watch the free Video #1 of PlotWriMo: Revise Your Novel in a Month

2 Plot Tips How to Tie Character Motivation to Theme

The better you are at creating tension through the use of antagonists in the middle of your story, your grasp of the true measure of your character's motivation becomes paramount. To believe she'd keep going forward even in the face of all the adversity you've created for her, your readers have to believe her motivation is strong enough to sustain her even during the darkest times.

Often, the motivation you set up for your character as you begin writing your novel, at the end of the draft you find isn't strong enough to justify her commitment through such a challenging journey. Sure, what you first envisioned is enough to get her moving, to cause her to act, to initiate change and guide her forward. As you dig for more a more substantial, more universal and emotionally connective motivation, you feel urged to think expansively and dramatically. Rather:

Tip #1:
Look at the other side of the character as a potential place to dig -- you created an external motivation for her to start with? Now consider what reward arises internally from within the protagonist to persist? You started with an internal motivation? What external motivations outside of the character pull her up when she falls? Is money, prestige, honor, revenge, social recognition, praise forcing your character ever forward? What is her reason for acting the way she does?

As you brainstorm ideas, you find yourself dismissing one and then another, always with the belief the next one will be better. Rather than jump from one idea to another:

Tip #2:
Sit with the ideas that come to you and consider each one in relationship to the prevalent themes of your story and if you have one, your thematic significance statement. Themes that start in the beginning and continue to the end of the story -- start there. How does her motivation tie into the themes your story explores? How can you more closely tie her motivation to your story themes, always coming back to meaning what? ...and explaining why?

Today I write!
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Need more help with your story? 

• Ready for a massive rewrite? Re-vision first!
• Confused about what you're really trying to convey in your story?
• Lots of action, no character development? Lots of character development and no action?
• Looking for tips to prop up your middle with excitement? 
• Wish you understood how to show don't tell what your character is feeling? 
• Are even you sometimes bored with your own story?
• Long to form your concept into words? 

We can help you with all of that and so much more! View your story in an entirely new light. Recharge your energy and enthusiasm for your writing.

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For more: Read my Plot Whisperer and Blockbuster Plots books for writers.

Thematic Significance of Stories

First, he writes a rough draft of what sounds like an exciting middle grade novel filled with external dramatic action, likable characters, rich historical events and meaning.

Next, he's slogs through a re"vision" process that includes re-plotting his story after attending a plot workshop with me, reading The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master and The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories and, before pulling the entire story together in one massive rewrite, he signs up for a plot consultation.

He sends me his first stab at a thematic significance statement for his story. I recommend he pin the statement on the wall where he'll see it, write it on the bathroom mirror, whatever. Every time he works on his rewrite, he'll consider the statement and revise as he sees fit. By the end of the entire rewrite, the exact thematic significance statement will have emerged.

As he rewrites and evaluates his statement, I encourage him to ask himself if the general themes are reflected throughout the story. For instance: if the need for telling the truth is needed for the protagonist to prevail at the end and included in his thematic significance statement, ask himself if that is spot on. Is it telling the truth or is it something else, deeper perhaps that she must learn?

Look throughout the story for instances or references to the themes you mention in the overall thematic significance statement. Your story isn't so much about digging deep so perhaps that isn't a true fit. Your story doesn't reflect the idea of digging deep as much as letting go, taking the plunge?

Keep exploring themes in a similar way. What other themes do you find in your story. Do any of those belong in your statement? What about forgiveness? Whatever you add or subtract to the statement needs to be reflected throughout the story.

I don't want him to perfect his themes now. Rather, I want him to organize his notes and then rewrite the story from beginning to end. He's more than ready. He knows his story and characters and setting and plot. As he writes, themes will emerge and he'll acknowledge and further incorporate them. I encourage him to challenge himself to complete the rewrite on a specific date. Then work backwards to determine how many pages he intend to write daily to accomplish his goal / challenge.

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Knowing what to write where in a story with a plot allows for a more loving relationship with your writing. Whether writing a first draft or revising, if you falter wondering what comes next in a story with a plot, follow the prompts inThe Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts: Easy Exercises to Get You Writing

Today, I write.

To familiarize yourself with the basic plot terms used here and in the PW Book of Prompts:

1) Watch the plot playlists on the Plot Whisperer Youtube channel.
2) Read The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master
3) Fill out the exercises inThe Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories
4) Visit:
Blockbuster Plots for Writers
Plot Whisperer on Facebook
Plot Whisperer on Twitter

Theme as a Touchstone for Writers

A definition of touchstone on thefreedictionary.com says: an excellent quality or example that is used to test the excellence or genuineness of others.

A thematic significance statement becomes a sort of touchstone for writers. A statement that best represents your entire story shines as an excellent example to test the excellence of each scene in relationship to the whole. 

Theme Exercise:

1) Write a thematic significance statement you believe best represents the deeper meaning of your story.

2) Ask yourself:

• How does the thematic statement apply to the protagonist's internal and external plot? 
• How does it apply to the antagonist? 
• What about to the romance plot? 

3) Arrange the different themes and ideas that seem the truest to your story into ten thematic statements (use words you often say when attempting to convey to others what your story is really all about). 

4) Hone the ten statements down to one that incorporates all the major elements and feels like the truest and best representation of your entire story.

5) Write that statement where you will see it every time you write. Use the thematic significance statement as your touchstone and a continual reminder of the focus of your story. Let the thematic significance statement help guide you.

For more about the importance of theme in stories and for more help and examples and exercises to develop a thematic significance statement of your story, see "More Plot Tips" below.

Coming Soon!
The Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts: Easy Exercises to Get You Writing is available for pre-order now. Ships 12/12.

More Plot Tips: 

1) Plot your story step-by-step with the help of The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories 

2) Read The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master

3) Watch the Plot Series: How Do I Plot a Novel, Memoir, Screenplay? on YouTube. Scroll down on the left of this post for a directory of all the steps to the series. 27-step tutorial on Youtube

4) Watch the Monday Morning Plot Book Group Series on YouTube. Scroll down on the right of this post for a directory the book examples and plot elements discussed.

For additional tips and information about the Universal Story and plotting a novel, memoir or screenplay, visit:
Blockbuster Plots for Writers
Plot Whisperer on Facebook
Plot Whisperer on Twitter