Sagging Middles?

Where the middle of a book is something to be slogged through just to get to the end and find out whether it was worth it.

It happens when you're reading, which is bad enough. When you're slogging through the middle of your own WIP thinking *argh, I'll never finish this stupid thing, it's trite, it's twee, it's all turned to a big pile of poo!* It's worse. And probably the main reason many people start writing books and don't finish them.

Sagging Middles wouldn't be so much of an issue if writers quit trying to beef up their word counts to make their books thick enough looking. Many, many novels would read 10x's better as novellas, though of course that would result in their raking in less loot. So writers continue to crank out their prozzzzze.

It is my opinion that a LOT of novels have sagging middles. We all have great ideas about how to start our story with a bang, and ending it too, offers the same chance to get in a big bang.
To me, you know that you're NOT reading a sagging middle when you start checking how many pages are left in the story because you want it to go on longer.

You can't have a saggy middle til you have an end though.

You can always fix it in the edit. Get it done first, then get it right.

Read Beginnings, Middles & Ends by Nancy Kress

Any more questions, read the book again.

Try this article: http://www.fictionfactor.com/guests/middles.html Vicki Hinze, the author, is a romantic suspense/thriller novelist.

Thought this thread was about something else.

Carry on.

How to prevent a sagging middle?

Keep things happening!

In the very beginning you (should have) set up a situation - a problem -that needs to be answered/resolved. You (should have) included the right details that cause the reader to "identify" (become interested in) with the character(s) and what they will do in the situation. The question in the reader's mind is "OMG what will happen to them?" Make the reader care!

Your characters must have goals. Doesn't matter what they are, but you must make your people care passionately about them. If they are flacid or indifferent, the reader will react similarly.

The book is written by setting up situation/problem after situation/ problem as your characters pursue their goals and meet obstacles. Make them care about each one, and the reader will care, too.

The answer is emotion, the way all people connect.

You're welcome.

I like how you worded that, Rowdymama.

Thank you, Dana, you handsome devil. That is you in the avatar?

LOL! He's HOT, isn't he?!

No, that is William L. Petersen in my avatar.

He plays Gil Grissom on CSI: Las Vegas on CBS.

Isn't he GORGEOUS?!



LOL!



Here's another great picture of him:

What do you mean "allowed"?

No it's not, unless the men are waaay hotter.