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Plot Fixes for the Muddle in the Middle
A few days ago, I wrote about the dreaded muddle in the middle, otherwise known as the seemingly impossible second act, that many writers encounter when they reach that point in their book. I suggested some ways to dig yourself out of the muddle through work habits.
You can read that article here.
Today I want to talk about plot and structure fixes that might give you a lifeline out.
Three-Act Structure
The way we think about traditional plot structure most often follows the three-act screenplay model. I know you know this, but nevertheless, let’s review.
Screenwriters aim for their scripts to be 120 pages long, because each page of a script equals a minute of movie time, and most movies are 120 minutes long, at least for conceptualizing purposes.
Dividing those 120 pages into three acts we get:
— A first act of 30 pages (30 minutes screen time)
— A second act of 60 pages (60 minutes screen time)
