These are notes from the LTUE conference. Any inaccuracies are the fault of the note taker.

Q: What should the middle of the novel be?
– It should be like the two towers. Helping to get to know the characters and getting to care about them so that the ending really hits. It’s setting up all the events that lead to the ending. You need action. Raising the stakes is when you ratchet things up. It has a big payoff in the end.
– The middle should be pretty rocky. Characters face problems and overcome obstacles. The middle is where you make the character suffer. It is when you try to increase the reader’s connection with the work. Raise the states. Do something disruptive to the plot.
Q: What can cause a novel to bog down? What traits can be looked at?
– Don’t solve all the problems in the half of the book and introduce a whole new set of problems.
– Make sure your issues are complicated enough that they can’t be solved. Romance too often has a contrived misunderstanding. A panelist had to go back in the beginning to add dangerous elements that will help later.
– Travel blogs in fantasy have to cut down the travel. Reading flashbacks can be annoying. Those can sometimes pull the reader out of the story.
– See if there is anything that confuses the reader.
– When a character is driving down a road doesn’t need to describe the trees or what they are listening to on the radio.
Q: If the author is an outliner or a Pantzer how does that influence middle?
– The series has to be outlined. You need to focus on the plot.
– Panzer: doing an outline though the plot went different directions. It helps you set up goals and delivers relevant data at the right time. You can define goals for different chapters.
– I know the end before I write.
– One does not outline until the middle. Things will bubble up of what to do and can be woven into the overarching plot.
– When seeing something not feel right. Go back and maybe change direction earlier. Worked on a book the author was starting to get bored. I went to an earlier section of the book to build up the tensions.
– On sagging middle: ask if the characters are not working or the lot is not working.
– Writer block or I’m getting bored. Usually means something missing.
– Outside triggers to address sagging middle:
– Altering the situation by unexpected theme, unexpected character trait, building on something that twists the plot in a different direction. In the book Holes you read about the curse in the middle of the book, on page 100 of 200 pg. book.
– External tools: For time travel inspiration, she would go to old cemeteries and or go to antique stores to get inspired time travel stories.
– In star trek, the alien Q would do the unexpected and twist the story. Insert a Q into your story, what would he do to the characters in your story? Think about what would Q do to your characters and that will definitely give you more plot. If you are so crazed about the sagging of a book, it is ok to take a step back. Take a month off and go back and start reading a story where you are more detached from your emotions and you can see the story with fresh eyes.
– A panelist did a study on self. I wanted to see how I could get my word count up. If the author walked 20 min it helped her word count goes up. Another panelist listens to soundtracks that spark ideas. He says a prayer to get help. Stop and clear your mind. Athletes will visualize what they will do before they play.
– Determine when you are most productive in your writing. Remove things that can divert your writing.
– One author gets up at 4 am to write before going to work. In the evening she is just tired.
– Ernest Hemingway: when you’re doing right, stops before you’re done (maybe at the start of a sentence), that way you know what you will write next. It can be bridged to jump-start you.
– Head’s up. an iPad on smartphones can be moved notes you make into an email and after that a document.
– Good examples of strong middles: two towers movie. Then you spend time with the characters.
– Holes is a strong plot
– 112263 by Steven king: Good examples of threads are woven together.
– king fountain series by Jeff wheeler.
Q: How different between sagging middle in a series?
– The middle has to be its own story. We need to have a subplot solved in the middle. Some of the items need to be addressed and need to be self-contained.
– Harry potter the world gets bigger and more dangerous in each book. And there is a bad guy in each book.
– If a book is not progressing in any meaningful way that is a sign of a sagging middle.
Q: What is writers’ block. How to determine when a plot or a character went wrong?
– Ask if the character would do a certain response at this point in the story.
– Some do book hooks at chapter ending.
– Physical danger
– Introduce a new character at the end of chapter
– Bad failure or bad news
– Opportunity to something
– Plot twist reveal
– Invitation letter or message
– Romantic kiss or gesture
– What’s behind the door?
– Jump and cheer moment
– An impossible or important decision
– Foreshadow of the future
– A sense of awe
– A character’s death
– Blow something up literally, or a relationships
– Your instincts have some idea when your story went off the rail. Your characters will fight you if you try to do something they are not ready to do.
– Yohantwist.com presenter’s website
– Book buddies called COMP (books that match yours) can help you remember the beat of your own writing.
Last advice:
– Remember that subplots are your friends
– If you can make it toe to end the second draft is the perfect chance fix
– Focuses on a subplot that might add more impact to your middle.