Leslye, your advice is spot on! Most writers muddle in the middle because they don't understand the external and internal pressures that create narrative drive. I work like you do--the beginning, then the end, then the middle. Then all the other middles--between the beginning and the middle, and between the middle and the end. Then the middles between those heart-clutchers/set pieces. I struggled with structure so much that I studied it until I had a model that made sense to me (I'm a visual thinker and needed to see it). Which shows just how OCD I can be. 🤣
I like how you purposefully deal with all the other middles, because you're right, there are several. And I had to study structure as well. Being in writing workshops for years never taught me structure, so I had to work on it for a long time to understand it.
Leslye, your advice is spot on! Most writers muddle in the middle because they don't understand the external and internal pressures that create narrative drive. I work like you do--the beginning, then the end, then the middle. Then all the other middles--between the beginning and the middle, and between the middle and the end. Then the middles between those heart-clutchers/set pieces. I struggled with structure so much that I studied it until I had a model that made sense to me (I'm a visual thinker and needed to see it). Which shows just how OCD I can be. 🤣
I like how you purposefully deal with all the other middles, because you're right, there are several. And I had to study structure as well. Being in writing workshops for years never taught me structure, so I had to work on it for a long time to understand it.