Meg Chittenden Waves
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The Middle

In the middle of the novel the plot should develop, the characters should act and react. The law of cause and effect should govern what happens. Try not to think "and then what?" or "what next?" Instead, think "what would happen because of this?" and "what would be the direct result of that?"

While you are plotting the middle of your novel, think action. As you move forward in your plotting and characterization, ask yourself every once in a while, "What is happening here?"

You don't want a novel filled with people's thoughts. Not for a commercial novel, anyway. Include action scenes whenever you can. This doesn't mean you have to have car chases and fist-fights all the time. But something should be happening. Even when your characters have to do some thinking, you can have them do it while they are working on something, or talking to one another. Don't let them just sit around thinking. At least not for more than a few paragraphs.