How to Plot Your Novel: Sequence 3 & 4
Where we start plotting the chunky middle of our novel.
If you’ve followed along so far, you’ve seen how to create the foundations of your book:
In case you just got here: thanks for joining! I’m Fleur Bradley, author of over a dozen books, and every Sunday I’m sharing how I brainstorm and plot a novel, from idea to a finished (and edited) draft. My goal is start writing a new manuscript in 2024.
Here’s what we’ve covered so far:
Floof thinks it’s a lot of work….
How to Plot Sequence 3 & 4
So we have a solid start to a book. A lot of the hard work is done, but then why is that most novels go off the rails in the middle?
The hard part about outlining and writing the middle is that you can’t force your way to the end of the story. You have to earn it.
There has to be a cause and effect to your plot, which is why there is no one-size-fits-all plot outline. But you can use sequences to guide you.
Sequence 3
Sequence 3 should build on what you’ve set up. Your characters are in the (new) world you’ve created. Your protagonist is trying to solve the problem you’ve created. They’re making new friends, gaining new allies and knowledge. You’re already setting them up for the final battle in sequence 6.
But first, we have to earn it.
Start this sequence by building your new world. Increase the conflict. By the end of sequence 3, your protagonist should think they have a good solution to the problem. It’s not the right one, but it should make sense to your protagonist. Meanwhile, your antagonist is sputtering too. You’ll want to hint at the ‘battle’ (whatever shape this will take) in the end.
See how vague this is? Frustrating, I know. It helps to know what genre you’re writing to guide you.
Let’s look at some examples:
In Midnight at the Barclay Hotel, JJ, Penny, and Emma start investigating the motive of the suspects in Mr. Barclay Murder. This is a very straightforward approach to the third sequence, since this is a mystery. The challenge is to have the interviewing of suspects feel natural in the plot.
In any romance (particularly on TV), we’ll start seeing the protagonist flourish a little. Maybe there’s a makeover…! I’m thinking of Miss Congeniality here.
If you’re writing a literary novel, your character will be challenged and kicked out of their comfort zone.
In fantasy novel, you start introducing the new world, the rules of that world, and the supporting cast. Try to have stuff happening while you do this, so you don’t bore the reader.
Your plot is like a shark: it has to relentlessly move forward, or it dies. Your reader will abandon your story (which we don’t want, of course).
Think of using a plot point at the end of this sequence that you’re working towards, like a stop on the road trip that is your novel.
Sequence 4
As readers, we feel the storm coming. Your protagonist thinks they’re going in the right direction with their conflict resolution, but they’re wrong. (*insert evil writer laugh)
The important part about sequence 4 is that you’re building tension and turning up the heat. Sequence 4 should build on sequence 3, which is why there’s no one-size-fits-all plotting system. During sequence 4, we want to see your plot get more complicated, and for all of us to generally feel like stuff’s about to hit the fan. Again, we want a beginning, middle, and end (with cliffhanger). You can either work towards a plot point or the midpoint of your novel.
The Midpoint
Let’s get to this elusive midpoint I’ve been talking about… Basically, the midpoint is exactly what the name implies. This plot point is essentially a tentpole, holding your story up.
The midpoint is usually a reversal, a heightening of the stages, or a redirect for your protagonist. If this sounds vague, it’s a good thing: you can decide what direction you want your plot to take.
How this works in practice:
In thrillers this moment is often a heightening of the stakes. For example, in my spy-thriller for kids Double Vision, protagonist and spy-in-training Linc Baker realizes that the Mona Lisa with dangerous powers that he’s trying to find isn’t just dangerous to the city of Paris, it could hurt the whole world if it falls into the wrong hands.
In mysteries, the midpoint often a redirect in the investigation. Something is heightening the stakes (maybe our antagonist has killed before!), or changing the way your protagonist investigates the case.
Maybe your suspect isn’t male, as the evidence suggested, but female. Maybe the investigation points to multiple suspects.
Maybe your protagonist becomes a suspect. This is an old trick, but it still works if you approach it in a fresh way.
If yours is a more character-driven story, you can use this as a turning point. Maybe your character does or thinks something that us readers would never expect them to do at the beginning of the book. The Accidental Tourist is a great example of a changing character.
Look at this midpoint as the eye of the storm. Take a beat to sum up the investigation or have your protagonist do some reflection.
Note from Fleur: often, the reason writers have trouble with this middle part of the manuscript is because they haven’t clearly defined their midpoint.
Take the time and you’ll thank yourself when you’re writing the first draft and editing down the line.
In summary:
Sequence 3 and 4 are a heightening of conflict, with Sequence 3 being the lighter-feeling part, and Sequence 4 the escalation of complication.
The midpoint is an important moment in your manuscript that drives the train as we go into part 5 and 6.
I’m knee-deep in plotting my historical novel for kids. My protagonist is about to hide a mysterious Jewish girl who is slated to be deported in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam…
What are you working on? Are you looking at 2024 to write a new novel too…?