We’re discussing ACT 3 of a Suspense! Last week we broke apart the Black Moment. This week and next, we’re going to talk about the second part of the Black Moment…the inner journey element. The purpose of every story is the inner change of the POV characters. The external events are simply a catalyst to drive home the changes the characters need to make. At MBT, we call this the Lie Journey. As an overview, the premise of the Lie Journey is that every character has a lie they believe, based on something that happened in their past. This lie has determined their behavior and choices until the start of their journey. However, this journey is about breaking that lie and helping your character become a better person, or at […]
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How to set up and deliver the Suspense Black Moment.
Yesterday, we talked about the substance of the Black Moment and how to craft it, making it Personal, Plausible and it leads up to the Epiphany of the novel. But, how do you deliver such a Black Moment? First, you need to start with…The Hint… At the beginning of every great novel, or movie, there is a hint at what a character’s greatest fears might be. It can be something they experience and never want to repeat. It can be something a friend has gone through. It can be something they witness…but we need to see if (even if we don’t recognize it as the hint…although now you will!) Because it will give us that dark foreboding we need to make the fear seem…well, dark. One of my favorite hints […]
Read the RestAct 2: Uncovering the Secrets
Don’t you love uncovering a secret? Unlocking the truth, and seeing the light? So does your reader! And that’s the final key to a powerful Act 2. A powerful ACT 2 includes the growing relationship between the Hero and Heroine, the Unexpected Twists and Turns, dropping of Truth Tidbits and finally the uncovering Secrets. The secrets of the suspense plot are uncovered through the Act 2 scenes. You want each decision, each action to reveal more of the plot and cause the villain or element to up the stakes, to make it harder, to increase the pressure, to add more tension. Here’s a trick: Often when I plot, I start with the Antagonist, and his goals. I ask: What does the villain want? What choices does he have? […]
Read the RestAct 2: Adding in Unexpected Twists, Turns and Tests
Last week, we talked about the GUTS, or Act 2 of your novel, the first element being the Growing romance of the hero and heroine. However, this romance only happens through the next element: U- Unexpected Twists, Turns and Tests: During the GUTS portion of the story, the hero and heroine’s mettle will be tested – especially as it relates to their competence, that thing they do well. The point of the middle to cause them to grow as human beings through lessons, revelations, challenges and epiphanies. However, the middle is often where the tension sags – and that’s usually because we run out of the unexpected, and our motivation to keep going sags. The key to a powerful middle is using the peripheral plotting, and stakes […]
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