Much of what a writer does when crafting a story is based on instinct, weaving in the rise and fall of action. The same can be said about a developmental editor. Every story is different, so there is no strict formula that can be applied.
Tools like the traditional 3-act structure are only diagnostic tools, designed to help us understand why something might not be working.
In the first post of this 3-Act Structure series, we introduced the importance of this structure as a whole, and began breaking it down. We looked at the first act (The Setup) and the first point of No-Return. Today, let's get into the nitty-gritty of Act 2.
The Traditional 3-Act Structure (Copyright © 2019 Judy L Mohr)
Before we get too carried away, if you haven't read the first part of this 3-Act Structure series, please do.
Act 2 (The Problem Solving) — The Middle 50% of Story
Act 2 is where the bulk of your story will occur. Within the traditional 3-act structure, it takes place from the 25% mark through to the 75% mark, or thereabouts. This act is all about trying to solve the problems that keep getting in the way of the protagonist achieving their goals, but it is so much more than that.
During the second act, the main character will experience multiple transitions points, and the true nature of the antagonistic force will be defined. For longer stories, a secondary plot thread will be thrown into the mix to add a whole new level of complexity. The protagonist shift from reacting to what is going on around them to taking an active stance. Because of the complex nature of act 2, many models will divide this act into two sections, sometimes even more.
For the purposes of this discussion, we're going to keep act 2 as a single act, sticking to the traditional 3-act structure. So, let's get to it and break this baby down.
Act 2 First Half — The Fun & Games
Shortly after the first point of No-Return, the true nature of the problems that stand in the protagonist's way will start to show their ugly heads. The protagonist will react to each situation in turn as they try to piece it all together. Meanwhile, the tension of the story will progressively increase.
The first half of act 2 is commonly known as the fun & games, because there is this back and forth interplay between the protagonist and the antagonist. In a way, it will feel like a "you win some and you lose some" situation. The characters will continue to react to what is going on around them, until they don't.
The Midpoint — 50% the way through
The midpoint of the story is easily calculated by the 50% mark. However, the midpoint, like the first point of No-Return, marks a turning point within the manuscript. At the midpoint, the protagonist shifts from being reactive to being proactive. The stakes are raised and the fun & games are over.
Within some models, the midpoint is also known as the mirror moment, where the protagonist is forced to face their own demons and admit to themselves what is standing in their way. It's a point where the focus of the character shifts from what they want to achieve to what they need to achieve. It's at this point where the protagonist will attempt to go on the offensive, succeeding for a while.
At the midpoint, the entire nature of the story does shift. The reader knows everything that the need to know about the core elements to the world building, and from this point forward, the story is focused on the protagonists trying to find a new status quo. However, it is also at this point where the antagonist becomes stronger and starts to really exert their influence on the world around them.
The struggles that the protagonist faces after the midpoint have a more profound effect on their character and outlook. During the second half of act 2, it will be what is known as the B-story that will drive the plot forward.
The A-Story and B-Story
For longer stories, early in first half of act 2 will be the introduction of secondary plots that drive the protagonist's actions. If the main plot introduced in the first act was to be called the A-story, then the secondary plot introduced in act 2 would be the B-story. The A-story and B-story should never be at total odds with one another, but they will interact with one another on the main character level, with one driving the internal character plot and the other driving the external plot.
For a thriller, the A-story is typically some protagonist fighting against the external bad guy. In the man-vs-nature stories, it will be the hero trying to save the day against some natural disaster. For the crime story, it'll be the detective sleuth that needs bring down the criminal. And don't forget the espionage stories that are fighting against the institution and their corrupt morals.
For those action-driven A-stories, the B-story needs to be an internally driven story. This is often a love story, but not always.
In Jurassic Park (both the novel by Michael Crichton and the movie), the A-story is this survival story where Dr. Grant and his companions need to survive in a wildlife reserve filled with man-eating dinosaurs (with the velociraptors being the main antagonists). However, the B-story centers around Dr. Grant's hatred of children and how he is forced to care for these two children while they do what they can to survive.
For romance stories, the A-story will be the romance itself. Each of the characters involved will have internal problems and hangups that will clash in an interesting way, driving the story through internal conflicts. The B-story might be the fact that one of the characters wants to save the local community center where the other main character wants to tear it down. (Refer to the movie Two Weeks Notice with Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant.)
Whether your main A-story is driven by external or internal factors, the B-story will be the opposite.
Within the first act, the introduction of the A-story will center around what the main character wants. However, during the second half of act 2, there is a shift, driven by the B-story, to what the main character needs. The A-story and the B-story will crossover and intersect at various times during act 2. However, towards the end of act 2, there will be a moment when the A-story and the B-story collide, leaving the main character to question everything that they have been doing.
This collision of plot lines leads the story into all-is-lost moment, which we will discuss in detail in the next post. (Sorry, guys, you'll just have to way.)
In the next post, we're going to talk about the all-is-lost moment in detail, discussing how this point in the manuscript drives the transition into act 3. We'll also discuss what some of the reader expectations are associated with act 3 and the conclusion of our stories.