Chapter 12. Is Downward Dog the Worst Position?
THE THIRD AND FOURTH SEQUENCES
Central Question: How are you going to continue to ratchet up the stakes, tension, and action toward the midpoint of the story?
Third Sequence: The third sequence is where your investigation truly begins. Your protagonist has been drawn out of her usual life and can’t ignore the fact that someone in her orbit has been murdered. So, what’s a girl to do?
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:
How are you going to raise the stakes for your protagonist? (And it can’t just be killing someone else.)
What subplots are you going to employ to keep your murder from sagging?
Fourth Sequence: The fourth sequence ends with the midpoint. This is both literally the middle of your story AND a significant moment where something must occur to change the course of your protagonist’s life again.
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:
What twist will you throw in at the midpoint of your murder to keep the reader guessing and turning the pages?
Your subplots should also all be established at this point.
Final thought (for now): Put as much action on the page as possible.
Show, don’t tell.