They make up roadblocks in their head, never realizing that, in reality, they just need to sit down and write.

Remember that your first draft is about getting your story down on paper, not perfecting your prose. If you don’t know how to write about the complex emotions your protagonist is feeling, simply state that they’re angry/sad/afraid/hurt/et cetera. While these cut-and-dry descriptions aren’t ideal for a final novel, you’ll have plenty of time to infu

Don’t fret about writing four scenes or five thousand words—instead, your only goal is to write the Midpoint from start to finish.

your story’s Midpoint should always be on your mind, because you’ll need to use your characters’ goals to push them towards that next turning point. This is what separates engaging stories from dull ones—every scene has a purpose, and every goal leads to the next.

The Road Back: Depending on the story, your protagonist may need to journey back home

While you shouldn’t stress over scene structure too much when writing your first draft, understanding this basic chain of events is a great way to build further scenes using the ones you already have. Since every scene begins with one goal and ends with the next, you can create a seamless chain of events leading towards your Midpoint. This is the r

dealing with the intense emotions your cast will be feeling in this scene.

keep an eye out for any scenes that’ll be particularly difficult, such as your story’s conclusion—these scenes will naturally be longer and take you more time to write. Because of this, it may be worth writing fewer scenes on days when you plan to tackle these more challenging sections of your story. This way, you won’t feel pressured to rush. To c

From now on, however, you’ll need to rely on your outline much more heavily as we dive deeper into the core of your novel.