Creative Writing - World Building

[DonnyZeDoof]

I know how to write a strong beginning.

I know how to write a strong ending.

But I have so much difficulty writing everything in between. How do you write everything in between the beginning and ending?

[Hawki]

Eh, plan it out. That's what I usually do. Up until recently I've erred more to the planning than plotting end of the spectrum. Knowing the plot makes the writing of it easier.

[GnaReffotsirk]

They say complications. But try this out.

You have a beginning, and and end. Look at the end and ask, why is this important? Why is this meaningful? What happened before this that makes this really mean something?

Usually, the middle has three signposts.

The very middle is a sequence that is leading to the lowest of low. The final defeat of the hero. So, from the end of beginning, you start building up to the mid point. This exact mid point is where "forces are gathered fully", at least the hero believes he's ready at this point.

Prior to this is a dire lesson. The hero does something he thinks will solve the problem, but it only deals with the symptom of the problem. The real problem is getting stronger. This sequence leading up to the mid point is a gathering of forces.

In How to Train Your Dragon 2, this is where Hiccup meets his long lost mother, explore the Dragon world, and learn the value of family. From the end of act 1, to this point, Hiccup was headstrong believing he can talk Drago into peace. His dad tries to convince him, tells him what happened before, but he fails.

Fun-and-Games
Gathering of Friends and Allies
The quest for the Sword
The journey into the new world
Recognizing the Symptom