ABSTRACT
The midpoint of the story serves a solid checkpoint: this is a physical point of no return, conflict has become personal, there has been a new revelation, there has been another opportunity for the character to change, and time is running out to really reach the goal. A checklist for the middle will include the following: a reaction to a new situation; main character has formulated a plan; conflict is increasing; not only the conflict but also the stakes are getting higher; midpoint is the point of no return; and everything culminates in a crisis. The middle is where each succeeding conflict becomes more intense. Each conflict reveals bit more about the characters and their situation. There are several purposes to the crisis raise the stakes, force a decision, reveal more about the characters, and push the story from the middle into the resolution stage of the story. The middle can be seen as a series of crises, climaxes, resolutions.
