Of Cause and Effect, Twin Universes, and Sacrifice…

The protagonist’s decision to act constitutes a cornerstone moment in the life a novel.

It signifies the shift from the beginning or set-up of the novel to the middle characterized as a process of action and reaction, better known as cause-and-effect. Still others term this area of the novel, and quite aptly, causality-and-build.

Cause-and-effect emphasizes the action and reaction quality representative of midsection of novels, the heart and lungs of the story.

Causality-and-build by its very words points to the uphill movement of the story towards crisis and climax that involves story and character arc.

The world build points to the nature by which the upward movement works against the gravity of conflict, character and change, all of which bestow their own set of obstacles urging and catalyzing evolution and adaptation in the other two.

This irrevocable moment, that of no turning back, takes place when the central character either chooses to speak, or remain silent, leave or remain committed at a time when others seek escape.

The simple act of nodding one’s head in agreement with another can signal a character’s shift from inertia to one of movement, and that the battle is on. The war has begun.

A rumble of emotions flow from further actions required by the initial one of acting.

Fear and inner conflicts arise. Doubts flow. One wonders did she or he act correctly.

The humanness and humanity of the character and story come forth. The reader is drawn in.

They too must see this through, read to the end.

How much the writer’s journey, our decision to tell a story, write it down, craft and refine it mirrors that of the characters whose lives and struggles we chronicle.

Following through, remaining committed to the act of completing the telling of their story in all ways runs parallel to their remaining true in our writing of their lives upon the page.

We live in twin universes, the axes and arcs of which cross and re-encounter each other more times than are we aware of which begs us to ponder whose story are we truly telling.

How committed are you to telling your character’s story?

What sacrifices does this story ask of you?

What must you do to shape and fashion your words into the most engaging and entertaining story you can offer to the world of readers?