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writercisesOriginal posting April 1, 2019
All right. The Doorway of No Retreat #2 has slammed behind us. The Final Battle looms ahead. And… "The opposition, knowing the Final Battle is closing in fast, gathers his forces." We are just starting into Act III, the resolution.So, just like The Kick in the Shins after The Doorway of No Retreat #1, we get a reminder of the trouble all around us.Why? Well, James says it's logical. Act III is all about relentless momentum. The Final Battle is ahead, and the antagonist knows it. So, he prepares for it. This is that beat.What about some hints? Well, James suggests that we look back at the list of obstacles that we made for The Kick in the Shins. Remember? Save the worst on the list for Lights Out, the next beat, but pick one of your worse ones for here. Or you can try brainstorming again, maybe another list of possibilities.And the reminder? Well, your lead is headed for the Final Battle. There's no way out, The Doorway of No Retreat #2 is closed behind us, and we're committed. Now is the time to really put the pressure on, and make your protagonist sweat.While James does give some examples, this is actually a pretty sketchy section. I think how you fill in this beat depends a great deal on your story, so it's hard to generalize. Step back, look at what you have set up for your antagonist and protagonist, and give them a chance to remind the readers about what the opposition will bring to bear. More trouble! Conflict! Yipes!I think this is partially a regrouping, by both the protagonist and the antagonist, on the way to The Final Battle. One more time, let's go over our battle plan, make sure we've got everyone together, check our resources. And then… The lights go out.
All right. The Doorway of No Retreat #2 has slammed behind us. The Final Battle looms ahead. And… "The opposition, knowing the Final Battle is closing in fast, gathers his forces." We are just starting into Act III, the resolution.So, just like The Kick in the Shins after The Doorway of No Retreat #1, we get a reminder of the trouble all around us.Why? Well, James says it's logical. Act III is all about relentless momentum. The Final Battle is ahead, and the antagonist knows it. So, he prepares for it. This is that beat.What about some hints? Well, James suggests that we look back at the list of obstacles that we made for The Kick in the Shins. Remember? Save the worst on the list for Lights Out, the next beat, but pick one of your worse ones for here. Or you can try brainstorming again, maybe another list of possibilities.And the reminder? Well, your lead is headed for the Final Battle. There's no way out, The Doorway of No Retreat #2 is closed behind us, and we're committed. Now is the time to really put the pressure on, and make your protagonist sweat.While James does give some examples, this is actually a pretty sketchy section. I think how you fill in this beat depends a great deal on your story, so it's hard to generalize. Step back, look at what you have set up for your antagonist and protagonist, and give them a chance to remind the readers about what the opposition will bring to bear. More trouble! Conflict! Yipes!I think this is partially a regrouping, by both the protagonist and the antagonist, on the way to The Final Battle. One more time, let's go over our battle plan, make sure we've got everyone together, check our resources. And then… The lights go out.