How To Give Your Readers An Unforgettable Ending

A story is more than a sequence of events that lead to a crisis and result in a resolution—it is a journey that should invest us emotionally, so that by the time our hero faces the crisis we're hoping for a happy ending for him.

Earlier, I posted about great beginnings, building the action through the middle, and how to write a nail biting climax. Now I'd like to focus on making sure your conclusion resonates with the reader in a way that is both rewarding and incendiary.

There are a number of ways to finish a story, but depending on what kind of ending you'd like to write, you'll have to ask yourself these questions.

Will my hero succeed in achieving the story goal?

What do I want my hero to learn?

Do I want him to learn from his mistake or his success?

Whether you want a happy outcome or not, your ending will probably fall into one of the four categories.

1. Comedy. The protagonist achieves the story goal and his success results in a positive outcome.

In A Christmas Carol, Scrooge is able to find the true meaning of humanity and vows to change his ways, becoming a charitable person for the rest of his life.

photo credit, blogmoviefone.com

2. Tragedy. The protagonist fails to achieve the story goal, and his failure results in a negative outcome.

In The Crucible, John Procter is falsely accused of being a witch and is unable to convince the courts of his former lover's jealousy towards his wife. He is forced to falsely confess, but in the end he is unwilling to lie and is hung to die.

photo credit, filmous.com

3. Tragi-comedy. The protagonist fails to achieve the goal, but his failure results in a positive outcome.

In The Golden Compass, Lyra is unable to save her best friend, but his death results in her discovery of a bridge between worlds.

photo credit, tumblr.com

4. Comi-tragedy. The protagonist achieves the goal, but his success results in a negative outcome.

In The Great Gatsby, Jay uses criminal means to acquire the riches and lifestyle he's sought after in hopes of impressing Daisy, only to lose her and eventually his life.

3quarksdaily.com

No matter which ending you create for your hero, make certain you conclude with the same style and voice you've established throughout the story. And remember, even though you may not have a happy ending, the central conflict must be resolved, and loose ends or significant questions should be answered.

I hope you found this helpful. You may want to check out Glen C. Strathy's site. He has excellent tips for plotting, and in particular, nailing your ending.

What are some of your memorable endings? 

The Bachelorette Season 8, Episode 8 "It's Getting Stupid Hot"

This episode, Emily goes to the four remaining contestants's hometowns to meet her possible future in-laws.

Emily would have worn nicer pajamas.
photo credit, screenwritersutopia.com

Up first is Chris with the freaky wolf eyes. It's obvious from the hugs and kisses at the door that his family are just as desperate to marry Emily as he is. He drops the L word when she leaves that night, and she thanks him for making her feel so special. 

I'm spending no more time discussing their date because we all know he's not getting a rose.

Next, Emily goes to Utah to meet Jef's family.

Fashion alert! I totally love the white sundress and frye boots. And the bracelets? Yes, please.



photocredit, possessionista.com



Emily and Jef bond over shooting clay pigeons. She's worried because he once told her he broke up with a girl because his parents didn't like her. But it's okay, Emily, because his parents are “away” in South Carolina doing “charity work.”

Of course they're not able to meet their son's future wife. South Carolina is impossible to get out of these days without all the proper passport documentation—especially if you're in prison or something else your family is trying to cover up.

Emily says, “I'm going to have to work my charm on a lot of sisters and brothers. Wow, there are a lot of people here and they're all related to Jef.”

Yup, that's what 'meet the family' means.

Jef's brother, Steve, talks with Emily. It must be weird for her to sit down with a guy and NOT make out with him. Steve says, “Love's not an investment, it's an adventure.”

Yes, but love is also a battlefield, love is in the air, love is a 4 letter word, love will keep us together...

Jef, not exactly as shown
photo credit, funnyordie.com

Jef's sister's discuss if Jef is ready to be a daddy and do grown-up stuff like shaving and taking out the garbage. Emily tells them she's willing to move Ricki so she can experience a big family.

Um, so...what are Ricki's grandparents thinking about this?

Emily's Southern charm wins over Jef's family. They watch the sunset as he recites a love letter. And it would be lovely if it didn't take six different takes. Those ABC producers are ruthless sometimes.

Next stop is Arieville Arizona. And of course new jewelry. Emily goes to the race track and watches him peel off his race suit and says, “Arie looks stupid hot.”

After they put on proper protection, he gives her a ride. She tells us she was scared at first because it was so fast, but then she relaxed when it got smooth. Yes, they're still on the race track, perverts!

Arie warns Emily that his parents are more European then what she's used to in the South. Why is Arie so worried? Doesn't he know Emily has the power to charm EVERYONE...even Europeans.

Emily says Arie is one of her favorite guys and she'll be crushed if they don't absolutely adore her.

Or at the very least hug her like Chris' family did.

Arie has twin brothers! Whoo-hoo. And they're cute. And they love her accent.

And I'm crossing my fingers for a new YA reality show called "Twin Netherland Bachelors, A Prom Night To Remember." 

Dutch Speed Skaters. I rest my case.
photocredit, tumblr.com

Arie's mother begins to speak Dutch and Emily can only sit and smile while trying to pick out words like IKEA and Ricola.

Arie's mom takes Emily for a chat. She asks about her failed relationship with Brad. Emily answers straight forward, then turns the tables and asks the mom if Arie is ready to settle down. Within a Southern minute, Emily has the mother laughing and cheering for them to go all the way.

With brilliant maneuvers like this, how the South lost the Civil War I'll never know.

Up next? Sean, in his own environment. He tells us it's been years since his family has met any girlfriends.

Huh, that's um...interesting. And by interesting I mean weird. And by weird I mean suspicious.

Enter Emily and my new favorite piece—her pendant necklace. She says, “Sean is so perfect, he could drop a huge bomb and it couldn't matter.”

Uh-oh. Don't say stuff like that.

Sean's family getting ready to great Emily.
photo credit, terridaniel.com

Sean takes Emily to meet his family and she fits in quite nicely with the Barbie dream palace of perfect blond and blue-eyed people. In front of everyone, Sean tells Emily his big secret...he still lives at home.

“Cool,” Emily says.

Man, nothing can knock this chick off her game.

He takes her on a tour and shows her his room. It's full of stuffed toys and left over food. And it's a joke. Okay, Sean has always seemed like a stiff shirt to me, but this was pretty funny. Ten points for Sean.

Sean sits down with his dad and they finally have that talk about the birds and the bees. Emily then tells Sean's dad how impressed she was by his love for his family. They sigh contentedly at how their little Sean has really grown up.

At the end of the family date, Emily drives away, but Sean runs after and is rewarded with an open mouth kiss. Emily said a few episodes ago, that she likes to be pursued. Nice work, Sean.

It's time for the rose ceremony and this is where accessorizing is so important. All she needed was a few bracelets and hair extensions. No necklace or earrings tonight, and it totally works.

The first two roses go to Arie and Jef. The stupid Host comes out from behind the curtain to let us know there is only one rose left.

Duh!

Sean, of course, gets the last rose.

And really, Chris, you can't be upset. You were supposed to go last week.

Chris was almost as gracious.
photo credit, postmodernbarney.com

*Cue the soft guitar music*

Emily tries to explain her reasons, but Christ cuts her off, “I told you I loved you. How much faster was this supposed to go?” he asks.

Well, maybe if you were stupid hot, instead of being such a whiny baby.

“I'm ten times the man those f&*^ing dudes are back there.”

Yeah! Right on, man. Here, have a tissue.

And then there were three...

Ka-Boom! How To Write A Nail Biting Climax

Elliott and ET race to his spaceship
photo credit, smh.com.au 

In most cases it's the climax and resulting conclusion that stay with the reader long after the book is shelved, and therefore has the greatest impact. For a writer, the goal is to provide an ending that makes sense of everything but also generates a deeper understanding.

Every successful novel has three elements; a beginning that hooks the reader (the unreachable goal for the protagonist), a middle that sets up the crisis (what prevents our hero from obtaining his goal), and the climax (what he's forced to do to reach the goal) which leads to a resolution.

Harry discovers Quirrell not Snape is the two faced villain
photo credit, agatavision.com

Simply put, the climax is the moment of crisis when the protagonist has no way out and has to make a decision or act in such a way to reach the story goal. Up to this point, the reader has observed the hero struggle to reach the story goal and is familiar with his particular behavior or pattern of problem solving. It's this personality trait that either helps or hinders him.

Deckard barely hangs on in Blade Runner
photo credit, atthelighthouse.blogspot.com

The moment the stakes are highest our hero is faced with the toughest situation. In order to solve the story goal he must choose to stick with the same behavior or switch to an alternative. However, each choice comes with the risk of failure or loss of whatever he values most.

Sheriff Brody running out of boat in JAWS
photo credit, reflectionsontvandfilm.blogspot.com

TENSION

Think 'danger and opportunity'. Our hero has to make a decision to save the story goal, but we don't know if it's the right one until the very end. All we know is that he's doomed if he does nothing, but at the same time there's an unseen/unexpected potential for growth or new beginning.

EXPLANATIONS

Depending on how you want your story to end, helps determine what questions or issues need clarifying. Once you've established what should be answered, imagine an extensive, irreversible event that will force those issues to be addressed.

YOGURT

Like bacteria that continue to live and grow, your protagonist should have evolved from who he was at the awesome beginning that hooked us in the first place. It's imperative to show how our hero's behavior is challenged by pursuing the story goal. Ultimately, it's the decision the hero makes in the end that leads to personal growth and showcases the moral or theme of the story.

A reader will invest hours of time into your novel, make sure their last impression is the greatest one.

Next week, I'll be blogging how to nail your ending.

Cheers!

The Bachelorette Season 8, Episode 7 "Things That Make You Go Hmm"

Emily in Prague, not exactly
photo credit, barbiefantasies.com

Say hello to Prague! Emily uses the historic backdrop of this charming city to take Arie for another evening stroll hoping to find another wall to kiss against. But she pouts perfectly glossed lips at him saying she knows what he did ten years ago and she's not happy about it. Hmm...

Relax. The big scandal is that Arie dated one of the shows producers a decade ago. And once Emily did the math and realized ten years is longer than Ricki has been alive, she's okay with it and open mouth kisses Arie, even without a wall.

Meanwhile, back at the house, the fellas compare hair gel and talk about how much they hate Arie since he has his mouth parts all over their future wife.

The next date is with John. And quite frankly I only learnt this guy's name the last episode. I'm predicting a street full of walls isn't going to move this date along. They get to have dinner in their own private castle. Does Emily like castles? No. She's friggin' cold and is always under a blanket. They settle into love seat overflowing with pillows as John relates stories about his evil ex-girlfriend.

Dear fellas,

As tempting as it may be, leave the mud slinging for the county fair. Honestly, you sound like a cry baby. And Emily is looking for a hero, not a zero.

Love,

Your Aunt Bethany

I really like Emily's earrings for this date. Actually I like most of her jewelry. Remember that necklace that was three strands of shells or white stones?

photo credit, ca.shine.yahoo.com

Yeah, very nice. And the gold necklace from the beach episode? A favorite of mine too. And guess what? They're available for other people as well from Towne & Reese. I'm guessing Emily didn't have to pay for any of her jewelry. Hmm...

After John's finished trashing his ex, he tells Emily that he could really fall in love with her, and that he wants her to meet his parents. Emily said she feels sad for him. Hmm...

They have a quick kiss that wouldn't even get a rating from Disney.

Sean, SDD (Single Dad Doug), and Freaky wolf-eye Chris are picked to go on the last group date. Sean decides to pull an Arie and wanders the city looking for Emily by running up and down various cobbled streets of Prague.

Great plan! I'm sure this will turn out well. He says if he doesn't find her he'll be devastated. If he actually finds her it will be a miracle, except that the producers and camera men point him in the right direction.

Emily says he sudden appearance with camera men is such a surprise. She's excited to see him and takes him to a restaurant. Emily likes to be pursued—that's what she said to Doug last episode, remember?

They politely kiss like it's High School Musical, but later on the walk home, they find a wall and things turn PG 13. So, good for Sean...I guess.

The last group date consists of Sean, Chris and SDD. Right away Chris begins to whine about the lack of room in the carriage. Emily gives the boys a history lesson and SDD can't stop talking about how cool the castle is. He's very sweet and mentions how much his son would enjoy this trip.

Psst! Hey, Doug. If you're the next bachelor, you can take great vacations...and your son can go too!

SDD and Emily take their umbrellas for a walk in the rain and she remarks how she's hoping Doug will open up to her—preferably against a wall during a late night stroll.

But even though Doug gives in and kisses her, it's not enough for Emily, and she takes him on the good-bye stroll. And like all the other fellas before him, Doug is shocked and heart broken. Really? Give it a day or two, you'll be okay.

At the castle, Chris and Sean make the two points of an awkward triangle. Emily gives the boys each a key, and Sean is holding the one that opens the Chamber of Secrets, sorry, Chamber of Snuggles. The corny music starts and they begin to make out. Meanwhile, Chris is whining upstairs that he's all by himself. And he'll have to wait because Sean and Emily also make out in the stairwell. But that's to be expected because they were surrounded by walls and couldn't help themselves.

I totally love the bracelets she has on. Which button do I click to buy these? Please let me know.

Chris finally gets some alone time with Emily. He uses this time to complain. Chris isn't good at whining, I'm not sure what he's good at. Emily thanks him for being such a good sport and someone in the room begins to play the piano. And we know what happens when music begins, right? That's right! They kiss.

Emily meets with both guys and gives the date rose to Sean. Chris is fuming behind his freaky wolf eyes, already planning his whiny speech for the boys at home.

towne&reese.com

Jef with one 'f' gets the last solo date. Emily picks him up, and I have to say, her earrings totally rock. They walk the streets of Prague and spend some giggly time in a marionette shop. How do you walk in stiletto boots on cobblestones? Ask Emily, she knows.

Jef and Emily use their puppets to recreate every time they've spent together—it takes about three seconds. Emily's skin is smoother than the puppets, seriously, there are NO LINES...like at all. Their puppets kiss, and then they kiss. And then I look at my watch and wish the rest of the show could be done in fast forward with puppets.

Jef said he's in that happy place where he's falling for a girl and the girl is falling for him, and when they make out, cameras are there...yeah, just a normal guy and a girl. Jef talks about his family and tells Emily that his parents are committed to 'something else' but she'll meet his siblings if she wants. Hmm...

The final rose ceremony has finally arrived. Chris is starting to have a melt down—if he were a puppet, his strings would all be tangled up. Emily meets with The Host in a Vanna White ensemble and she says a cocktail party is useless because she already knows exactly what she wants to do tonight.

Hmm...

Chris doesn't take this news well, especially since John keeps saying he feels he knocked his date out of the park. Really? He didn't even get to first base.

Emily arrives and thanks the fellas for being so open and honest with her this week so that she can make this decision without any worries. It comes down to John and Chris and someone should call 911 before Chris explodes.

Chris asks for alone time with Emily, thinking he's salvaging any last hope he might have. But if anything, his slobbering confession only solidifies her decision to send him home. Emily is so sweet and composed, she thanks him for willing to put himself out there for her, and she's so grateful for that.

But what happens next shocks even me, and believe me, I've seen it all. She gives the last rose to Christ, and I can only guess it's because he's the wild card the producers like to keep around.

John, like all the others, is completely shocked. Please don't cry John. Please don't cry. Be strong. Be the one to NOT cry. He makes it to the car and finished his monologue without shedding a tear.

John, a real guy
photo credit, supermansite.com

Hooray! We've found a man. Congratulations, John, you rock.

Next week, the last four guys get to take Emily back home to meet their families. Yikes!

Give Your Drab Scene The Norman Rockwell Treatment

When I was a little girl, my family and I would spend every Easter holiday on Prince Edward Island at my Grandmother's little bungalow on Willow Avenue.

Aside from the marshmallow-coconut squares and Froot Loops she'd have waiting for me, she also gave me all the pennies she'd collected since I'd last seen her—these were quickly spent at the candy store, one block up, past the blue house with the barking dog.

However, my fondest memories of those visits were looking through her collection of coffee table books. In particular she had a phone book thick edition of Norman Rockwell prints.

I spent hours sitting crossed legged on her living room floor, with that massive book open on my lap. I studied each image, amazed at the detail and sometimes suspiciously wondered if it was really a photograph instead.

Marriage License
photo credit, buydirectus.com

But it wasn't only the technique I admired, it was the character in each picture that was so charming; the bride standing up on tip toe to sign the bridal registry, or the plastic flowers in the old woman's hat, intent on saying grace in a smokey and crowded diner.

Saying Grace
photo credit, blogstimeunion.com

These touches of personality hinted at something more, something bigger...something alive. To me, each picture was a snap shot of someones life, and I had the feeling the story kept going, long after I closed the cover.

Sadly, Granny passed away many years ago, but I still have that book, and when I flip through it's pages these days, I look at it with my writer's eye.

Normal Rockwell once said that if he hadn't become a painter he would have liked to have been a movie director. This makes perfect sense because after all, movie directors tell us a story.

Happy Birthday, Miss Jones
photo credit, storenr.org

Steven Spielberg, who is no stranger to story telling, has this picture in his hallway.

He says out of all the art work in his home, Happy Birthday, Miss Jones, causes most people to pause for a few minutes.

What do you notice first?

The teacher? The girl with the pretty yellow bow? The boy with the eraser on his head?

Look at the expression on Miss Jones' face, she seems genuinely warmed by the surprise. The teacher is neither young or pretty and my writer's mind wonders if this is the only birthday greeting she'll receive.

Perhaps later, after a supper of toast and tea in her little apartment, she'll blow out one candle on a cupcake she bought herself. What would her wish be? Or maybe this is her happy ending—the unruly class that she struggled with all year, finally show some gratitude. 

And what about the little girl with the big expensive looking bow in her hair? Was it her idea to surprise Miss Jones, or was she the one to step on the piece of chalk, crushing it into the floor?

I'm guessing the boy sitting up straight and tall with the eraser on his head, is the one who impishly wrote the curly 'y' making her last name spell 'Jonesy'.

I wonder whose story this is and if it's the beginning, the middle, or the end.

It's the small details that bring this scene to life. There are so many possible stories taking place in this one picture, it's simply brilliant.

I try to remember Norman Rockwell when I'm writing. I step back and look at the big picture (pardon the pun) and try to imagine the little elements of personality I can add to help make the scene come alive.

photo credit, blogpostcardgallery.net

Let's play a game. Consider this piece entitled, The Homecoming.

Who do you focus on? What catches your attention? Whose story do you want to know?

Break this scene down into one sentence and leave it in my comment section. It's amazing how many different ways writers can look at the same thing.

And since no one ever wants to be first up to the buffet, I'll dive in and get the party started.

She leaned against the wall, feeling the heat of the bricks through her thin dress, please let him think I'm still pretty, she wished.

The Bachelorette, Episode 6, "Kissing, Crying and Candles"

Next stop on the love train is *whoo-hoo* Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Emily picks Mother Goose (Travis) to go on a solo date. So much for my theory about him being her cousin. They bum around Dubrovnik and end the date having a private dinner surrounded by candles.

Who will get a rose? Who cares?
photo credit, museumofplay.org

Have you noticed how many frickin' candles they use for this show? It's like they're expecting someone to whip out a Ouija Board. Did you know the heart shaped thing you put your hands on is called a planchette?

Travis confesses he's totally in love with Emily and hasn't felt like this since he broke up with his fiance. Emily says she feels they have a good foundation for friendship—but not romance. Travis moves to the kiss and cry interview area. *Honk* I'm still amazed how much these guys breakdown.

Dear Fellas,

Yes, rejection is hard, but give your head a shake, you're in a contest for a girl you met only two weeks ago. Move on.

Love,

Your Aunt Bethany

Emily takes all the guys, except Ryan, on a group date...to the animated Disney movie, BRAVE. Emily talks about the similarities between herself and Merida, the female protagonist. Um...yeah. The most entertaining part of this episode were the movie clips. So, I'm grateful for that.

Emily dresses the boys in kilts like they're big Ken dolls. This is followed by a five minute montage of the guys walking down cobblestone streets. Emily comments how hot Sean looks.

Sean, not exactly as shown
photo credit, theretroknittingcompany.co.uk

We soon learn they are going to be competing in a mock Highland Games. This makes complete sense since Croatia is full of Scotts. What's the Gaelic phrase for totally stupid?

I won't bore you with the details, but Chris—even with his freaky wolf eyes—loses every event. However, this was brilliant strategy as Emily gives him a shiny mug for being such a good sport. Emily says being brave means doing your own thing no matter what everybody else thinks. She also thinks Sean is the hottest. And that my friends, gets you a rose each time.

The evening portion of the competition involves drinks, candles and some cuddle time. She tells Sean not to worry and to keep up his confidence...even when things get harder. *giggles*

She takes Arie on a stroll as they discuss how much they like spending time together. The soft guitars begin to play in the background and Arie leans her up against a stone wall and proves why he's a race car driver—he rides the curves like a champ. He later says that he feels so much better after their talk. I bet he does. *rolls eyes*

Jef with one 'J', talks about how it's so much easier to be with Emily now that he's made it to first base with her. Seriously, I'm not making this up. There's more cuddling and talk about how much they like each other. This is followed by some open mouthed kissing.

I miss the clips from Brave.

Emily moves on to Chris. He doesn't get the chance to make out with her like Arie did, but he gets the rose...so, yeah...I guess that counts for something. *shrugs*

Ryan does his pre-date primping for his solo date as the other guys roll their eyes. Emily takes him on a fishing trawler to harvest oysters. I love oysters. The trick is to NOT chew. A splash of Tabasco sauce is nice as well. Also, smoked oysters are delicious. Did you know a natural salt water pearl is formed when a foreign substance (parasite/grain of sand) invades the shell of the mollusk? In response to the irritation, epithelial cells form into a sac (known as a pearl sac) which secretes a crystalline substance called nacre, which builds up in layers around the irritant, forming the pearl.

I was thinking about how beautiful nature is when I was interrupted by Ryan's neon turquoise shoes. They finish the date with a private dinner by candle light—lots of candle light. *puts hands on planchette* Is there anyone there?

Ryan whips out a list he made for Emily that includes all the things he's looking for in a wife.

Dear Ryan,

What exactly does 'sexy personality' mean?

Love,

Your Aunt Bethany

Oh that, Ryan. He makes me laugh—he's so clueless! Emily picks up the rose and I don't think we need to ask the Spirits to know how this one turns out. Emily tells him he's too concerned with perfection and she's all about the love. Ryan is shocked and begins to sniff through his tears, trying to convince her to change her mind. I worry he's going to make another list.

Psst, Ryan. It's time for you to go. *calls security* Instead of crying, Ryan spends the cab ride to the nearest airport, giving us a five minute monologue on why he ISN'T a loser.

Arie gives Emily a surprise visit in her luxury rental because he's totally there for her. You see, good boyfriends will always show up to make out with their girlfriends after they dump another guy. They cuddle in her bed and discuss how hard the date must have been for her and...—whoa! Tongue action. Camera guy, zoom out! Zoom out!

The rose ceremony begins with the guys discussing their strategy. Huh? Emily encourages SDD (Single Dad Doug) not to be shy and that she's just a girl who wants to be pursued. Again, I did not make this up. She actually said that.

photo credit, psychologytoday.com

Emily starts her speech about how awesome each one of them are. And they stand like statues blinking back at her like Charlie Brown.

*Lights candles gets out Ouija Board* Is there anyone there?

*Planchette moves to yes* Which bachelor will go home tonight?

Emily cries invisible tears and leaves the room, still clutching the rose.

*Planchette quickly spells out, 'Scripted drama'*

The spirits are upset! She returns without any rose, then The Host arrives from behind the curtain with two roses. Aw, shucks. And everyone gets to stay. *rolls eyes*

When will the fun ever end? Do you think the ending was rigged by the producers?

How To Stop The Middle Of Your Novel From Sagging.

Does this sound familiar?

Your novel opens with a scene that grips the reader by the shoulders and pulls them face first into the story. But then, around 40,000 words or so, things slow down. The story starts to drift along, bobbing aimlessly on meaningless dialogue. You can see the ending far on the horizon, but you're not sure how to reach it.

SOS is right, brother.
photo credit, 123rf.com

If this rings true for you, you may be suffering from SMS or Sagging Middle Syndrome. Stop looking down at your stomach—I was talking about your story.

The middle is often the most challenging. It has to bridge the awesome beginning and the spectacular climax. It. Can't. Be. Boring.

The middle shouldn't remind me of this.
photo credit, adjcreatvieblogspot.com

Here are some tips to help you chart a course through the current, back to the white-water, river raft ride.

Raise the stakes. Make your protagonist's original crisis more complicated.

In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry's original goal was to survive Hogwarts (especially Potions class with that horrible Professor Snape) and prove he really belonged there. However, once we reach the middle of the book, Harry discovers the school is hiding The Philosopher's Stone and thinks Professor Snape is trying to steal it.

New Event. This should send your protagonist in the opposite direction of his original goal.

When Harry finds the Mirror of Erised, he forgets about Snape and the stone, and becomes consumed by images of his late parents.

Bring the Subplot to the Forefront. Use information from early chapters to throw another complication into the protagonist's way.

Hello, Norbert. Early in the book, Hagrid mentions always wanting a dragon. He tells a shocked Harry that he bought him in a pub from a mysterious stranger. This sets up two events. Firstly, Harry and Hermoine are caught with the dragon after hours and are given detention. Secondly, Hagrid ends up telling them information about a certain three-headed-dog they will need later in the lead up to the climax.

Unexpected Twist. Reveal just enough secrets to change the protagonist's course of action. This also creates more tension.

While Harry is in the forbidden forest as part of his earlier detention, he sees something drinking the dead unicorns blood. He is saved by Firenze who foreshadows Lord Voldemort's return to power. Now Harry believes Snape is planning to steal the stone not for his own immortality, but for The Dark Lord's instead.

This leads into the climax. Knowing none of the other professors will believe him, Harry takes matters into his owns hands when Dumbledore is suddenly summoned away from Hogwarts. With Ron and Hermoine following, he races to the trap door and...well you know the rest.

I hope these exercises will help you get the middle of your novel back in shape!

Do you have any suggestions for a taut, lean middle?

Cheers!