Beginning, Middle and End

                                                     by Greg Anderson © July 22, 1999

                                                                  Level: Beginner

BEGINNING

The protag meets the antag and DOES SOMETHING. Give us 1 or 2 paragraphs of the opening, what would show on page one of a paperback novel. No more than 250 words of text.

Beginning

Protagonist - Sondra Jenkins
Sondra's Business Partner - Jill Warrens
Antagonist - Sam Hull
Sondra's Romantic Interest - Detective John Williams

1.    "Sondra, we can't keep paying these guys," Jill said. "For two years, we have struggled to make this shop a success. We have to call the police."

2.    Clenching her fists, Sondra looked at Jill. "Oh sure! Just call the police and all our prayers will be answered. Do you have any idea what these guys do to people who talk with the police?"

3.    Sondra looked out the plate glass window of their shop. Across the street stood the burned-out shell of a small grocery store. The flames had spread so quickly and it came as no surprise to Sondra that the fire had been deliberately set.

4.    Her thoughts drifted to another street and another time…when she cradled her dying sister in her arms, wondering when all the violence would end.

5.    The bell over the door chimed and Sondra's palms began to sweat. She could feel her pulse quicken as the man walked in. Sondra would have loved to smack that grin off his face but she hurried to the cash register and reached for the envelope.

6.    "Hello ladies," he smiled. Sam reached and touched Sondra's chin. "Don't think of this as protection money. Think of it as an investment in your future." Sam Hull turned and walked towards the door.

7.    Sandra's icy glare would have stood the hair on end of any person but Sam just strolled out, quietly closing the door behind him.
 

1/4 point -- Antag strikes back. What does the antag do in response to the protag's initial action? Reveal the because-line. 7. Sondra is single. In the past she has been romantically involved with a gang leader and has direct experience with gangs and crime. Sondra feared the gangs and now she fears Sam and his group of 'hoods'.

8.    Jill convinces Sondra that they must act and Sondra decides to contact her ex-boyfriend (a gang leader), seeking his help. He will only help her if she agrees to become his lover again. She refuses, knowing that escaping the previous life of hers was one of the few 'smart' things she had done.

9. Sondra thinks that her only remaining chance is with the police. They are sympathetic but have limited resources. A detective is assigned to the case and the first stirrings of romance begin.
 

HALFWAY through the word-count allotment: Antag WINS, (but not decisively). This is where the HERO IS TESTED TO DESTRUCTION. This is the moment of absolute undoing. This is where the facade is cracked open and the INTERNAL CONFLICT is revealed. But not articulated. The reader must see and understand what inner-pain is driving this person -- what confrontations with fear this person must make to grow and change into a better, happier person. But as in real life - the character is unaware of this process.

10.    The police are of little help and Sondra decides that she will not continue to pay the protection money.

11.    Sam is enraged when he learns that Sondra has decided not to pay him. He throws flowers (it is a Flower Shop) all around and smashes the large glass refrigerator.

12.    Sondra cannot 'handle' more violence…she has seen enough as she grew up and tells Jill to stay away from the store. Jill has a husband and children and it is too dangerous for her to come to the store.

13.    Sondra contacts her lawyer and realtor to sell the business and to leave town.
 

3/4 point climax - Protag voluntarily faces inner demons and strikes back (or launches plan to strike back) decisively at the Antag. Protag takes the battle onto Antag's turf. Protag gives the order to launch the troops onto the beach at Normandy. This is the POINT OF NO RETURN. Protag has launched him/herself into a confrontation with Antag that can ONLY END IN RESOLUTION of the conflicts.

14.    Sondra begins to fall in love with the detective and leaving town and the detective is not an easy decision.

15.    She has poured her heart and soul into her shop. Her youth was filled with violence and poverty, the flower shop with its peaceful beauty represents the life she loves. This is her heaven on earth…so unlike the 'hell' of her youth.

16.    Sondra goes from store to store, trying to convince the others not to pay and to stick together as one.

17.    Sam and one of his hoods 'trash' the shop next to Sondra's shop.

18.    Sam 'beats up', Jill, sending her to the hospital.
 

ENDING -- Protag resolves internal conflict, which frees him/her to ACT to resolve the external conflict. Until the ENDING (the last 10 to 15 percent of the wordage) the Protag has been his/her own worst enemy. The internal conflict has PREVENTED solving the external problem because it creates the external problem. Now, at END, resolving the internal conflict causes the external problem to become resolvable, and frees the Protag to act.

19.    Sondra realizes that the only way to solve this problem is to work with the detective.

20.    Sondra convinces the hood that she will stop 'fighting' him and will pay the money.

21.    The detective marks the money and Sondra pays him.

22.    Sam and his 'boys' are arrested.

23.    Jill returns to the shop and Sondra and the detective have fallen in love and dream/plan for their future.

Instructors Comments