I think we all know what the end of the story is. Jackson and Jane will marry, and as the story ends, everything is resolved. We are now in the middle of the novel’s most challenging part, the middle. I wondered if https://chat.openai.com/ could help us with this middle part. I queried the chatbot, “Do you remember Jackson? He has arrived home after years of military experience. He has found a love interest, Jane. He has found a way to support himself, although it will be difficult. We are in the middle part of the novel. We have to keep the reader’s interest up. What kinds of things can you suggest for the middle part of this novel?”
I got back the following –
“Certainly! Here are a few suggestions to keep the reader interested:
- Conflict and obstacles: Introduce challenges and hurdles for Jackson and Jane to overcome. It could be external conflicts like financial difficulties, health issues, or threats from external sources. Alternatively, you could introduce internal conflicts such as doubts, fears, or secrets that could strain their relationship.
- Character development: Allow Jackson and Jane to evolve and grow as characters throughout the middle of the novel. Show how their experiences and challenges shape their personalities, beliefs, and values. Develop their backgrounds and motivations to make them more relatable to the reader.
- Flashbacks and backstories: Provide insights into Jackson’s military experiences or Jane’s past through flashbacks or backstory scenes. This will help the reader better understand the characters’ motivations and behaviors.
- Secondary characters: Introduce secondary characters who are related to Jackson and Jane, or new characters who will play a role in the story. These characters can add depth to the story and provide different perspectives on the main characters’ situations.
- Romantic tension: Add romantic tension and conflicts to the story. This can be done by creating misunderstandings, jealousy, or romantic rivals. You could also add scenes that show the growing attraction between Jackson and Jane.
- Suspense: Use suspense to keep the reader interested. This can be done through foreshadowing, cliffhangers, or unexpected twists. Make the reader wonder what will happen next and keep them on the edge of their seat.
I hope these suggestions help you with the middle part of your novel!”
At first glance, it looks like the chatbot has given us good things that we can mind. Let’s take the time to review all the numbered things the chatbot has supplied, starting with #1. Go back and look at my April 21 blog. Jane’s ex-husband will continue to bother her. Since he is a bully, and Jackson easily defeats him, her ex-husband will want his revenge. This can be one of the constant things they must solve in Jackson’s and Jane’s relationship. You can decide what Jane’s ex-husband does and how Jane and Jackson handle it. Jackson might teach Jane very simple defense tactics that will foil her ex-husband’s attacks. I think an escalating number of things that Jane’s ex-husband tries throughout the novel will also help #6. What can you think of?
