Task Analysis to Creating Exciting Scenes in the Middle of Your Novel, Memoir, Screenplay

When I worked in special education, we preformed a task analysis of school activities children struggled with to determine the hierarchical concepts and cognition, steps and skills needed to master the given tasks in the classroom. Starting with a specific goal assigned by the teacher, we’d break the necessary behavioral sequence into steps allowing for adaption, modification and compensation.

Like scenes on a Plot Planner, each step sequentially leads to the successful completion of said goal.

Plot Tip:
Do a task analysis of the protagonist’s overall story goal in your novel, memoir, screenplay.

Start with the actions the protagonist takes that show mastery at the 4th Energetic Markerand crowning glory of the entire story. Now, work backwards, breaking down each step needed to gain the necessary skills and abilities, knowledge and beliefs for the protagonist to prevail. Form these steps into scenes and place them in the middle of your Plot Planner in an hierarchical order beginning at the start of the middle with scenes of lesser tension, conflict suspense and curiosity to those scenes with greatest conflict, tension and suspense at the end of the story.

Identify and anticipate the antagonists facing the protagonist in the middle of your story. Create more excitement in the middle by creating challenges, obstacles, interferences that challenge the protagonist’s weaknesses (flaw, fear, hatred) and force her to adapt to, modify and compensate for those same weaknesses while also discovering her hidden strengthens.

Use the Energetic Markers as your guide for which scene goes where.

(You can do this sort of task analysis for every aspect andplot linein your story)

Today I write!
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For more: Read myPlot Whispererand Blockbuster Plots books for writers.
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• Looking for tips to prop up your middle with excitement?
• Wish you understood how to show don’t tell what your character is feeling?
• Are even you sometimes bored with your own story?
• Long to form your concept into words?