The Maddening Middle Ask The Experts Hole in the Woods

Hole in the Woods

A deep understanding of what a high concept is

if you’re trying to craft a believable fictional future the key is to look at historical patterns that repeat—and for the things that never seem to change

You see it in the details too—like when Westworld imagines its tech paradise future but realizes that people still use French Presses for better coffee even when you can have a cup by pressing a button

The Maddening Middle Ask The Experts Hole in the WoodsMany writers find it relatively easy to develop detailed beginnings for their story, and detailed endingsbut they struggle with the middle portion of the novel. Beginnings are exciting because of the blank page effectyou have total freedom to invent characters and plot elements, build worlds, and imagine clever twists. Endings can be exciting because you get to write the big climactic encounters and pay off twists you set up in the beginning. The