Hole in my Plot

[Joy]

@daeus  @aratrea  @jane-maree  @kate-flournoy  @emma-flournoy  @emily  @epicaddie2

Some of you probably know that I am writing a Doctor Who novella. Well, I need some help. (Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a Whovian XD) There is a giant hole in my plot! So far I have this:

The Thirteenth Doctor needs to solve a riddle given to her by someone she doesn’t know. So she and her friends fly down to the planet to solve it and find out who sent it. There, she meets Dekreel (not me, a different Dekreel), and the Fifth Doctor (don’t ask who he is; it’s complicated XD).

FAST FORWARD

The Doctors and company find the riddler in a chasm, and… I won’t spoil the rest

Problem: THERE’S NOTHING IN THE MIDDLE! So I need suggestions on what happens in between point A and point B. Do they meet more friends? Do they find clues? What kind of clues?

Hmm… Are these questions too hard to answer without looking at the story itself? If it helps, here is a sneak peek that I submitted earlier of the exposition of the novella.

Welp… Please ask questions if this isn’t clear! Thanks

You can pronounce it however you want.

[Anonymous]

@dekreel Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be of much use here. The excerpt that I read was well written, though. I’m sure there are plenty more people on here who can help more than me. 😛

[Silverclaw Bonnetfolly]

@dekreel you could have the characters figuring out how the Fifth doctor and Dekreel are on the planet with them and a time loop isn’t happening. Maybe trying to get the two of them to help figure out what the riddle means?

[Elizabeth]

*grins* Can I just say that I really, really love that you’re using Thirteen for this? I’m so excited to see her on the show.

I can definitely see the problem you’re having, and I’ve experienced it before. I’d say for starters, you should explore the relationship between the Doctor and this Riddler person. Does he/she have a connection to the Doctor or one of (their?) companions? What about this other Dekreel? Do they have a connection to the riddler? Answering these questions throughout the course of the story will help you build a middle.

Writer. Dreamer. Sometimes blogger. MBTI mess. Lover of Jesus and books.

[Sam Kowal]

@dekreel you mean by “they find the riddler” they find the person who gave them the riddle? But in the excerpt it looked like the riddler already came to them

As far as what they do in between… well, in my opinion they would try to solve the riddle, of course. Once they’ve landed on the planet and need to find the answer to the riddle, they’ve gotta research and look for clues and all that to find the answer. I don’t know how you want the story to go, but how I would write something like that is 1) make a list of all the clues they find and how they’re going to find them and then 2) figure out scenes and action where they find the clues. And throughout this, try to add some personal conflict/tension

For example, say they land on the planet and there’s a huge mining company mining in the chasms. The mining company has squads of miners from numbers 1-20 or something, and squads five and thirteen are planning on going rogue and destroying the mine, or something like that. And the Doctor and her friends have to infiltrate the mines and try to get jobs at the company to find out more about what’s going on. And meanwhile, some of the characters (like that guy who wanted to go home) are reluctant about the mission and want to leave, and the Doctor has to try to get them to stay.

Obviously your story will be completely different I’m just trying to give you an example of how something like that maybe could go

 

*Giarstanornarak tries to melt chair*
Also, Daeus has 22 turtles in his signature.

[Joy]

@silverclaw-bonnetfolly Actually they meet Dekreel because he lives there, and the riddler specifically wants Time Lords (don’t ask why) which is why the Fifth is there too. He basically lured the TARDISes to the planet.

@that_writer_girl_99 The Thirteenth that I’m using is not the same one as Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor. This one is my Doctor. I started this story before the real Thirteenth was announced.

@sam-kowal The first time the Doctor “meets” the riddler is in a dream/trance. So they didn’t necessarily meet in person.

@all-of-you Thanks so much for the advice!

You can pronounce it however you want.

[Snapper]

@dekreel *processing*
Okay, so a middle of a story. I know absolutely nothing about Doctor Who, but I’m thinking you could add more clues as to whoever this Riddler person is (I skimmed the Thirteen plus Five thing, BTW). Some scenes could include traveling through this planet, searching for the answer to the riddle. Suggestions – 1) performing odd jobs to receive money so that they actually have food on this planet. 2) getting into places they shouldn’t be. The Riddler’s henchmen perhaps, could be hunting them. 3) The TARDIS could malfunction? Take them to an age where they’re not supposed to be and they have to get back to find the Riddler and the answer to the question.
Now. Remember that I know absolutely nothing about Doctor Who…or Whovian stuff…or anything. All I know is that a TARDIS basically looks like a telephone booth and travels through time and space. And even that might be wrong.

Hope this helps!

☀ ☀ ☀ ENFP ☀ ☀ ☀

[introvert_girl]

@dekreel This isn’t an idea of what to do, exactly, but there’s an article on Go Teen Writers website about writing the middle of your story that might help you?
http://goteenwriters.blogspot.com/2012/08/writing-cream.html

I also like K.M. Weiland’s articles about the three act structure. But if you’re not an outliner that may not be as useful.

And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

[Jane Maree]

@Dekreel everyone else has some good ideas, and I second theirs. Basically, if you can bring in a side plot or throw in another antagonist to add more conflict and higher stakes it’ll keep your middle going strong.

Writing Heroes ♦ Writing Hope // janemareeauthor.com.au

[Author]

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