Sagging Middles
Many writers complain about the sagging middles of their novels. I’m no different. Once I get past page 100, a vast desert of 200 pages awaits me. Somehow I have to get the hero and heroine from hating each other (or at least having some sort of conflict between them) to being in love. It’s so hard to get this right! 
One of the things I’m doing right now is delving into the research to try and come up with fun and unique ideas for scenes. My heroine loves to cook, and since she’s been taken out of the middle class and plopped into the wealthy class, she’s at a loss (now that there’s someone else to do the cooking). She’s being rebellious, however.
Since I’ve been focusing some of the research on cooking, and in the meantime I’m trying out the South Beach Diet to shed those pesky five pounds, courtesy of my infant daughter that will NOT go away….I’m going to continue the research trivia based on food.
Here’s what the Victorians had to say about choice of diet:
“Occupation affects our choice of diet. Persons engaged in sedentary occupations cannot digest as much nor as easily as those who labor out of doors. They should have food that gives the greatest amount of nourishment in the smallest compass, and it should be served in the most digestible form. Those who tax their brains severely should have animal food and the most digestible forms of starchy and warmth-giving foods.”
Animal food? Sounds like we writers should be eating Kibbles N’ Bits instead of cheeseburgers. 
Michelle posted in Writing @ 3:00 am | Viewed 923 times
Margery Says:
Hmm, they knew way back then that people who move around don’t gain weight. So why do we spend millions of dollars on diet books
to tell us that?
kacey Says:
Well, I’d like to be laboring outdoors today instead of going off to work inside at the pesky day job. Does that count for anything???
Jill Shalvis Says:
“Those who tax their brains severely should have animal food and the most digestible forms of starchy and warmth-giving foods.”
Maybe I should just stop taxing my brain …
Suzanne Says:
Good luck with the South Beach diet! Low or no carb diets always make me want to stick my head in a bag of bread!
LauraP Says:
animal food = protein? I crave protein when I’m taxing my brain.
Michelle Says:
Margery–It’s funny to read diet books from the 1980s. They are so crazy.
Laura–that’s what I’m thinking. Probably meat.
I. Want. Sugar. Now.
Mary Says:
Ah, the muddle of the middle . . . of a book. Been there, and it’s tough.