The Second Half of the Second Act (Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 8 of 12)

After the Midpoint, your story heats up. The Second Half of the Second Act is where your plot really begins popping. Your main characters cap the dramatic event at the Midpoint with a decision that allows them to stop reacting and start acting. Almost always, this is born of a personal revelation, even if the characters can’t yet quite put it into concrete terms. As of the Midpoint, they’re becoming someone new. They’re realizing their full power and stretching their wings to discover what they can do with that power. Their inner problems are still getting in the way, but they’re realizing they have to do something either about or in spite of them.

Because the Second Half of the Second Act leads into the intensity of the Third Act, this is your last chance to position your playing pieces. You must set up the line of dominoes that will knock into the Third Plot Point at the 75% mark. You do that by shifting the story into its “active phase.” Although your characters are not likely to be fully in control of the plot situation, they will at least be moving forward and calling a few shots, instead of letting the antagonistic force set the pace.

The Second Half of the Second Act begins with the Midpoint and spans 25% of the book to the beginning of the Third Act at the 75% mark. Characters need every bit of that space to prepare. They still have lessons to learn and problems to face so they’ll be ready to confront the antagonistic force (both inner and outer) in the Climax.

Don’t skimp on this part of the story, but beware of characters changing too much after the Midpoint. Their final personal crises won’t occur until the Third Act, and you don’t want to lessen the impact of those moments by allowing characters to reach wholeness too soon. Use this part of the book to prep them for their final battles and foreshadow the inner demons they must still face.

The Second Half of the Second Act begins with the Midpoint at the 50% mark (which we discussed in last week’s post). It is divided in two by the Second Pinch Point at the 62% mark (which we will discuss below). And it ends with the Third Plot Point at the 75% mark (which we will discuss in a few weeks).

Character Actions in the Second Half of the Second Act

The Second Half of the Second Act begins with a decisive movement from your characters. They rise from the drama and trauma of the Midpoint and respond with an action based on more informed ideas about the nature of the conflict.

For example, these actions can be:

A direct response to the antagonistic force, such as Kel’s intensified attacks on the nobles in Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn. An awakening from ignorance, such as Prince Dastan’s search for the truth about the dagger in the movie adaptation of Prince of Persia. An intensified drive toward the primary goal, such as the beginning of the Sparta Tournament in Warrior. An inner squaring of the shoulders, such as the reunion of the militia after a brutal enemy attack in The Patriot.

The series of actions in the Second Half of the Second Act mirrors the series of reactions in the First Half. In a sense, the characters are still reacting (if you peer too closely at the line between action and reaction, it quickly blurs). Now, however, the emphasis is on the characters’ inner purpose rather than raising their shields and ducking their heads. They’re not yet in control of their destiny, but at least now they’re trying to do something about that lack of control.

When contrasting the “reaction phase” with the “action phase,” remember this does not mean the characters are “passive” in the First Half of the Second Act and “less passive” in the Second Half. Rather, the distinction is that the characters were making less informed decisions prior to the Midpoint. Thanks to the insights gained at the Midpoint, they are now able to start choosing actions that are more effective, which in turn allows them to be more proactive in the plot.

This emphasis on action also shouldn’t be mistaken for the protagonist gaining power over the antagonist. In some stories, the antagonistic force will only grow stronger and more threatening the closer the characters get to the Climax. Indeed, some of the truths the characters glean at the Midpoint might be about their own comparative weakness—an understanding that allows them to make better choices based on a more realistic view of circumstances.

Characters may appear equally busy in both halves of the Second Act, and they certainly should be equally intent on moving toward the goal. The difference is that after the Midpoint, they are becoming better equipped to make progress. Sometimes this change is due to having mastered new skills, befriended new allies, or gained new information. Other times, the difference may be a realization that the only way forward is to make sacrifices and accept consequences that may have previously seemed unthinkable. Whatever the case, the Second Half of the Second Act shows what the characters have learned from previous mistakes and how they have adjusted to become more effective against the antagonistic force.

The Second Pinch Point

Halfway through the Second Half of the Second Act at the 62% mark, we find the Second Pinch Point. Like the First Pinch Point, this scene showcases the antagonistic force, either personally or in some manifestation that emphasizes its power and potential to defeat the protagonist.

Like the First Pinch Point, the Second Pinch Point ramps up the stakes and foreshadows the final confrontation between the protagonist and the antagonist. Something happens here that “pinches” the protagonist with an awareness of what is at stake and emphasizes the antagonist’s enduring capability of blocking the plot goal.

For example, the Second Pinch Point could be:

A bitter argument, as between father and son in Warrior. Renewed pursuit by the antagonist, such as the antagonist sending an assassin after the protagonist in my own Dreamlander. A demonstration of antagonistic authority, such as that displayed by the protagonist’s mother in the film Miss Potter. Further depredations by the bad guy, such as the savage beating of the protagonist’s friend in John Ford’s The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. A betrayal, such as Lando handing over Han and Leia to the bounty hunter Boba Fett in The Empire Strikes Back. A reveal that the antagonist is closing in on the protagonist, such as the Air Force officer’s realization that the protagonist escaped the freezing chamber in the movie Forever Young.

Whereas the First Pinch Point foreshadowed the Moment of Truth at the Midpoint, the Second Pinch Point foreshadows the defeat the characters will experience in the subsequent Third Plot Point. As the characters take more and more decided action in the story, their choices at the Second Pinch Point may even be responsible for some of the comparative tragedy that results at the Third Plot Point.

The Renewed Push After the Second Pinch Point

The characters’ shift from reaction to action exists on a continuum. This means they will become increasingly active as the Second Act progresses. In the section following the Second Pinch Point, this capacity for proactivity and even aggression will peak.

This final section of the Second Act is where the characters will mount a renewed push against the antagonistic force. They will use everything they have learned in an attempt to gain what they want in the plot. However, they do not yet know everything necessary to be fully successful. The hard lesson they will yet learn at the Third Plot Point will teach them their most important lesson yet. To set up what is yet to come, use this final section of the Second Act to evolve the full measure of power and insight available to your characters.

The Second Act ends with the Third Plot Point, which is a beat of two parts, beginning with a False Victory that leads into a Low Moment. In most stories, this False Victory and its subsequent defeat result from the characters overestimating their abilities. You can use the section after the Second Pinch Point to explore the thematic opposite of the characters’ initial reaction phase at the beginning of the Second Act. They have gained much power since then, but not yet all the wisdom necessary to effectively wield it.

Examples of the Second Half of the Second Act From Film and Literature

Pride and Prejudice: Elizabeth is pushed off balance by Darcy’s proposal and subsequent explanation of his supposed misdeeds. She then spends the Second Half of the Second Act realizing she’s misjudged him and that, indeed, she’s falling in love with him. Her actions in this segment are primarily internal. She actively realizes her mistakes and owns up to them, first privately and then more or less publicly in her attempts to treat Darcy with respect and kindness when they accidentally meet at Pemberley. This is an example of how the Second Half of the Second Act can be used primarily as a time of catalytic epiphany and self-realization.

It’s a Wonderful Life: After spurning Old Man Potter’s attempts to hire him, George comes to grips with his life in Bedford Falls and moves forward. He and Mary have four children, and he remains home during World War II (“4F on account of his ear”) where he continues to protect his town from Potter’s avarice and manipulation. Thanks to his renewed commitment to the Bailey Brothers Building & Loan in the aftermath of Potter’s failed attempts to buy him off, George puts his life into good order during the second half of the story.

Ender’s Game: After having the misfit Dragon Army dumped on him at the Midpoint, Ender spends the Second Half of the Second Act rising to the challenge. He knows he’s been put at an unfair disadvantage and that the instructors are deliberately testing him by pitting him against more powerful students. Instead of caving to the pressure, Ender squares his shoulders and puts in the work. His refusal to stand down transforms Dragon Army into the best army in Battle School.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World: After finally finding himself in a position to track down the enemy ship Acheron, Captain Jack Aubrey’s series of actions in the Second Half of the Second Act take him down a surprising road when his best friend, surgeon and spy Stephen Maturin, is accidentally shot. For the first time in the film, Jack breaks his obsessive pursuit of the Acheron to prioritize taking Stephen to dry land where he can be operated on to save his life.

Top Things to Remember About the Second Half of the Second Act

The Second Half of the Second Act begins with the dramatic turning point at the 50% mark. The Midpoint initiates a series of actions. Afterward, even though the characters are still reacting to some degree, they are no longer reacting from a place of ignorance. They are no longer entirely on the defensive without the ability to move forward proactively. The Second Pinch Point occurs halfway through the Second Half of the Second Act and offers yet another affirmation of the antagonistic force’s presence and power, as well as what is at stake for the characters. It foreshadows the losses that will occur at the Third Plot Point. This segment is often a place of revelation. After the Midpoint, the characters see themselves, the antagonistic force, and the nature of the plot conflict more clearly. The characters’ actions may manifest in inner revelation as well as actual aggression against the antagonistic force. In some instances, the characters’ proactivity may even cause them to deliberately ignore the antagonistic force. Although some of the characters’ problems will be resolved in this section, the major problems—both inner and outer—will remain to be solved during the Third Act. Often, the problems solved in this section will exacerbate or bring clearer focus to the underlying conflicts.

Stay tuned: In two weeks, we will talk about the Third Act.

Wordplayers, tell me your opinions! Does your protagonist start to take action in the Second Half of the Second Act? Tell me in the comments!

Related Posts:

Part 1: 5 Reasons Story Structure Is Important

Part 2: The Hook

Part 3: The First Act

Part 4: The Inciting Event

Part 5: The First Plot Point

Part 6: The First Half of the Second Act

Part 7: The Midpoint

Click the “Play” button to Listen to Audio Version (or subscribe to the Helping Writers Become Authors podcast in Apple Podcast, Amazon Music, or Spotify).

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