Yesterday we broke out Act one by adding three to five bullet points underneath each of the numbered points in Act 1. I am certain no one is surprised that today’s task is to do the same with Act 2. I always find this one the most interesting to break out. Here is where we have the obstacles that our characters must face as they continue through the story. Sometimes when I am writing I will find that I’ve been too easy on my character and not given them enough hardship. Other times I will realize the obstacles are out of order.
This is not only a good time to shift them about a bit if they need to be, but also a good time to think about how each of the obstacles will be dealt with. Remember this is not a chapter break out yet. When you sit down to write you may realize that your characters need to juggle several problems at the same time. They may not move from clearing away obstacle one and then dealing with obstacle two. They may be faced with Obstacle one and then as they are preparing to deal with it obstacle two hits so they need to deal with the problems simultaneously. When they deal with them is something we will figure out when we get to breaking out the chapters. For right now, we just need the bullet points of how they go about dealing with the issues the obstacle raises. The goal for this is to think about how we want the problems dealt with so we don’t start writing and write ourselves into a corner where there is no way out.
With that in mind, let’s jump into our Example. The first thing we are going to do is read over the bullet points we broke out for Act 1. With Bob that is…
Bob: Act 1
1: The start of the Story. Bob is working for his Father-in-law as he had a heart attack and there was no one else available to keep the family business afloat. (trapped)
The business is a lumber yard.
Bob is running the lumber yard, show a little day to day before things get crazy.
Bob is very good at organizing things and following a plan while Henry (FiL) flies by the seat of his pants calling his loose and disorganized stacks of things the traditional method that workd for him despite things going missing and the system clearly not working.
2:The issue with the everyday world: Bob went to school to be a Marine Biologist but even though he takes small jobs in his field when he can, he feels that more and more of his life is becoming about the Lumber Yard. (lost, trapped, sad, exhausted)
After work Bob goes home and we see his man cave/lab where he works on small projects, primarily data analyzation.
His wife Sarah is out with friends so he makes a sandwich and eats while he works.
At breakfast they don’t have much to say to each other. Show the repetitive circle.
Add in comments about family. He wants her to talk to her father, she doesn’t want to get involved but defends the family not Bob. He then goes back to work to start a day much like the last.
3: Inciting Incident: Bob had to change systems and processes when he started taking over because the business was heading for bankruptcy and now that they are in the black Henry insists on going back to the way things were and making things more miserable (actively miserable) for Bob at work. (determined and miserable)
Henry who is back for a limited number of hours each day tries to input something into the system and it won’t let him do it the old way because it is a new system. He is yelling at the computer when Bob arrives.
Bob explains it again and Henry points to out of date charts. Henry wants to go back to his scribbled notes and post it notations and Bob says they can’t because of the number of people accessing the data. Henry says he is the one who needs to know and everyone can just ask him.
Bob tries hard to avoid pointing out that Henry’s system was running them into bankruptcy. Specifically avoids mentioning money so as not to start that argument.
4:Chocies: His FiL hints (in several unsubtle ways) that he should quit, giving him the opportunity of walking away. (annoyed, underappreciated)
Henry says that now he is better they should get back to his system since Bob isn’t going to be there forever. Also says things along the line of getting rid of him and the new system at the same time.
Mention of how Chuck is now old enough to take on more responsibility and how he should be in charge because he is family.
Small digs in general to undermine Bob in the eyes of the family.
Show those not family appreciate Bob being there.
Bob knows they are currently in the black and he thinks about leaving.
5: Second thoughts: Bob realizes that if he leaves everything will go back to being run the way it was and the business will fail in a year or two. (responsible, determined)
Bob knows that the inventory and sales system with trackers will be shut off by Henry as soon as he walks out the door.
He also knows Henry’s system can’t keep track of things. It was fine when they were a small operation, but they are much larger and Henry’s system didn’t work before the Heart attack. Five years later dropping the system everyone else is using will cause major problems and spiral things back towards bankruptcy.
Bob knows if he leaves and they fail he will be blamed even if he isn’t there.
Bob also knows if it does start to go down, Henry could have another attack and he will be called back to fix the mess he already cleared up once before.
6:Decision:Bob decides he will train some of the others so they will understand the system and then once they can manage things competently he will pull himself out of the company so it doesn’t just collapse. (pleased with himself, hopeful for an exit strategy)
Bob realizes he can’t stay. It is killing him.
He also knows he doesn’t want to come back when the ship goes down again.
Bob looks at the family members trying to figure out who can keep things running or keep Henry from destroying the system so it won’t collapse and he can escape.
And so after our quick read through, we look at how Act 2 stands before we add the bullet points…
Bob:Act 2: Complications
7:Bob makes a list of the family working for the company looking at strengths and weaknesses so he can see who to pass which jobs to. (Hopeful)
8:Obstacle #1: He finds out that most of the family wants to be seen to be in charge without actually doing the work.(annoyed, dismayed)
9:Plan to deal with Obstacle #1: Bob figures if he has the system set up so that the underlings take care of things and the ‘in charge’ family only has to sign off so they look like they are the one with authority it would work best so he decides to shift the systems, protocols and checklists so it is ‘foolproof’ and easy to manage. (determined, sneaky)
10:Obstacle 2: Bob finds out one (or more) of the family is embezzling. (annoyed, angry, exhausted)
11:Plan for dealing with Obstacle 2:Bob puts in a system of checks and balances closing up the avenue for theft and will be telling FiL about it so he can decide how he wants to handle the theft now that it has been stopped. (tired and nervous but determined)
12:Midpoint (twist): Bob discovers that if his FiL fires him than according to the contract he signed there is a hefty severance package coming his way that his FiL does not want him to have and is therefore trying to make him quit instead of firing him. (Angry, used, dismissed)
13:Dealing with the Midpoint: Bob realizes that his work will never be valued and that while he will reassign duties he will make his FiL fire him. (angry and determined, maybe slightly vindictive)
14:Obstacle 3:Bob finds out his wife is having an affair with George. (Sad, used, stupid, dismayed, angry)
15:Plan for Obstacle 3: Bob confronts his wife about the affair and they decide to separate. (angry, relieved)
16:Obstacle 4: FiL goes in with the help of Chuck and removes the systems Bob put in place to keep them stable and the pilfering down. (annoyed)
17: Plan/deal with Obstacle #4: Bob decides that as he is getting divorced then it is no longer his concern and he doesn’t fight them removing the system. He will be leaving anyway so let them go down the tubes. (relaxed, free or almost so)
18: Crisis: FiL decides that Bob is the one who is embezzling funds from the company. (Upset, panicked)
And now we add our bullet points under each for Bob, remember, this is just what is done. We can fiddle with when it is done when we get to our chapter break out. So…
Bob:Act 2: Complications
7:Bob makes a list of the family working for the company looking at strengths and weaknesses so he can see who to pass which jobs to. (Hopeful)
Bob knows only family will do because no matter how competent they are Henry will always treat family as better regardless of the reality.
Bob makes his list and adds strengths and weaknesses of each to his list.
Bob ranks all of the family in order to figure out who will actually be the most stable.
8:Obstacle #1: He finds out that most of the family wants to be seen to be in charge without actually doing the work.(annoyed, dismayed)
When ranking the family he finds that henry wants Chuck in charge regardless, which will be a disaster.
Henry has a hierarchy but he also realizes that the rest of the family doesn’t agree with it and has their own ideas about who should be in charge.
They all want to be king of the hill and have all the others reporting to them.
The general management system for the family is to order someone to do something without figuring out the details of how it should be done.
9:Plan to deal with Obstacle #1: Bob figures if he has the system set up so that the underlings take care of things and the ‘in charge’ family only has to sign off so they look like they are the one with authority it would work best so he decides to shift the systems, protocols and checklists so it is ‘foolproof’ and easy to manage. (determined, sneaky)
Knowing that the family is not detail oriented, he sets up internal systems and protocols for the people actually doing the work to follow in the hopes it will keep everyone on course.
Bob also starts splitting up management responsibilities so that everyone in the family has something “Important’ they can be in charge of thinking that if he gives hem each their own kingdom they might not try to rule the empire.
Bob figures out a way to make it look like Chuck is running the whole thing in order to make Henry Happy even though Chuck is the worst of the lot. (Entitled and believes he should be in charge despite having none of the skills required)
10:Obstacle 2: Bob finds out one (or more) of the family is embezzling. (annoyed, angry, exhausted)
Bob sets up his systems and notices some discrepancies in the ordering system. In some cases Orders were put in, marked as delivered and paid for but the companies supplying items are unfamiliar and the inventory doesn’t line up.
Bob delves into the orders and finds the companies don’t exist and it is just a way to move money.
He checks the details of the other systems and realize there are missing funds and other thefts making it more than one person involved.
11:Plan for dealing with Obstacle 2:Bob puts in a system of checks and balances closing up the avenue for theft and will be telling FiL about it so he can decide how he wants to handle the theft now that it has been stopped. (tired and nervous but determined)
Bob sets up a check system so only the recognized vendors are approved and all others are flagged. They have to be sent up for approval. At the moment, Bob is the one who has to give approval but he will need to figure out a longer term solution.
Bob sets up an audit of the system to make certain the accounting based thefts are all tagged.
Bob sets up an inventory of the warehouses and a checklist system so that items don’t walk off.
12:Midpoint (twist): Bob discovers that if his FiL fires him than according to the contract he signed there is a hefty severance package coming his way that his FiL does not want him to have and is therefore trying to make him quit instead of firing him. (Angry, used, dismissed)
Bob overhears a conversation where Henry is talking to someone about ways to make Bob quit because of the clauses.
Bob hears grumbles about the new systems mostly from those who were using them to steal and how they know he will soon be out and things can go back to the way they were.
Bob checks the contract he signed when he started and realizes that if Henry fires him there are compensations that Henry doesn’t want to give him which is why he wants Bob to quit.
13:Dealing with the Midpoint: Bob realizes that his work will never be valued and that while he will reassign duties he will make his FiL fire him. (angry and determined, maybe slightly vindictive)
Overhead conversations make him realize he gets the blame for unpopular systems but no credit for bringing them back from the edge of bankruptcy and never will.
Bob locks away emptions and starts reassigning duties.
Bob decides that he will make sure Henry has to fire him. Since he doesn’t value the work then he will pay the recompense and Bob will consider them even.
14:Obstacle 3:Bob finds out his wife is having an affair with George. (Sad, used, stupid, dismayed, angry)
Bob spots his wife at lunch with George and realizes it looks a little too intimate.
He overhears part of a conversation that confirms his supicions.
To round it out he goes looking through their credit card receipts and finds hotel room bills.
15:Plan for Obstacle 3: Bob confronts his wife about the affair and they decide to separate. (angry, relieved)
Bob waits for Sarah and before she can leave with her friends he asks her point blank about the affair. She admits it. They fight and she tells him she wants a divorce before storming out.
Bob realizes she doesn’t love him anymore and he realizes he no longer loves her.
Bob calls his lawyer and gets the paperwork for the divorce into motion. He also begins inventorying all their assets and splitting them out on paper.
16:Obstacle 4: FiL goes in with the help of Chuck and removes the systems Bob put in place to keep them stable and the pilfering down. (annoyed)
Bob goes into the office and realizes several of his systems have been deleted.
Henry brags about them no longer being needed. He checked with Chuck and Chuck agreed.
Henry has new sheets pinned to his cork board and plans to run the company as he once did.
17: Plan/deal with Obstacle #4: Bob decides that as he is getting divorced then it is no longer his concern and he doesn’t fight them removing the system. He will be leaving anyway so let them go down the tubes. (relaxed, free or almost so)
Realizing that as he is getting divorced this is no longer his problem, Bob doesn’t complain. He just tells Henry that as long as he wants to sign off on things, he is good with it.
He also tells Henry that with the systems removed he will have to figure out how to deal with the thefts. He gives Henry a list of what he found (he has a back up copy.)
Bob starts transferring systems out and makes Henry and Chuck deal with the irate calls that come in.
18: Crisis: FiL decides that Bob is the one who is embezzling funds from the company. (Upset, panicked)
The take over isn’t going as Henry has planned and he is now dealing with a mess, but refuses to back down from his stance.
Chuck yells at people wondering why things are no longer running smoothly.
People start to quit and contracts become muddled.
Henry is irritated and decides he needs a scape goat so he blames Bob for the embezzlement.
Ten til Midnight 