Does Write Your Novel From The Middle describe chiastic structure?
My initial thoughts on whether or not Write Your Novel From The Middle describes chiastic structure is that it could be but may be presented from a different angle.
I read Write Your Novel From the Middle by James Scott Bell and reviewed the Novel Marketing episode on chiastic structure as well as the interview with James Scott Bell on writing short stories.
Does Write Your Novel From The Middle describe chiastic structure?
There is a good chance Write Your Novel from the Middle alludes to chiastic structure. In his book James Scott Bell speaks of the three-act structure, but two pillars. It seems the “magical midpoint” or “mirror moment” he describes may happen in the middle of Act two. (see illustration on p. 19)
Perhaps dividing the story into two parts like this:
Act 1 + Act 2a midpoint Act 2b + Act 3
In novels and movies, he looked at the middle of the content to find the flip.
“The true midpoint is not a scene. It’s a moment within a scene." p. 25 Write Your Novel from the Middle, James Scott Bell
Movies he references:
Lethal Weapon
Casablanca
The Godfather
Hunger Games
Scrooge
In each movie he describes the “mirror moment” which may equate to the peripety Thomas described in the chiastic structure episode:
“A peripety is a sudden and unexpected change in circumstances or fortune. It’s also known as “a reversal of circumstances” or “central turning point.” Often, the protagonist’s goal changes in some fundamental way.” - Novel Marketing episode, How to Write Enduring Bestsellers with the Two-Act Chiastic Structure
With the Scrooge example, James Scott Bell describes Dicken’s technique:
“Such a transformation needed to be seen, and Dickens essentially reverses everything Scrooge was in the first act by providing countervailing actions in the third.” p. 33 Write Your Novel from the Middle, James Scott Bell. (underline emphasis mine)
James Scott Bell on short stories from Novel Marketing episode:
James Scott Bell talks about a flip in the story in his interview for the Novel Marketing episode on how to write short stories:
“I teach writers to find the one definite point you’re writing toward. When you know that point, you’re free to place that structural element anywhere in your story. The greatest short stories, the ones that work, are about one shattering moment.
"The story revolves around something that happens that changes a character on the inside or flips their perspective on life. The moment shatters their complacency or the operating principle of their life. The greatest short stories explore those shattering moments that have a tremendous emotional impact on the characters and the reader.” – James Scott Bell interviewed by James L. Rubart on Novel Marketing, Jan 5, 2022 episode (underline emphasis mine)
https://www.authormedia.com/how-to-write-short-stories/
Chiastic consideration
In Write Your Novel From The Middle on p. 26, James Scott Bell illustrates the “mirror moment” at the top of a triangle, with “pre-story psychology” and “transformation” the left and right base of the triangle respectively. ^
Mirror moment
Pre-story psychology Transformation
In the Novel Marketing episode on chiastic structure, Thomas illustrates examples from the Bible. Visually they appear to point in toward a mid-point, or consider, as a triangle on its side. l>
Could these two illustrations be describing the same structure? Consider rotating James Scott Bell’s visual triangle onto its side:
Pre-story psychology
Mirror moment
Transformation
Does that line up with the chiastic structure as illustrated in the examples from the Bible?
Additional quotes from Write Your Novel From The Middle:
“Whether you are a plotter or pantser, just thinking about what the “look in the mirror” might reveal will help you bring depth and cohesion to your novel.” p. 25
“The true midpoint is not a scene. It’s a moment within a scene. It’s like the earth’s core. The true center. Find it in your novel, and everything will radiate from it.” p. 25
Personal observation
To personalize the observation, when describing my own experience as a reader, I mentioned this in the November ONM office hours:
“Chiastic structure feels like the secret pull in a story that creates the cohesion you experience but can’t necessarily articulate.” – Susan Brehmer, ONM office hours November 1, 2024
I find it noteworthy that I used the same word “cohesion” in my observation as a reader that James Scott Bell used in his comment for writers:
“Whether you are a plotter or pantser, just thinking about what the “look in the mirror” might reveal will help you bring depth and cohesion to your novel.” p. 25, James Scott Bell in Write Your Novel From The Middle
Incidentally, I ordered James Scott Bell’s book after the ONM office hours call and received and read it a week or so after that.
Conclusion
While James Scott Bell doesn’t reference chiastic structure, the elements he describes point to a similar structure and are perhaps just being viewed from a different angle – or side of the triangle.