Wondering how to write Act 2 of a novel? You’re not alone. Many writers consider the second act to be the most difficult.
Act 2 covers about 50% of the story—that’s a lot of pages to fill!
The basic Three-Act Story Structure doesn’t give much guidance for Act 2. Luckily, we have other story structures that go into more detail. Today, we’re going over how to write the first half of the second act using the Save the Cat! beat sheet.
Save the Cat! is a story structure developed by Blake Snyder for screenwriting and adapted by Jessica Brody for novel writing. If you missed it, I wrote a guide for writing Act 1 using this structure, which you can find here.
Act 2 Beats – How to Write Act 2 of a Novel
Act 2 is a beast, but it can also be a lot of fun. When you’re reading a book, it’s often the part you look forward to the most. But writing it is a different story.
The purpose of Act 2 is to shove your main character or characters out of their comfort zone and into a world that’s completely different from the one they’re used to. Harry goes to Hogwarts, Katniss goes to the Capitol, and Frodo leaves the Shire.
But your MC doesn’t necessarily have to travel to a new place in this act. The Princess Diaries takes place in the MC’s hometown of San Francisco. However, Mia is thrust into a metaphorical new world when her grandmother tells her that she’s a princess and she must learn how to fulfill the role.
Regardless of where Act 2 takes place, the MC is in a new situation that’s a big contrast to the life they were living in Act 1.
Act 2 covers 7 beats after the 5 beats of Act 1:
- Break Into Two
- B Story
- Fun and Games
- Midpoint
- Bad Guys Close In
- All Is Lost
- Dark Night of the Soul
Since there are so many beats in Act 2, we’re just going to go over beats 7-9. A future post will cover the rest of the beats in Act 2. Let’s get into how to write Act 2 of your novel by going over each of the story beats in the first half of Act 2.
Break Into Two
The break into Act 2 is the beat that takes the MC into the Act 2 world, a transition that should be obvious. In this scene or chapter, they begin whatever new endeavor they decided to do at the end of Act 1.
Milo Thatch and the crew hoping to find Atlantis embark on their journey (Atlantis: The Lost Empire). Marlin leaves to find his son (Finding Nemo). Margaret Tate and Andrew Paxton fly to Alaska to begin their fake dating ruse (The Proposal).
The decision to break into this act should be the MC’s and no one else’s. Someone else can present them with the decision (as Preston B. Whitmore does with Milo Thatch), but for your character to be an active protagonist, they should be the one to choose.
When the MC makes this decision, readers will want to root for them and follow their story. No one wants to watch an inactive protagonist. Readers want protagonists who are trying, who are going after the wants you set up for them in Act 1. While this is a temporary solution to their problems, it will eventually lead them to realize what they need, the thing that will actually help them get ahold of their life.
B Story
At this point in the story, the MC usually meets someone new or is forced to spend time with someone they don’t know very well. This is the B Story character, a key part of the B Story.
For an in-depth explanation of the A and B Stories, check out this article, but to put it simply, the A Story is the external story and the B Story is the internal story.
It follows then that the B Story character is related to the internal story. This character is crucial to the MC’s inner journey. They will help the MC learn the lesson they need to learn by the end of the book. They also represent the Act 2 world somehow.
This character usually takes the form of a friend, mentor, or love interest, but it can even be an antagonist. The B Story character doesn’t have to be only one character either. For example, Harry has both Ron and Hermione as B Story characters.
The B Story character may help the MC learn the theme because they have already learned this lesson themselves, or they may serve as an example of what the MC could turn into if they never learn the theme.
This single-scene beat introduces this character to the MC and the reader.
Fun and Games
The Fun and Games, the promise of the premise. This long, multi-scene beat is where the story really gets good—at least for the reader; the same might not be said for your MC.
The MC is in the new world of Act 2. They’re exploring their new situation, and they’re either having a good time or struggling a bit. Regardless, readers are having a good time watching them in this new world.
The Fun and Games takes up about 30% of the story, and its purpose is to fulfill the promise of the book’s premise and build toward the Midpoint. What happens in this beat will affect the next two beats.
Things can generally go well for the MC (with a couple of hiccups, of course), or things can go poorly (with a couple of victories). How do you decide whether they’re flourishing or floundering?
Think about your MC and the situation you’ve put them in. Are they the kind of person who would do well in this situation or would it be difficult for them?
You may also want to think about the tone of your book. If your book’s premise promises a magical tone like Harry Potter’s does, you may want this beat to match that. If your book’s premise is more serious like The Hunger Games, this beat may be better suited for a general downward path.
Midpoint
Appropriately named, the Midpoint is the middle of the book and the middle of Act 2. It’s what Act 2 has been building toward, and the turning point of the story.
It fulfills whatever path your MC has been going down.
If Act 2 of your book has generally been going well for your characters, you’ll have a false victory here. The victory is false because while things have been going well for the MC and they may have even gotten what they wanted, they still haven’t learned the theme. They haven’t grown and changed. They’re still going about things the wrong way.
Conversely, if your characters have been struggling in Act 2, your Midpoint will be a false defeat. The defeat is false because the story isn’t over yet, and—same as the false victory—the MC hasn’t learned their lesson yet. The MC may not have gotten what they wanted, or they may have gotten it but realized it won’t fix their problems or make them happy.
The Midpoint also raises the stakes of the story. After the catalyst, the MC has the opportunity to change, but they still haven’t at this point. Raising the stakes shines a light on that, showing them how much they have to lose if they don’t change and shifting the focus from wants to needs.
The A and B stories cross at the Midpoint. Bringing the internal story and the external story in conversation with each other helps the focus shift because the MC can clearly see that what they’ve been doing isn’t working. At the Midpoint, they finally start to see what they really need—though we’ve still got a ways to go before they really learn their lesson.
Example: The Selection by Kiera Cass – How to Write Act 2 of a Novel
For a breakdown of the beats in Act 1 of The Selection, check out this article. Spoilers for this book follow.
Break Into Two
After her community sends her off at the end of Act 1, America goes to the airport and boards a plane with a few other girls. As she does this, she makes the decision to forget about her ex-boyfriend, Aspen, and make the palace her sanctuary away from him. She is also firm in her decision that she doesn’t want to marry Prince Maxon or become a princess; she is only participating in the Selection for the money it will give her family.
B Story
As America travels to the palace the B Story comes into play. She proves to be kind to the other girls, unshaken by one of the other’s attempts at intimidation, and a natural when interacting with the citizens who greet them after their plane lands—all traits of a good leader and princess. But she still doesn’t want to accept that she is meant for more than just what she wants.
With the B Story comes the introduction of a few characters that highlight America’s internal story.
Marlee is one of the other girls in the Selection, and she and America become fast friends. She brings out the good in America. Meanwhile, Celeste, another of the Selected, serves as a contrast to America. She is catty and manipulative, spreading rumors and treating the other girls as enemies.
Maxon also serves as a contrast to America but in a different way. Their differences are highlighted in their interactions as it becomes clear that Maxon has led a very sheltered life while as a Five, America has had to face the harsh realities of the world, making her suited to knowing what the country’s citizens need—another great attribute for a princess.
Fun and Games
The Selection begins. America and the others arrive at the palace and receive makeovers, but America chooses to keep her look natural, making her stand out from the other girls.
There’s drama at dinner because America earned favor with the public when she greeted people at the airport. The other girls see her as a threat, but Marlee comforts her.
Overwhelmed by the events of the day and thinking of Aspen, America sends her maids away and tries to go out to the garden, but the guards won’t let her. Prince Maxon arrives and tells them to let her out. She yells at him when he calls her dear and tells him the palace feels like a cage and that she isn’t there to fight for him or the crown. Maxon is thoughtful and tries to understand where she’s coming from.
The next day, she meets Maxon officially and apologizes for how she acted in the garden. They make a deal: America will act as an insider with the other girls and a friend to Maxon if he lets her stay for her family.
At breakfast, America finds a strawberry tart so delicious that she moans when she tastes it. Maxon asks her about it, and she says she thinks her sister would cry if she tasted it. She and Maxon make a bet: if America’s sister cries, America can wear pants for a week. If she doesn’t, America owes him a walk around the grounds.
America loses the bet. On their walk, they get to know one another. But when Maxon gets too close, America expects the worst because of what the person prepping her for the Selection told her about not saying no to him and knees him in the groin. Appalled that she thinks so little of him, he tells her to eat dinner in her room and leaves. When she gets back to her room, she finds Maxon had already sent her some pants with a note saying she can wear them on Saturdays.
Midpoint
America goes to breakfast the next morning expecting to be sent home, but rebels attack during the meal. America takes action, remaining calm and helping secure the room. She sees how the queen is unflustered by the attack and wonders how many of the girls have the strength to go through the constant attacks. She encourages Marlee to collect herself.
When Maxon comes to check on her, she asks if her maids will be okay. He assures her they will, and she apologizes and explains why she kneed him. They’re able to reconcile. Maxon explains that there are two groups of rebels who could be attacking, the Northerners, who are more tame, and the Southerners, who aren’t afraid to kill.
America recommends Maxon speak to Marlee next, and after the attack is over, Marlee tells America that he asked her on a date. When America gets back to her room, she finds Lucy, one of her maids, distressed by the attack and learns that she was assaulted during a previous attack. America decides she won’t let anything like that happen to her again.
This was part 1 of my guide on how to write Act 2 of your novel using the Save the Cat! beat sheet. I’ll be posting a guide for Act 2 Part 2 and Act 3 in the coming weeks, so subscribe to make sure you don’t miss those.
