Quality books need well-constructed main plots that include enough details and twists and turns to keep the reader engaged through the middle of the book. Unfortunately, I have come across far too many stories that seem to lose their way or their oomph after the inciting incident and before the climax. Other stories have a lot going on but things still seem disjointed. Somehow the minor conflicts that arise on the way to the final resolution seem tacked on just to have something there instead of being an integral part of the plot itself.

The best way to demonstrate what I mean is with examples.

Western Romance – Drama at the Ranch

If the main conflict of the story is a woman who inherits a horse ranch fighting to save it from an evil land developer, and the overall plot involves a romance with a hired hand who not only fulfills all of her personal dreams but also helps her save the property, all the plot points should focus on these things (and whatever subplots you create).

Some options that makes sense may include the evil land developer trespassing on the property to get information, some type of sabotage or stealing, another employee paid off by the developer to cause problems, other financial issues like broken equipment or medical bills from a work injury, and relationship issues like an ex showing up or some secret that threatens their burgeoning love. These things fit into the main story.

Problems arise when the writer picks conflicts that seem to make sense for the setting or the characters but do not meld with the overall plot. These can be dramatic instances, but they end up feeling pasted on instead of woven into the rest of the story.

Let me explain what I mean.

A barn catches on fire. If the barn catches on fire because the employee the land developer paid off commits arson as part of a threat process to get the land, it makes sense to the overall plot. If the barn catches fire because it was hit by lightning during a freak summer storm, it can provide high drama, but it does not fit. Luck (bad or good), coincidence, and random events do not serve stories as effectively as purposeful action.

A sudden medical expense. Since financial issues are a main part of the plot, it makes sense that a sudden expense would make things more dramatic and potentially interesting. If the medical expense arises from an injury caused by failing equipment on the old ranch, it suits the overall plot. If the new stable hand gets whiplash from a minor car accident in town, it can make it difficult for him to work, but it is so far removed from the plot that it seems like conflict for conflict’s sake.

Relationship breakdown of the couple. Since the growing romantic relationship is the main plot point of a romance genre story, a lot of the conflict needs to revolve around how the two people feel about each other. This makes things like miscommunication, misunderstanding, and second thoughts expected and potentially interesting plot points for the middle of the story. If the landowner finds a message from the evil developer to their new beloved that seems to implicate them, the conflict that arises plot. If the landowner runs into their ex from high school and they remember how much fun they had prom, it may cause conflict, but it has nothing to do the story you were trying to tell.

Do not tack on conflict randomly just because you need something to bolster a squishy middle. Craft main plots and subplots strong and interesting enough to weave together into the type of tale that grabs readers and will not let them go.