Thank you for another cool video. I find that starting a story "In Medias Res" is the coolest way to be absorbed into a story. Writing the start of my fantasy series, and now I know what part of the story I want to start with "In Medias Res"
If you do the inciting incident in a prelude --Clive Cussler style-- one can then use the fist chapters to setup subplots which morphs into the big story problem. The discovery process happens sooner and moves faster.
Some of my favorite stories begin in Media Res, such as Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. When your chronological plot line doesn't have an exciting opener, it makes sense to start somewhere in middle or near the end of the story to hook the audience and then transition to the beginning of the story to show how the characters ended up in that situation.
This is my preferred way of writing, even though my current book is not particularly fast-paced. When I presented it to my writers' group, people got caught up in the story immediately and began asking me questions about the main character and his situation. I just smiled and said, "All will be revealed." And that's important. If you don't fill in the missing information, your story is doomed. If you reveal the information carefully, it will keep people reading. It's best to reassure your reader by giving them a little something early on so they know you intend to answer the questions you've raised. Learn restraint and save the biggest reveal for your climax.
I find the book Early Riser by Jasper Fforde does this in a great way that doesn't involve the main character being in immediate danger. The situation hooks you, the mc is in a train with a dead woman playing a single song over and over again. They have a chat with a woman who joins them and while you read their conversation you get all sorts of clues about the world and the stakes rise slowly as you get a clearer image of the situation. The chapter ends on the clear note that the mc is completely unprepared and unlikely to survive whatever happens next in the book. And _then_ you get a chapter that explains how they got there, before jumping right back to the train, ready for whatever comes next. The book isn't for everyone, but its one of my favorites and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to read something lost between sci-fi and fantasy set in a world where humans hibernate and a tiny segment of the population has to stay up to protect the masses. The world, story and characters are incredible.
We were almost to the end of the video before you saved me! At 8:08 you validated doing a time skip by shifting backwards to the beginning of the story after the initial medias res scene. Whew! That is exactly what I was planning! I'm brand new to the craft so I wasn't sure doing it that way wasn't "cheating". It makes me feel infinitely better to find out it is legitimate plot structure. However, my plan was to start just a few scenes before the climax of the story - way past the 30% mark you used as an example. Would you say that's too late into the story? It won't reveal the ending and the scene I've written so far really speaks to the overall stakes for the two main characters. It hopefully connects the reader with the character through empathy because he really is faced with a terrible choice. I think it would make the readers want to go on the ride to find out just how he ended up behind that eight ball. I'm still studying plot structure and trying to "back into" the model that feels right for me and my story. I had written all these disconnected scenes about the same two characters as a hobby. Now I've given myself the challenge of stringing them together and filling in the blanks to craft a story. So, I put the cart before the horse so to speak. As I study various plot structures, models that use a "Hook" beat stand out to me. The notion that an author has precious few minutes and only the first few pages to capture the reader feels true. I know it's how I operate as a reader. So, I started thinking about movies, tv shows and stories I've read that captured me within the first few seconds (because...yes please) and I realized many of them started in medias res. I was so excited to learn there was an actual name for doing that. Did I mention I was new to the craft of writing? LOL. I'm also wondering how I handle it when I complete the circle and get to that part in the story AGAIN, having already previewed it to the reader. Perhaps I could switch the POV to the other character in the scene to be able to rehash the events in the scene to properly pick up where I left off? The second character would be the hero's mentor; but could it be a problem to do this if it's likely to be the only scene in the book where I will have written from his point of view? Would "all of a sudden" being in the mentor's head for the first time in the story feel contrived for that purpose?? BTW, I'm doing third person limited mostly because I see it as my only option. First person wouldn't be right for my story. As far as third person omniscient goes, I read that it is no longer 'in style' and that choosing to write from that POV is viewed as an amateur mistake. That's the next thing I will be looking at: the guidelines, do's and don'ts for writing in third person limited. I think I understand the rules but trying to avoid massive rewrites so I'll want to make sure. I'm sorry this was so longwinded; but I'm grateful for any advice. This is my first project. There's both romance and aspects of a thriller but I haven't decided if it's a "romantic thriller" or if it's only one main genre with the other genre only serving as a subplot. I guess I'll look up how to decide that question but again, if anyone wants to weigh in feel free!
I've only seen this work well in serialized work, where we already know the characters. It works particularly well for the TV shows (the fabulous "three hours earlier"), but whenever I saw it in a standalone movie, I ended up screaming at the screen (and not just for the in medias res thing, but usually they're full of other issues as well--but in meadias res in those cases just feels like a cheap gimmick with no good point). The only movies who successfully do this are those who reveal the ending (Fight Club, The Loft), but I don't think that qualifies as in medias res. The Loft opens with a man falling off a building, but you only see his shoes. It ends with two men struggling on a balcony--you know one of them is going to fall, but you don't know which one.
Thank you for another cool video.
I find that starting a story "In Medias Res" is the coolest way to be absorbed into a story.
Writing the start of my fantasy series, and now I know what part of the story I want to start with "In Medias Res"
If you do the inciting incident in a prelude --Clive Cussler style-- one can then use the fist chapters to setup subplots which morphs into the big story problem. The discovery process happens sooner and moves faster.
Some of my favorite stories begin in Media Res, such as Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. When your chronological plot line doesn't have an exciting opener, it makes sense to start somewhere in middle or near the end of the story to hook the audience and then transition to the beginning of the story to show how the characters ended up in that situation.
Great video. Love this style.
This is my preferred way of writing, even though my current book is not particularly fast-paced. When I presented it to my writers' group, people got caught up in the story immediately and began asking me questions about the main character and his situation. I just smiled and said, "All will be revealed." And that's important. If you don't fill in the missing information, your story is doomed. If you reveal the information carefully, it will keep people reading. It's best to reassure your reader by giving them a little something early on so they know you intend to answer the questions you've raised. Learn restraint and save the biggest reveal for your climax.
A super teacher ! Well done .
Very helpful summary. Thank you for the insights!
I find the book Early Riser by Jasper Fforde does this in a great way that doesn't involve the main character being in immediate danger.
The situation hooks you, the mc is in a train with a dead woman playing a single song over and over again. They have a chat with a woman who joins them and while you read their conversation you get all sorts of clues about the world and the stakes rise slowly as you get a clearer image of the situation. The chapter ends on the clear note that the mc is completely unprepared and unlikely to survive whatever happens next in the book. And _then_ you get a chapter that explains how they got there, before jumping right back to the train, ready for whatever comes next.
The book isn't for everyone, but its one of my favorites and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to read something lost between sci-fi and fantasy set in a world where humans hibernate and a tiny segment of the population has to stay up to protect the masses. The world, story and characters are incredible.
We were almost to the end of the video before you saved me! At 8:08 you validated doing a time skip by shifting backwards to the beginning of the story after the initial medias res scene. Whew! That is exactly what I was planning! I'm brand new to the craft so I wasn't sure doing it that way wasn't "cheating". It makes me feel infinitely better to find out it is legitimate plot structure. However, my plan was to start just a few scenes before the climax of the story - way past the 30% mark you used as an example. Would you say that's too late into the story? It won't reveal the ending and the scene I've written so far really speaks to the overall stakes for the two main characters. It hopefully connects the reader with the character through empathy because he really is faced with a terrible choice. I think it would make the readers want to go on the ride to find out just how he ended up behind that eight ball.
I'm still studying plot structure and trying to "back into" the model that feels right for me and my story. I had written all these disconnected scenes about the same two characters as a hobby. Now I've given myself the challenge of stringing them together and filling in the blanks to craft a story. So, I put the cart before the horse so to speak. As I study various plot structures, models that use a "Hook" beat stand out to me. The notion that an author has precious few minutes and only the first few pages to capture the reader feels true. I know it's how I operate as a reader. So, I started thinking about movies, tv shows and stories I've read that captured me within the first few seconds (because...yes please) and I realized many of them started in medias res. I was so excited to learn there was an actual name for doing that. Did I mention I was new to the craft of writing? LOL.
I'm also wondering how I handle it when I complete the circle and get to that part in the story AGAIN, having already previewed it to the reader. Perhaps I could switch the POV to the other character in the scene to be able to rehash the events in the scene to properly pick up where I left off? The second character would be the hero's mentor; but could it be a problem to do this if it's likely to be the only scene in the book where I will have written from his point of view? Would "all of a sudden" being in the mentor's head for the first time in the story feel contrived for that purpose??
BTW, I'm doing third person limited mostly because I see it as my only option. First person wouldn't be right for my story. As far as third person omniscient goes, I read that it is no longer 'in style' and that choosing to write from that POV is viewed as an amateur mistake. That's the next thing I will be looking at: the guidelines, do's and don'ts for writing in third person limited. I think I understand the rules but trying to avoid massive rewrites so I'll want to make sure.
I'm sorry this was so longwinded; but I'm grateful for any advice. This is my first project. There's both romance and aspects of a thriller but I haven't decided if it's a "romantic thriller" or if it's only one main genre with the other genre only serving as a subplot. I guess I'll look up how to decide that question but again, if anyone wants to weigh in feel free!
I'm practicing how to write college admission essays in AP English and In Media Res is surprisingly hard to write in. Thanks for the tips!
Technically, it's "in mediaS res." :)
Very helpful. Thank you.
My favorite In Media Res Book is The Last Werewolf By Glen Duncan
I've only seen this work well in serialized work, where we already know the characters. It works particularly well for the TV shows (the fabulous "three hours earlier"), but whenever I saw it in a standalone movie, I ended up screaming at the screen (and not just for the in medias res thing, but usually they're full of other issues as well--but in meadias res in those cases just feels like a cheap gimmick with no good point). The only movies who successfully do this are those who reveal the ending (Fight Club, The Loft), but I don't think that qualifies as in medias res. The Loft opens with a man falling off a building, but you only see his shoes. It ends with two men struggling on a balcony--you know one of them is going to fall, but you don't know which one.
Limitless, the bluest eye novel Toni Morrison, serpico. But too much time flipping is very annoying.
YAS shaelin!!!😍💅🏻✨
Shaelin Kween SLAYYY 💅🏻✨👸🏻💄
Can you give some examples of novels using this structure?
big little lies by liane moriarty