Where Exactly Are You Meant To Pinch
Talking more about pinch points
Some people claim that there are two places that pinch points happen in a story.
If you’re wondering about what pinch points are, no worries! Check out this post here.
So, where exactly in a story’s structure in Western, linear, three-act stories do these bad boys go?
Pinch Point One-The Middle Or Maybe Not
Some say that this pinch point comes pretty much the middle of the story, right smack in the center, the middle part of act two, whatever way you want to say it.
This is right where the Big Bad, the twerp, the villain, the force that’s going against your hero needs to show its strength, its power, its influence.
And it needs to show that influence in a way that either impacts what’s going on for the hero or that might impact their path.
Right here is where the stakes get a whole lot deeper. It tells the hero/protagonist and reader that this story is definitely not other.
A lot of the time, it’s where the hero realizes that there is a BIG CHALLENGE ahead and that they might be too flawed or messed up to get what they want. This could be shown through information or just a new development.
Now, others say that this is not at the exact middle, but a bit before it.
Here’s what Writers Helping Writers thinks:
“The First Pinch Point comes midway between the First Plot Point and the Midpoint. Since the First Plot Point comes in at 20%-25% into the book and the Midpoint arrives at 50%, then the First Pinch Point would be at the 3/8th mark or about 37.5%.
“With the First Pinch Point, readers need to see the antagonist and not merely hear it referenced or discussed. They need to experience it, either through the hero’s eyes or through the antagonist. In thrillers, the scene could involve a murderer stalking his next victim. Or a kidnapper playing recorded screams over the phone for the hero. In a romance novel, the First Pinch Point could be the hero’s husband being seduced by another woman (acting as the antagonist).”
Agh! I know! Which is it? I’m going with this one usually for myself and most of my writers’ structures.
Pinch Point Two-Almost at the climax.
This one is where things get a whole lot more intense and it happens near the end of the second act. This is where our hero is pushed to their max.
As a quick reminder, generally:
Act One- Set up- First 25%
Act Two-fun times, bulk of story- 25%-75%
Act Three-Figuring it all out and ending-Final 25%
So, this bad boy usually happens around the 5/8th mark or 62.5% in.
Again, Writers Helping Writers has some lovely advice here.
They write:
“A Pinch Point is a demonstration of the nature, power, and essence of the antagonist force. And now, it’s more frightening than ever because he’s upped his game, just as the hero changed at the Midpoint from a wanderer (who is trying and failing) to a real hero attacking the problem head on. The Second Pinch Point is the time to show this evil in its purest form.
“Suppose the hero meets a victim’s family member. This character shares details of how she lost her sister, how evil the antagonist really is, and warns the hero about what’s at stake should they fail.”