CLASS 38: Managing the Muddle in the Middle

Your fingers are poised over the keyboard. You have a rocking first act to your novel, and you even have an idea of how to end your story with a twist and a bang and a shot at certain bestsellerdom. But now what? How are you going to get from that great beginning to the kickass ending? You've hit the muddle in the middle. Raymond Chandler once advised: “When in doubt, bring in a man with a gun." What did he really mean by that? And how can it work for you? 

USA Today best-selling author Hank Phillippi Ryan will show you how these central pages can be crafted to intrigue, surprise, and delight your readers–and have them turning the pages as fast as they can. In addition to practical advice and specific tips, you will leave this session with a clear and exciting path toward the magic in the middle. 

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HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN is the USA Today bestselling author of 15 psychological thrillers, winning the most prestigious awards in the genre: five Agathas, five Anthonys, and the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award. She is also on-air investigative reporter for Boston's WHDH-TV, with 37 EMMYs and dozens more journalism honors. National book critics call her “a superb and gifted storyteller.” Her current novel is the page-turning standalone THE HOUSE GUEST, a story of psychological manipulation exploring the dark heart of marriage and friendship. Publishers Weekly says “Ryan is a master of suspense!” and Library Journal says "Ryan is has a gift for writing superb suspense." Hank is the co-host and founder of THE BACK ROOM, host of CRIME TIME on A Mighty Blaze, and co-host of FIRST CHAPTER FUN. Watch for her newest thriller ONE WRONG WORD, coming February 2024.