What Belief Is Your Protagonist Still Clinging To?

Before the storm | First Draft November: Day 19

art by Mariam Chagelishvili

→ This week’s goal: Fully embrace the messy middle by leaning into tension, the promise of your premise, and the unexpected ways your protagonist is tested.

→ Word target: 35k words by the end of the week.

→ Looking for some daily accountability? Join the First Draft November Chat to post your daily word count and connect with your fellow writers.

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Hi writers!

We’re closing in on the midpoint, but we’re not there quite yet. By the end of this week, you’ll have around 35,000 words—which means your protagonist is still navigating the messy middle and the Fun and Games beat while holding tight to the beliefs and assumptions that have carried them this far.

Here’s today’s guiding question:

What belief is your protagonist still clinging to, and what’s about to challenge it?

Every character carries a core belief, a “rule” about how the world works. It might be:

• If I stay invisible, I’ll stay safe.

• If I can control everything, nothing can hurt me.

• If I’m perfect, I’ll be loved.

• If I have money, I have freedom.

So far, this belief has guided your protagonist’s choices. But the midpoint storm is coming: A revelation, betrayal, or truth that will shake that belief to its core.

The midpoint will bring on another kind of twist—another inciting incident or catalyst where things will change drastically for your character. To feel the impact of what will happen at the midpoint later, we need to see the belief in action now. This is the calm before the storm. Your protagonist is doubling down, defending their worldview, and maybe even acting with false confidence.

Think of this as pulling a slingshot back. The tighter your protagonist clings to their belief now, the harder that same belief will snap when the midpoint hits.

If you feel stuck

Ask yourself: What has my protagonist been relying on to get through? What situation could make them cling to this belief even harder, right before it all unravels?

Today, write into your character’s guiding belief. Let that belief steer their choices. Let that belief feel unshakable—for now. The midpoint, around 40K, will challenge everything. But this section is about building tension by showing us your protagonist’s belief at its strongest.

Happy writing!

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