Stage VIII: The Ordeal
Many writers struggle with Act 2 – mostly because the biggest trap of it is to make it just a series of equally important ups and downs. Just the Approach and no other structure. But the Approach leads to something and no, this is not yet the story’s climax. Why? Because the Hero has not yet learned The Lesson (you know, the main one). They may have gained a few new skills but they are…