Reactions to the First Plot Point
THE FIRST HALF of the Second Act is where your characters find the time and space to react to the First Plot Point. The First Plot Point is definitive because it forces the character into irreversible reaction. That reaction, which will lead to another reaction and another and another, launches your Second Act.
Exercise: To build the First Half of the Second Act, start by listing your protagonist’s reactions to the First Plot Point.
Question #1: What is your protagonist’s reaction to the new or altered setting in the Second Act?
Question #2: What is his reaction to the thwarting of his story goal in the First Plot Point?
Question #3: What is his new or altered goal in the aftermath of the First Plot Point?
Question #4: How is your protagonist now reacting to pressure from the antagonist?
Question #5: How is the protagonist currently at a disadvantage in the conflict with the antagonist?
Question #6: In what ways does the antagonist currently control the conflict?
Reference: Structuring Your Novel, chapter 7, pages 89-94.