Hi fiction lover! So, I don’t know where exactly you are in your writing journey. But I have a feeling that you might be questioning how important story beats actually are. I know I still do! Actually, I would like to just pants my whole novel without any care about Acts or important turning points. But, the reason why systems like Save the Cat and the Hero’s Journey are so respected is that they work! I would like to explore every different story beat with you, but I have a special one for you today. So, what is the dark night of the soul in writing? Why is it important? I will give you a real life example too to help you remember what a dark night truly is. Shall we get started?
What Is the Dark Night of the Soul
A story beat is an important plot point that will change the course of the narrative. You might have heard a lot about the inciting incident—the change from the norm and the start of the adventure. It’s where a lot of authors start when first thinking about their story. Further in the story, the dark night of the soul occurs in the latter part of the second act. Here, the hero reaches the lowest of the low. In fact, it follows the story beat where it appears that “all is lost.”
Now, this might be easier to picture in a fantasy story. For instance, the hero could fail to subdue the evil king—he is sent into the dungeons and left for dead. However, what could this look like in a contemporary story? In a YA story, it might look like the school’s drama program shutting down for the theater-kid protagonist. It might look like a broken relationship in a romance novel when the protagonist fails to address their differences with their lover.
The dark night of the soul is echoed throughout what we experience as human beings. We’ve all been at the rock bottom at some point! So having a main character experience darkness (even if it isn’t the most dramatic—it doesn’t have to be a brush with death) gives them a realness that will help the reader relate to them. It will make their victory all the more sweeter, whether that be slaying a dragon or finally getting that first kiss. In the case that your book has a more negative arc, the dark night of the soul will lead the protagonist to their demise.
I guess it’s the theme of this blog post, but sorry to get so dark! So, are you inspired to think about your protagonist’s dark night of the soul? What are some of the ideas flowing through your head right now?
My Dark Night Experience
Like I mentioned, we all know what it’s like to be in a dark pit. Everyone from King David in the Bible to our favorite heroes like Katniss Everdeen know what it’s like. In fact, we don’t experience just one.
I had a dark night of the soul experience recently, actually. One day, I began to spiral after feeling inadequate, like a person who doesn’t deserve anything good to happen to him. Even though I knew in my head that I have worth, my thoughts began to revolve around one thought—I can’t do this anymore.
With tears welling up in my eyes, I got home and went to the bathroom. I heard a song playing. Weirdly, it was from my phone in my pocket. I took it out.
“Stay Alive” by BTS’ Jungkook and Suga was playing. Now, I have listened to this song before. But probably not in a year. Why was it playing all of a sudden?
I believe it was a sign from God to keep holding on, not to give up on the life that I was given. I quickly screenshotted the song (what you see above), and then I told myself never to forget the moment. Sure, I still felt negative thoughts, but I had hope.
And that’s what I’d like to mention about the dark night of the soul. There is always a sliver of hope, something for your protagonist to grab onto. In this story beat, they examine themselves, and they reflect on something dying—no matter how big or small. But the story doesn’t end there. They can keep going. They can find something (many times someone) to hold onto.
What story beat would you like me to explore next? Thank you for checking out what is the dark night of the soul in writing with me. Go to my blog for more about fiction, fandom, and joy through story.