Strategic moments in your second act where the antagonist's strength or the story's central threat is felt directly by the reader.
A pinch point is a structural beat, typically one in each half of the second act, where the antagonistic force flexes its power and reminds the reader exactly what the protagonist is up against. The first pinch point comes between the first plot point and the midpoint. The second comes between the midpoint and the climax. Think of them as pressure valves. They exist to prevent the second act from going soft by periodically squeezing the protagonist and reminding everyone that the threat is real, present, and dangerous.
The second act is the longest stretch of your story, and it is where most manuscripts lose their momentum. Pinch points solve this by injecting the antagonist's presence at regular intervals. Without them, readers can forget what is at stake or lose their sense of urgency. A well-placed pinch point tightens the screws just when the story might otherwise start to drift.
The first pinch point is the troll attack on Halloween, a direct reminder that danger exists inside Hogwarts. The second pinch point comes when Harry sees Snape threatening Quirrell in the Forbidden Forest, escalating the sense that something sinister is happening behind the scenes.
The first pinch point is Clarice's early encounter with Lecter, where his psychological power over her becomes viscerally clear. The second pinch comes when Buffalo Bill kidnaps Senator Martin's daughter, raising the urgency to a desperate level.
The first pinch point is the sick Triceratops scene, hinting that the park's systems are failing. The second is the T-Rex breaking free during the storm, which turns theoretical danger into immediate, lethal reality.
If your villain disappears for fifty pages while your hero trains, plans, or travels, the tension evaporates. Use pinch points to remind the reader that the threat is still active, even if the protagonist does not see it directly.
The second pinch point should hit harder than the first. Think of it as escalation. The first one is a warning shot; the second is the bullet landing closer to home.
A pinch point is specifically about the central antagonistic force, not just any problem. Your hero getting caught in traffic is an obstacle. Your hero learning the villain has found their safe house is a pinch point.
Pinch points should be felt by the reader, not just noticed by careful analysts. The threat needs to land with emotional weight. If the reader is not at least a little uncomfortable, push harder.
Map out the second act of a story you are working on. Identify where your midpoint falls, then place a pinch point roughly one-third of the way into the second act and another two-thirds through. Write a brief scene for each pinch point where the antagonistic force demonstrates its power. Make the second one noticeably more threatening than the first.