This Will Change Your Writing
I’m not kidding. What I’m about to tell you will impact your story. Especially those of you who are studying, writing, trying for publication.
I’ve been judging a contest. I feel like I could cut and paste the same comments in each one.
What does the hero/heroine want?
What is the story question?
What journey are they going on?
The inciting incident has nothing to do with the opening scene.
What is his/her fears? Desire? Give a hint of these in the opening.
What is the dark moment from her past?
Show some sort of competence. Meaning, a superpower (what he/she does well.) Good at his/her job.
Show confidence in the midst of failings and weaknesses.
What is the black moment?
What can the hero/heroine do at the end they can’t do in the beginning.
If you nail down these initial traits, you will have such a strong story.
I was recently reading a budding author’s work where the heroine is called upon for a dangerous task. But there was no leading up to how this would impact her own life. Sure, it’s challenging and exciting to be on a dangerous adventure, but at the end of the day, all of that is just busyness if it doesn’t bring about change in the protagonist.
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