Have you ever had one of those when you’re writing? When you suddenly notice something that was right there, but you couldn’t see it until that exact moment in time? I recently had one, and while it gave me a bit of a headache, it was definitely a good thing.
This weekend was the Jeffery Deaver workshop in Denver. He was a great speaker – if you missed it, you don’t know how much you really missed! Jeffery was open about his writing methods, which include outlining for most of the year, then only about two months to actually write the manuscript. Hard to imagine not only doing that much outlining, but that he can write a whole book in just two months – and these aren’t small books, either.
My Eureka! moment came when he talked about how he likes to toss in a twist at the end of his stories. It might be the good guy actually is a bad guy, or the bad guy is really a good guy. It was interesting to consider, and it got me thinking. In the end, I realized I could use that tactic at the end of my Bad Carma WIP without a full rewrite and it would be a perfect twist.
Of course, it would take some re-writing, but I still needed a run-through or two of edits, anyway. On top of all that, I was scheduled for a weekend retreat a few days after the Deaver workshop, so I had quiet time to go through the story and figure out where I might have to make adjustments to work in the new material.
Will this change make the difference between not getting a contract and getting one? Who knows. But I think the story is better for it, and I never would have thought to try it without the workshop.
Next time you wait too long to make up your mind to register, or decide not to drive across town for the day, remember that it could cost you that Aha! moment, and it might not come again. RMFW’s annual education event is coming up next month, not to mention the Colorado Gold conference in September and lots of online classes and conferences this summer, so you still have more chances for your Eureka!
What can you do to enhance your story?
Find your Eureka! moment, and WRITE ON!
Terri, I like that piece of advice from Jeffrey Deaver. Another one that has struck in my mind was from a Donald Maass workshop and book when he suggested we think of something our character would never, ever do…then make them do it. It’s ideas like those that can trigger wonderful story twists.