Plot Evolution

I’ve been busy writing away as the storyline for No Wake Zone has turned in some interesting directions, and haven’t updated the blog in a number of days. This happened on the last book as well, and as disruptive as it can be, I’ve come to expect and enjoy it. I’m moving along fine, but one piece of action… well, it meshes with everything else, but I think it could be MORE. I’m just not satisfied. So I think, and rethink, then think, hey, what if instead, the other character, the one originally meant to help this character after things go bad, ends up in trouble instead. (Insert evil laugher here.) That would be BAD, which in my writing, is good. Okay, just how bad could I make it? (Maniacal giggles.) What’s the worst possible thing that could happen? Perfect! Flipped around, this scene reveals key things in a new light. It works even better. It ups the action, and the stakes. But it also means I’ll have to scrap some things I’ve already written, some I really liked, that no longer fit. But after writing Last Exit, I’ve learned to let go of what doesn’t add to the story or move it forward.