Let’s face it, Squiders–everyone writes a little differently. What works for one person does not work for another, and how someone sets up their story may be completely different for the next person.
But I do feel like focus is important.
What’s focus? Focus is the point of your story. Which character is most important. What they want. What the end goal is, what commentary you want to include, what makes this story your story.
Without knowing your focus, you run the risk of your story meandering uselessly all over the place, never quite consolidating into anything useful or compelling.
Or you run into massive writer’s block, because you don’t have a clear feeling for the direction things need to go.
I had a friend, recently (::waves::) who wanted plot help because things weren’t going well, but when we sat down and talked about it, it turns out the majority of the problem was that she didn’t know what her focus was. And once we talked about it and she made some decisions, things started working better.
So, do you know what your focus is?
Who’s driving the plot? Who do you want driving the plot? Are they the same person?
How does your story change if you focus on different characters/aspects? Do you like one better?
Have any tips for finding your focus, Squiders? Personal examples? (Both good and bad?)
