A Plot Curveball

When I woke up this morning, I assumed my day would follow a particular pattern. Breakfast, work, home, writing, running, and bed. Not that exciting, I know. But it's my life.

Only not all went according to plan. In fact, a big part of my usual routine is missing. Which is rather upsetting. Though people around me like to act like everything is totally normal and fine.

                                        

Though unexpected surprises pretty much stink in real life, they are gold in books.

Ever read a book where you can perfectly predict what will happen? In the YA craze of dysotopian books, I've found a formula that most of them fit. Prepare yourself, it's Earth-shattering.

Usually dysotopian books are a series, and this series makes up three books (aka a trilogy). Book one involves a girl who lives in a society run by a tyrannical government. She falls in love with Boy 1. In book two, the girl realizes that the government is corrupt, and it needs to be overthrown. Boy 2 is introduced as a potential romantic interest. Hello, love triangle! Finally, in book three, the government is taken over by the rebels and the girl must choose between Boy 1 or Boy 2. The end.

                                         

This formula has worked for a lot of popular series today. But sticking to the status quo? No, thanks. Reading a book where you can predict the ending is boring.

So add a dash of unexpected! Throw in a situation that will completely throw your reader. Have them get to the ending and be like "No way!" (A positive "no way," not the ending to Allegiant kind!).                                              

Which is a pretty good reaction to the end of a book, if I do say so myself.

Escape & A Cold Dish

Ever have one of those days?

Work stunk; your boss could care less about your ideas. Traffic jammed, and you had somewhere important to be. Maybe you didn't do so well on that test, though you knew an "A" was in your future...

                                           

Yep, those moments that are oh-so-often a part of life. And sometimes?

Well, sometimes, you need to ditch reality for awhile, N'Sync style.

                              

Everyone has different methods of escaping. My personal favorite is ice cream and a movie. Or a bag a of chips and a good book. Okay, okay. Just junk food in general.

But as writers, we have one of the awesome, "suck it, you jerk!" escapes.

                            

Annoying people in your life? That one event from high school you can't get over? Weave it into your story! This is where writers get to use the following disclaimer:

"This is a work of fiction. All characters in this novel are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental."

Read that? Entirely coincidental. Run with it.

                             

Just don't choke on your maniacal laughter. ;)