Category: Writing A Novel

Writing Fantasy || Plot Twists

What Is A Plot Twist?

As you write your story, look for ways to add an unexpected twist to the plot. These are commonly known as the ‘What If’ scenarios of fiction writing. They throw in something the reader isn’t expecting to happen in the story to add conflict, drama and adventure. Go back to your premise sentence and see where you can spice things up a little. Keep your readers guessing.

Lit sparkler demonstrating an idea

How to Write a Plot Twist

What’s expected and what would happen if it didn’t turn out that way?

Write a sentence about something in your novel your reader will expect to happen.

Now write a What If.

What if that didn’t happen at all? What would happen then?

Now turn that idea upside-down.

What if this other thing happened instead? How would the story unfold?

 

Example of a great plot twist

In her poignant novel, Rescued, Donna Fawcett (Dawson) writes about two women;

“Charlene McTaggart can’t conceive and badly wants a child. Dr Jason Steadman goes against those who would do all they can to stop a unique procedure from being performed. A procedure that will save an embryo, prevent a death and give an infertile woman a chance at motherhood”. (back cover logline)

Then Fawcett asks these questions:

“What if there was a solution to abortion?”

“What if pro-life and pro-choice could join forces to see the war over the issue end?”

“Is it possible?”

The answers to these questions fuel a powerful and emotional novel which touches the heart of the reader. As I read Donna’s book I was drawn into the world of possibilities for the female characters and eager to find out how their stories were resolved. Check out Donna’s book:

'Rescued' by Donna Dawson

What If Your Story Just Got Really Weird?

Readers crave a plot twist to keep them interested. What can you add that they may not have been written before? Write as many plot twists as you can think of. Try these exercises to get your inner Tolkien flowing:

  • It’s expected that the villain will be arrested. What if he suddenly vanishes?
  • It’s expected that the rain shower will stop. What if it turns into a red storm?
  • It’s expected that the hero will get the girl. What if she doesn’t like him one bit?

Will this plot twist change your logline? Your logline can change to accommodate your developing story as long as you remain true to your premise. Remember, your back cover isn’t published yet.

Til next time, know you are loved by the One who created you in His own image.

Lynne

Writing Fantasy || How Not to Compromise Your Faith

How do we as Christ followers write fantasy without compromising our faith? If we introduce a fantasy realm with a different belief system than our own are we setting the reader up to follow a different path of faith? Can we create a new religion without selling out our own?

Church
Keeping Your Faith Real

7 Things To Keep In Mind When Writing Fantasy As A Christian

  • Before you write anything and before you begin each day – pray. Pray for God’s guidance for each new chapter, each new topic and the whole book. You are writing the book, your name will be on the cover and you will receive accolades for a fantastic fantasy novel, but ultimately God is the one who called you to write it and He is your divine co-author who presented all those amazing ideas for you to write.

A good place to start your day is at Kimberley Payne’s blog.

  • What’s your message? Ask yourself if your story really says what you want it to say to the reader. Stay focused on the main goal. “What are you willing to compromise? What will you commit to and honour in your life? Where will you take a stand?” – Kim Gowdy in Freedom Fighters and Truth Tellers, (published by Author Academy, 2015)
  • Are you portraying Christ’s character or glamorizing evil? You will need villains but try not to make them ‘cool’ in case readers desire to emulate them.
  • Make your villains true villains. They need to believe their actions are justified but their history isn’t an excuse for their actions. Choosing to do evil is still a choice.
  • If you’re writing a redemptive story – keep the villain’s past life clearly separate from their life as a new believer. You want your story to show the dramatic change Christ brings.
  • Don’t write any faith into your story – either your own faith or anyone else’s when you write fantasy. Maybe add traditions or rites instead, things not similar to our world. Remember Christ came for human kind because we are created in His image – Elves are not. If you want Elves to be redeemed you’re looking at allegorical fantasy (paralleling Christian truths). It can be quite tricky to write so I suggest you read a lot of allegorical works by famous authors before you attempt this. I’ve listed some below.
  • If you’re writing allegorically it would be really beneficial to ask a Christian allegorical writer you trust to critique your work. If you belong to a Christian writers’ group or your best friend is a pastor, maybe you can read a passage once in a while that you feel you need a critique on. Writing allegorically requires a deeper sense of your message so you may also want to consider writing a few fantasy books to get the feel of that genre before tackling the allegory part.

Authors Who Do Christian Fantasy Well

C.S. Lewis

Ted Dekker

Benjamin T. Collier

Rachel Starr Thomson

Not sure fantasy is the right genre for you? Take my 22-page mini-course to find Your Write Voice for His Kingdom. The course has worksheets and coaching tips for writers of all genres.

Is God asking you to write for Him?
Writing for God

Until next time –

Lynne

Why I Do What I Do – My Manifesto

“The point of a manifesto is that it makes you draw a line in the sand, which forces you to clarify your message. But before you do that, you have to know what you’re about.” – Jeff Goins

I was challenged this week to write a manifesto as part of a writing exercise created by Jeff Goins, a writer and best-selling author.  In the exercise we’re called to write a few hundred words about our worldview; the problem, the solution, and what we see as our part in that solution. So here you go…

The problem as I see it is that, like many others, I didn’t know how to do what I felt ‘called’ to do. Just how do you help others? There are so many needs in the world. We can’t possibly remedy all of them as one individual. That realization brought me to find just one way I could make a difference in just one life. I had felt like a tiny boat being tossed around, lost in a sea of helplessness, without a compass to give me a sense of direction in life. I no longer felt that way. I could start there. How did I rise above the relentless waves?  How could what I had been through serve as encouragement to someone else?

The solution for me came while visiting a Christian counselling centre. I had rededicated my life and I was talking with a life coach there. She told me to write down all my attributes, educational and life experiences and see if God had already put a pattern on my life. Yes, He had! I decided to study the way God creates us all with a specific purpose in mind and see if I could realize what His assignment was for me.

The next step was to accept that assignment and put it into practice helping others to do the same. People need to know they have worth and purpose. The solution for me was to help others find their own answer to the question, “What on Earth Am I Doing Here?”

If you’re asking yourself – or God – this question, there is an answer waiting for you.  You just need to pick up your oars and start paddling in the right direction.

 

Lynne

LynneCollier.com

What On Earth Are You Doing Here?

Kingdom Purpose – What On Earth Are You Doing Here?

We’re not content to merely exist – we want to matter in this world. So how do we figure out what our own life means? If we’re not a famous evangelist or humanitarian, what’s our purpose for being here?

“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.” – (Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, 1:11-12 MSG).

We are all unique individuals, with our own unique qualities and our own unique assignment from God.  He gave us all the attributes we’d need to do His work here and feel His pleasure in our completed assignment. Take a look at a picture of space.

star-clusters-74052_640

The God who created the earth and all those amazing nebulas and supernova, dark matter and pulsars, created you and me unique and in His image to be family in His name!

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago”. – (Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, 2:10 NIV).

Whatever God has laid on your heart He has given you the ability to do. What has your heavenly Father asked you to undertake on His behalf in this kingdom on earth?

You can find my 22-page mini-course, Your Write Voice For His Kingdom, on the sidebar of the Homepage.

My Review of ‘Rescued’ by Donna Dawson

Donna Dawson now publishes under the name of Donna Fawcett, but some of her earlier work was published under Donna Dawson. It’s under this name I discovered a book titled, Rescued. I was captivated by the story from the start with the characters and how their lives initially were so different but eventually came together in an astounding decision to rescue a baby’s life. This story fascinates and compels at the same time. I was challenged to think, “What if…?”

What If…?

“What if there was a solution to abortion? What if pro-life and pro-choice could join forces to see the war over the issue end? Is it possible?”

Here’s the synopsis:

“Daphne Barrie is pregnant. Unless she aborts, she will die.

Charlene McTaggart can’t conceive and badly wants a child. Dr. Jason Steadman goes against those who would do all they can to stop a unique procedure from being performed. A procedure that will save an embryo, prevent a death and give an infertile woman a chance at motherhood”.

This book will leave you asking the same question, “What if…?”

You can read the first few pages, Donna’s author bio and a list of other books written by her by clicking the book link to Amazon.

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Lynne

(note: I’m an Amazon affiliate and receive a small fee for using their images when I promote someone’s work.)