There are many great moments that happen in the gaps in between. Moments that can provide fun and laughter, or just a hint of reality. These little gems can add much more giving characters depth or showcasing their flaws. Some unexpected sideways steps I have encountered involved falling down a hole, or vomiting on a creature. Even a dragon organised rescue mission that took the other characters by surprise. No one thought it was possible for dragons to do that. It is always wonderful to have those little moments when even the characters are caught off guard.
Little Insights
Insights that occur left or right of centre are a fantastic way to explore how characters react to a situation or resolve the issue. A journey from A to B would be rather boring without a few strange encounters. Maybe there would be a clumsy mistake, or several misunderstanding along the way. Perhaps the characters never make it to their original destination. What ensues can be far more entertaining and engaging for the reader. The little moments that add to a story moving it forward as the characters develop of their own accord.
Sticky Situations
Sometimes characters will create their own sticky situations like arguing with a wizard. It could be stealing someone else’s dragon, or using a sorcerer’s orb without knowing how it works. All these can lead to a myriad of consequences that may not have been there in the plot. At first they may not be part of the plan, but it is always wonderful to find out where a story leads. Allowing characters room to move can give rise to these little opportunities along the way. So if an event takes a detour or wrong turn in a story it may be a small blessing in disguise just waiting to be explored. Have some fun, cause a bit of chaos, and have a great adventure when writing.
Chantelle Griffin 