Debby Detering Wordcraft

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Beginning the Journey

01.06.2017 by Debby Detering // 1 Comment

An author’s first problem is where to begin the story.  An author’s last problem is to find out if the story begins in the right place.

For Crossroads, I expected the story to begin and end with Derek and Nate standing under a street light and making the decisions that would start or complete the action.

By the second draft, I knew that would be as if the brothers dropped from outer space; where did they come from? Why here?  Is this a chance meeting, or is there something behind it?  Why weren’t they together in the first place?

So I backed up. First I backed up too far and added stuff that didn’t matter either to Derek and Nate or to you, the reader.  Delete key.

But before Derek reaches that lighted spot, I must show you where he comes from and why he’s coming now.

Then Derek and Nate can get together.

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Comments

  1. Con says

    January 6, 2017 at 2:10 pm

    Thank you! Very interesting approach!

    Reply

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Debby’s fiction explores family relationships with mingled conflict and caring and reflects her experience in emergency foster care, often for teenagers abandoned in one way or another.

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