Plot Heading South? Take a Trip to the Twilight Zone!

Did you ever set out on a road trip or a vacation, and somewhere along the way, miss a turn and realize you were lost? (Perhaps, that’s why I don’t drive in big cities. Turning around in the middle of a four lane freeway is a bit of a stretch when there’s traffic crisscrossing in front of me from all directions.)

Today, we have GPS devices and so many other bells and whistles at our disposal that losing our way is a rarity. From time to time, though, it can still happen. (And to be honest, even when we think we’re traveling the right direction, occasionally, we misjudge and have to either retrace our steps or plot a new course entirely.)

Writers realize that changing direction is a way of life. As we craft, plot, and edit our stories, we learn what paths to take and what avenues to steer clear of. It’s a maturity that’s gained over time.

Novice writers may roll full steam ahead using whatever method suits them or whatever trend seems to be the next big thing. The seasoned writer will know when to pause, reflect, and redirect if something within the story isn’t working. I believe it’s “writer’s intuition” (which, for me, is closely linked with a nudge from the Holy Spirit.)

Like others, I cringe when I think about the first few manuscripts I initially penned. The writing was weak, the characters boring, and the plots a bit lame. I hadn’t yet mastered the art of self-discipline or the necessary writing skills to effectively craft a compelling story. My “roadmap” was lacking.

I rarely watch much television, but recently, a few episodes of the old Twilight Zone series aired. These episodes were dated from the early to mid 1960’s and, of course, by today’s standards might be viewed as rather lame.

I think the main reason the show became such a hit at the time was because of the unique spin that was always attached to the plot. And if you’ve ever watched any of these old episodes, sometimes the problems or dilemmas were resolved and sometimes they weren’t. Often, the viewer was left with the what if cliffhanger at the very end. One could dream up his or her own scenario of what might have happened. And this show worked.

Despite the limited sets, the cheesiness of some of the dialogue, and the generational stereotypes, the plots intrigued. The writer(s)–I believe it was mainly Rod Serling–tapped into those scenarios that we so often think about, but don’t truly believe could happen. He played mind games with the mundane and substituted the fantastic for “normal.”

Times have changed, but one thing remains the same. A great story is what will draw us. A good plot will outshine all the special effects, and sometimes even the characters, when it’s conveyed well. (Think of the box office bombs who’ve commanded megawatt stars and cost millions of dollars to make. Even stellar performances and fancy bells and whistles can’t trump a good story.) 

Like anything we learn to do well, we have to examine which methods work best and then implement them. It’s often a lengthy exercise in diligence, patience, and perseverance, but one that will reap us the most benefit down the road.

I’ve discovered that there are some things that we, as writers, can do to enhance our journey during our writing travels:

Utilize a critique partner/group. Feedback isn’t just nice, it’s essential. They’ll catch spelling errors and plot snafus when your eyes won’t after looking at your own material for months on end.

Join writers’ organizations. Writing is a solitary experience. Camaraderie with fellow authors is important. Writers “get” other writers when no one else does. It’s also a must if you want to grow your craft and stay abreast of industry news, and also make new friends along the way!

Read your work aloud. If it sounds too cornballish, it just may be. Unless you have a God-given comedic flare, perhaps the funny bone routine is best left to others.

Study people. The truth is sometimes stranger than fiction–just know when to draw the line. (I’ve gleaned plenty of story/dialogue ideas just from watching and listening at the mall…and at Starbucks inside the mall.)

Maintain consistency in characters. If Sally Sue is a kind-hearted do-gooder through three-fourths of your novel, don’t have her suddenly change course during the last one-fourth of your story and make her into a hard-hearted Hannah. Unless your character is set to have a mental collapse of some sort, this type of thing isn’t believable, and that scenario would work best earlier in your story anyway.

Careful on the euphemisms. Sometimes, for instance, in inspirational romance or faith-based fiction, we must rely on euphemistic phrases from time to time. Specific words aren’t acceptable or appropriate within CBA guidelines.  Too many euphemisms, however, can seem cheesy or  humorous when that’s not the intent at all.

Don’t make your Christian characters too wimpy. Unless that’s an intentional character trait, to portray Christians as scaredy-cat pantywaists is a mere generalization. And a bad one, at that. On the other hand, don’t paint them as pompous, pious, or too “holier-than-thou.” That’s not realistic either. There has to be a happy medium, in other words.

Read books. Lots. Especially in the genre you write. Don’t try to emulate your favorite authors, but find your own voice instead. I know I’ve said this before, but if you write in such a way that’s not truly who you are, it’ll be uncomfortably clear.

Come out of the starting gate ready for action. And keep it up during the beginning, the middle, and the end of your story. Even during those quieter lulls, right before conflict or just after, there should be the sense of “Wow! What’s next?” We want our readers to keep turning those pages, or at the very least, salivate over what’s yet to come!

Remember, if your plot starts to head south, just pop in a Twilight Zone DVD for inspiration. If the story doesn’t grab you, the do-do-do-do do-do-do-do music will!

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Can you think of an example of an old movie/T.V. series that, despite the disadvantage of modern-day film techniques, etc., had a compelling theme or plot? One that you’re bound to never forget?