A Fun Test to Check Your Scene's Narrative Drive

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

Dusting off an oldie but goody for today. Here's a fun diagnostic quiz from 2011 to help you determine if your plot is doing its narrative job or just laying there without direction.

It's not an uncommon situation: You've finished your book, it's well written, the story is good, but for some reason the plot is just laying there, and you don't know what to do to make it better. It's not bad, but it's not making anyone eager to read it either.

Knowing a book isn't working and not knowing why can be horribly frustrating. I've had my share of flat stories, and I've found that when things aren't clicking, it's usually one of two things--lack of narrative drive (goals) or lack of stakes. Often a blend of the two, since they're very connected.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com