Have You Lost the Plot?

Dear Maggie,

Have you ever had the plot of one of your stories turn in a direction you didn’t anticipate? How did you handle the detour?

Sincerely,

Tangled in Tacoma

Dear Tangled,

Yes, for sure! That can be a fun or stressful moment in the writing process, depending on my mindset at the time. I am a loose outliner, meaning before I begin writing the story, I’ve worked out the major plot arcs and sketched out the main and supporting cast of characters. I have an idea how the story should end, and I’v...