"Okay. You’re at the point that marathon runners call “the wall.” It’s quit or finish and you’d..."

“Okay. You’re at the point that marathon runners call “the wall.” It’s quit or finish and you’d really rather quit, but you have all these words, and friends, family, and those nasty people at school or the office are waiting to see if you’ll finish.


Try something small.


Your character finds a box, a book, a message, a painting. It fascinates them until they have tracked down its history and meaning. These things can lead to a talisman for good or ill, something that carries you into your planned climax, something that helps your character meet a person they need to know for that climax to happen, something perilous that brings them to the climactic action wounded and full of doubt.”

- Tamora Pierce, on finding the cracks in the wall.