The Break

by Katie Sise

Now I wonder if it isn’t just a tiny bit cruel to be so unwilling to look into dark corners.

But aren’t we all vulnerable to a mental break? We’re all walking around with these big brains that can misfire and split and repress and obsess or hurtle into insanity at any second.

Opening conflict. Introduce your characters. Main character is actionable and drives the plot forward. Obstacles galore. Emotional conflicts everywhere. Setbacks. Twist—three or four, if you’ve got them. All characters hurtle toward a boil, and then boom: unexpected consequences. Twist again. Revelation: the truth surfaces. Resolution.

Every character wants something on every page. When you figure out what that is, and how all the characters’ motivations and scheming fit together, you have a story. Tweak it lighter or darker until you know what you’ve got: drama or comedy.

Love is love in all its deadly forms, and we all want it like something primal.