We have had so many wonderful contributors to the GA News Blog. One such contributor is Libby Drew who has sent us countless articles centered around ways to improve your writing. She has had a ton of very helpful tips and today is no different.

Wait a minute, lady. My story has a quest. How much more direction could I possibly have?

Direction is not always movement. Movement does not ensure direction. Direction implies there is a question that needs to be answered, that the main character has a clear-cut goal, and in realizing that goal, he experiences growth.

Without these elements, your story runs the risk of being purely episodic. Episodic means events happen that are loosely tied together. They might be entertaining, but little character growth occurs. Nor do subsequent events grow out of the ones before.

How a classic formula can go wrong:

A character is drawn into a different world and discovers he is “the chosen one.” He is presented with “the chosen one’s quest.” He sets off on his quest and faces one challenge after another, overcoming each in turn. He fulfills his quest, saving the world from evil, or whatever, for another million years.

Countless books use this same formula, many with overwhelming success. So why do others fail? Here are three likely reasons:

• The hero is being reactive when he should be proactive. He stumbles from event to event, reacting to each new threat. He doesn’t formulate. He doesn’t plan. Other characters guide the outcome of his story.
• The story question is answerable with a simple yes or no. It’s not enough to know the hero fulfills his quest. A story must show how he grows and changes as he pursues his goal. He must have a plan of action. He needs to adapt. For each new adventure, or obstacle, or test, he must REACT, then ADAPT and PLAN, then MOVE FORWARD. Your story becomes episodic if your character moves forward without making future plans.
• The hero doesn’t use his strengths. Instead, he magically finds new skills. He overcomes every obstacle by luck or intervention by others. He never builds upon those things which made him a prospective hero in the first place.
  

How to save an episodic story:

• Give your character a clearly defined goal.
• Give your character significant strengths and some weaknesses. These will determine his plan of attack and ultimately reveal the flaws in that plan.
• Decide how your hero will react to his obstacles. His strengths and weaknesses should govern his reactions. He can overcome obstacles, avoid them, or turn them into opportunities, but most importantly, each setback will require a new plan and each triumph will determine the next step.
• Make sure every scene moves the story forward, contributes to the hero’s growth, and to the story’s outcome.
  

Serialized fiction—a story posted one chapter or installment at a time—runs a giant risk of being episodic. Just as the hero must plan, so must you, the writer. Plot. Outline. Always keep the character’s quest, the story’s question, and your goal—writing a great story—in mind.

~Libby