I can remember a time when this particular term didn't make much sense to me at all. 'Earn your moments'. What does that even mean. I wanted to have a special moment in my story, or my comic book, or my TV show, or my movie...I put it in there...and then you have people out there who are like, "I don't really feel like they earned that moment." Well WTF is that supposed to mean?

It's been years and years of trial and error, obstacles and challenges, triumphs and failures...and I believe that I'm starting to understand it. Or I'm at least breaching the surface. So, please allow me to share what I've learned with you guys, and maybe act as some kind of a light in the fog of this whole idea.

'Earning' our moments as writers. Let's give it a go.

I truly believe that the very idea of earning much of anything is perceived by how hard someone had to work to get it, and the moments in our characters' lives aren't all that different. You can't just decide that you want something one day...and then go out and get it. Mission accomplished, yes...but does it make for a good story? There really isn't anything to tell. If I was just independently wealthy, and I was out shopping and saw a brand new bicycle in the mall that I thought looked really cool and might help me get out more and get some exercise...so I went in and bought it? Well...ok. But where is the 'story' in that action? Where's the journey? What are my obstacles? They don't exist. I wanted it and I bought it. It might make me happy...but it isn't necessarily a story that I would tell at parties.

So, how can you take something like that and earn the moment of purchasing that bike in a way that would make it special and engaging for your readers?

What if you had a little kid who sees the bike in a store window? He doesn't have a job or a steady income, and his parents are dealing with rent and bills and can't afford it. Trying to go out and nickel and dime his way towards a brand new bike would take forever, but he really REALLY wants that bike! What does he do? How does he get it? How does he begin his journey, and what setbacks will he face along the way? NOW you have a story! That's something that your audience can invest their time and emotion into, rooting for your protagonist as he struggles to win the ultimate prize. So when he finally gets the money he needs and runs into the store all hyper and full of joy...buying the bike becomes an exhilarating experience that your readers can share in and truly enjoy. It tugs on the heartstrings, and it's relevant to something that most of us have all felt before in our lives. Often multiple times. Reaping the rewards of what you've worked so hard to achieve is a joy that some people have never known before. Let them feel the beauty in it.

Another way that you could go...

Maybe I went in and decided to buy the bike on the whim, and I had plenty of cash to spare...but my goal was to actually start riding it around the neighborhood every morning until I lose weight before the end of the Summer. And I start out the first day, and come home all tired and sore, and fall asleep on the couch. The next morning my alarm goes off and I just turn it off. Fuck that, I hurt all over. So the bike sits in the garage for a week before I decide to try again. Maybe I make excuses because I don't feel like doing it, or I'm never going to make it in the time I have left, or I pig out at a family barbecue, or it's raining outside, whatever. BUT...eventually, determination sets in, and I begin to think, "I'm not going to let this beat me!" And I start getting up every day whether I go riding or not. Then the rides get longer and further away from home. Then I start getting faster. Suddenly, the clothes that I used to wear begin to fit a bit differently. I get on the scale and it's less than it was yesterday, creating more momentum for me to keep going. And there's your story. A compelling story. One that inspires confidence, persistence, and a cheering crowd of readers that are looking for the protagonist to triumph in the long run. So when you reach your big moment, the gravitas that goes along with it carries much more weight. That winning moment has officially been earned by the writer and the characters in his or her story.

The key to pulling this off in your work is by firmly defining a 'goal' early on in your project. What is your character's motivation? Where are they trying to go? And what is their current plan for getting there? This is absolutely essential when it comes to earning your moments, because it will feel like your main character's journey is simply wandering around aimlessly without any real purpose or direction at all. This can sometimes KILL all interest in a story. So be extremely careful about glossing over this step in the process. Let your reader know what your protagonist wants ahead of time, and that will allow them to follow them along on their journey. Are they any closer to achieving that goal in the middle of the story than they were at the beginning? Are they taking any steps forward, or has a recent obstacle caused them to take a few steps backwards in their progress? How are your readers going to know what is what if they don't have a clearly defined goal to look forward to in the distance? How can they determine the stakes? How are your characters going to hold their interest if they just want something and then go out and get it without any problems and opposition at all?

These are all things to think about when crafting those beautifully romantic, brutally painful, or adrenaline packed epic battles, that you want to add to your fiction. Because if there's no real build up to it...it kind of falls flat in the end. Basically...this is the perfect time to make a mountain out of a molehill.

As a quick example of what I'm talking about, I want to show you guys this music video. The artist is 'Matty B', who started making videos on Youtube when he was a tiny tyke, hehehe and just happened to gain a lot of attention over the years. And he's still making music to this day. Anyway, I think this is an excellent example of what I explained above. He's (obviously) the protagonist of this story, and he looks back at his younger videos with a touch of embarrassment because he couldn't dance. So...his 'goal' is to learn how. An entire story compacted into a three minute music video, and an 'earned' moment at the end. Check it out.

Very simple, right? Three minutes, and an entire story arc was displayed from beginning to end. Now, how boring would that story have been if he wanted to learn how to dance, then walked into that dance studio, and they were just like, "Wow! You're a natural! We need you on our team to win the international dance finals!"? Like...what? Hehehe! In this very short story, he goes in to try to learn, but he's not really good at it at first. He quits. He'd rather save himself the humiliation and play basketball instead. But he has someone who believes in him, and she comes back to ask him to try again. And he doesn't get it right away. There are some stumbling blocks along the way...but he gets better over time, and eventually he's able to do things that he didn't think he'd be able to do before. There's a struggle and an awkwardness there that compels you to keep watching. And then, when he finally gets the steps right, it makes for a sweet little payoff at the end. That was a moment that was worked for, and therefore...a moment earned.

You see it in movies all the time. Sometimes on a bigger level and sometimes on a smaller level, but it's there. It's Luke Skywalker finally being able to take on Darth Vader for the first time. It's getting the lift right in 'Dirty Dancing' for the first time, it's Nancy finding a way to fight back against Freddy Krueger in 'Nightmare On Elm St', it's Rocky Balboa shouting, "HEY! One more round!" These moments don't just 'happen', they actually came from somewhere. It's a product of an enthralling journey that your readers were able to be a part of. It's an interesting character fighting against the odds and making it seem possible that they can come out on top in the end. No matter what their enemies, or society, or their limitations, or life in general might throw their way. They are going to keep fighting the good fight until they either win...or simply have no more fight left to give.

That's how moments are earned in your stories. It doesn't only apply to one genre or type of story. It applies to all of them. The idea is to bring your audience into the journey and allowing them to 'keep score' on how your main characters are doing when it comes to reaching the goal that they set out to grab a hold of from the outset. Whether it be a sweeping romance that they're looking for, a dream job or career that they want, finding a way to display their true potential, solving a particularly difficult mystery, or overcoming a great loss or heartbreak...it is the conflict that's keeping them from it that becomes the most intriguing part of any story that you're trying to tell. That's where the magic lies, so build it up. Don't be afraid to put your characters through hell every now and then when you need to get them where they need to go. Hehehe!

I also have used this in my own stories when I'm writing. Angst and heartbreak aside, I do try to have the characters' trials and tribulations have some meaning when it comes to any of the story arcs that I'm trying to create. In my story, "Kiss Of An Angel", the character of Ariel is experiencing his very first relationship with his very first boyfriend. And this is something that is extremely difficult for him in the beginning. This is a spinoff of the "New Kid In School" series, and Ariel has a serious problem with being painfully shy, as well as a bit of a klutz whenever he gets nervous. BUT...I can't just have that be his 'trick' from chapter to chapter and no show any forward progression towards his goal of finding true love with someone that he believes is the cutest boy in the entire school. There has to be some evolution in his character over time through little baby steps where it becomes visible to the people who are reading. The people who are riding along through his journey.

So, in "New Kid In School" and "Kiss Of Angel"...he is so bashful that he can't really make any big confessions or say anything embarrassing without asking the other person to turn around first, because he can't stand to have them looking at him while he's bearing his soul to them like that. It just became one of his unique character traits. However...later on in the "Kiss Of Angel" series...when his new boyfriend prepares to turn around so that Ariel can speak freely...Ariel decides that he wants to say it to his face instead. Without being too scared to do so. It's an affectionate moment that shows growth as well a pursuit to go even further than he ever had prior to that exact moment. And after all the build up and the expected behavior from that particular character...he earned a truly beautiful moment by changing things up and just going for it. It was a moment that would have been meaningless, in my opinion, if he treated it like it was no big deal.

It was a gesture that didn't fall on deaf ears where my readers were concerned. They really enjoyed that. And I began to dig more deeply into the idea of earned moments, over just adding in dramatic scenes for drama's sake. It's not the same thing. And it doesn't have the same feel. The effect.

To actually understand how hard it was for Ariel to be able to do that for the first time after failing to gain the courage to do so on many other occasions...made a much more powerful impact on the scene itself. Why? Because Ariel worked and struggled and fidgeted and fought against his greatest fears to earn it. And it paid off.

That's where those warm fuzzy feelings come from. There's just a sense of 'justice' to it all, you know? Hehehe! And that makes the rest of us feel good about the world.

One more example. I just want to add this here, because it's another great demonstration of my point in all this. And because it's a gay teen short film that always makes me smile. It's really sweet. But watch it all the way through, and see how the end of the film is earned by paying attention to all of the little moments that come before it.

Again, a very simple story that was beautifully told, with a comedic twist (Showing that you can define your main characters' motivation without putting all of your cards on the table for people to see in the beginning), and a well earned moment at the very end. You're introduced to the protagonists, you're able to see and understand what their goal is, and there are a series of mishaps and obstacles that stand in their way...all while keeping you interested long enough to find out how it's all going to end. If this video had been ninety seconds long, it wouldn't have been anywhere near as entertaining. Not that it would have been BAD...but I think this was definitely the most entertaining way to go with this concept. And they pulled it off brilliantly.

Bottom line...a lot of people look at the biggest moments and surprises of their story, and rush to get those thrown into their narrative without the proper build up. And because of that...I feel like some of them make for good stories...but not GREAT stories. And you want a series of GREAT stories under your belt if you're trying to create a fanbase that will keep coming back for more. Am I right?

When it comes to earning your moments in fiction, foreshadowing is your friend. Let it build to a crescendo. Don't give your readers the instant gratification of a big payoff without making them hungry for it first. That's like an afternoon 'quickie'! Hehehe! It's not awful...but don't your readers want a little bit more? Think about it.

When it comes to getting to the top of a mountain...some people focus on the summit. Others focus on the climb. And the climb is the interesting part of the journey. K?

Alright, so that's my take on it all as I understand it. I hope it makes sense. I'm still learning more and more with every story I write, so who knows what I might figure out tomorrow! Hehehe! For now, though...I hope this helps. And feel free to comment below if you have any questions or think there might be something that I missed along the way.

Seezya soon! And happy writing!