Shhhh....hehehe, there's a deep, dark, secret that I need to let you guys know about. And I'm going to reveal it all in this article! It'll blow your mind! ::Giggles::

So...the big question is...what the hell is a MacGuffin, and what the hell does it have to do with my story and how I write it? This makes no sense at all.

This is a writing device that most people credit Alfred Hitchcock with, but it has existed in the art of storytelling long before he came along and gave it a name. Basically, a MacGuffin device is something that everybody in your story is trying, desperately, to get their hands on and keep it as their very own. For whatever purpose that they have in place to use this magnificent 'thing' to accomplish their ultimate goal. Adding a MacGuffin into your work, no matter what genre you're writing in, can add a sense of urgency and increase the stakes of whatever story it is that you're trying to tell. But there's a big secret involved that every writer should know when it comes to using this method in your writing! HUGE secret! And it comes from a few simple questions like...what does the MacGuffin do? What is it? Why do we need it? What impact will it have if it falls into the wrong hands? How powerful is it? How can the protagonist find it? How can they keep the antagonist from finding it first? What obstacles are involved? And what happens if your heroes fail?

You want to know the secret? Do ya? Are you ready? Get your pen and notebook ready, so you can write this down. Because it's a REALLY big secret! Ready? Ok...here we go...

It doesn't matter! Hehehe! Like...not at all!

MacGuffin devices, while you may have seen them in many MANY movies, TV shows, and literary works, before...they are an interesting distraction at best. They exist as a rather cheap method of giving both your protagonist and your antagonist a direct and focused objective and motivation to guide the story forward. That's what they're there for. But while many critics act as though this is a bad thing...it really isn't. It's a plot device, just like any other. One that you can always use to your advantage if you do it with a sense of finesse and skill. It's like the hammer, the screwdriver, or the wrench, in your tool box when it comes to putting your story together. And, when it's used right, it can be an effective way of telling a really great story that you can be proud of, and can draw your audience further into your story for a fully engaging experience. But...at the end of the day, what it does and why is pretty much secondary to the device's main purpose in your project...and that is a guided motivation for your fictional cast to follow from beginning to end.

So, let's talk about effectively using a MacGuffin in our stories, when needed...

MacGuffin devices are a way to give your story meaning, and your characters purpose. I'm sure that a lot of people and critics comment on these devices and speak about them as if they're a 'cop out' or dismiss them as an important writing device entirely. I'd like to challenge that theory by saying that this is a method that has real merit when it comes to writing a good story. The trick is...to focus on the character growth and their intentions as they chase this random 'thing' and learn what it takes to reach the end of their personal story arc without losing what makes them the hero that they started out as. It's just a matter of balance, and slightly pushing the MacGuffin device out of the spotlight instead of having the device do the opposite to the character. Again, it's all about motivation.

Basically, the MacGuffin is what everyone in your story is searching for, and is ultimately affected by. If you watch your typical bank heist movie...the MacGuffin is the big treasure or the untold riches that they're trying to get a hold of and get away scott free in the end. That's what is bringing all of your characters together, that's what is pushing them forward them, and (depending on how you use it) how they evolve or devolve during their quest to get it. THAT should be your main focus if you're going to try to write this kind of story. It will come off as more genuine, more insightful, and ultimately more interesting, than just people chasing something that they want and will inevitably get by the end of the story...simply because they're the protagonist, and that's how these things work, nine times out of ten.

It doesn't matter if it's a magical sword, or a crystal, or a treasure, or a killer virus, or the launch codes for a nuclear war...it may seem like it should the most important part of the story, but don't be fooled by the suggested brilliance of the pursuit of the proverbial 'Holy Grail' in your project. It isn't. Or, at least in my opinion, it shouldn't be. Always make it about your characters. Their growth, their failures, their conflicts. That's what is going to really sell your readers on the story that you're writing. How many movies have you seen where the MacGuffin device, by the end of the movie, didn't really matter at all? Do you even remember what they really did or why they were important? "Oh no, we have to go out and find and grab the 'whatchamacallit' device or millions of people will die!" Was it the secret agent spy list, or the Horcruxes from Harry Potter, or the Hatori Hanzo sword from Kill Bill, or the magic frisbee thingy from Tron? All of these things might have been at the center of the story and the plot, but the goal was simply to provide a clear motivation for you to be more invested in the characters that are going after it. And it's important to focus on that part of your story. Because that's going to be the driving force between your fiction. Otherwise, it's just going to be another drawn out story about, "Oh...we all have to go find the 'blah blah blah' device before the world comes to an end." Hehehe! It doesn't really readers' interest for as long as you think it might.

Have you seen "Pulp Fiction"? Do you have any idea what was in the glowing briefcase or what it represented? In the "Indiana Jones" movies...does he ever really get to keep the major reward at the end of the movie? No. It gets destroyed, or hidden away, or given away, or vanishes into space...whatever. But the MacGuffin is never the point. The adventure is the point. Does Frodo get to keep the ring? Does anybody remember what the Joker was really after in "The Dark Knight"? I'm one of the biggest James Bond fans ever, and I can't even remember what most of the Bond villains were actually trying to accomplish or what their massive weapons were going to do if the antagonist were to succeed. But, again...it didn't matter. Character A and Character B are both chasing 'C'...and we're rooting for the good guy to get there first. Done. We've got our motivation.

The skill comes into play when you recognize a MacGuffin device for what it is as a writing method, and remember that once you've properly set it up...you still have an actual 'story' to tell. That can't be it. It makes for a really weak crutch, believe me.

Now, don't make some of my rambling here out to be something repetitive for the sake of drilling the point home. I feel that it's really important for you guys to really understand how MacGuffins work so that you can find ways to use them to your advantage in a well told story. As I said before, the very term itself is often used with a negative connotation, but it shouldn't be. Because it can be used to thread your scenes together in a variety of helpful and productive ways. You simply have to see them for what they are and twist them in ways that can make your narrative stronger without becoming the main focus of the story itself.

I began writing a story called, "Tell Me How", not long ago...and while things are moving towards a teen romance story, the love interest, 'Corey', actually starts off as a MacGuffin. It's about a high school boy who has completely fallen head over heels for another boy in his Woodshop class...but there is also another boy in the same class who has become infatuated with him as well. The problem, this other boy is much more social, popular, and approachable, than our main character. So he has to end up coming out of the closet to one of his best friends in order to ask him for help when it comes to getting Corey's attention and being able to have a shot at maybe asking him out some time and winning his heart. In this situation, Corey is the MacGuffin, because he is the motivating for both the protagonist and his rival. It also creates the need for him to grow, learn, and change. It means that he has to sacrifice his biggest secret to his best friend in order to ask for help. And it makes the antagonist a formidable enemy when it comes to attaining his goal. That, in my opinion, is how MacGuffin devices in stories should be used. The way the first few chapters are plotted, Corey is pretty much in the background the whole time. He's 'present', but at the end of the day...he's a shiny and pretty object to be chased after and hopefully obtained by the time the series is over. Will our protagonist be compatible with his dream boy? Is he as amazing as he imagines he would be? Is Corey even gay?

Answer...doesn't matter. At least not for now.

For now, it's the journey of our main character going from a shy and awkward closeted teen to making his very first move towards finding love and affection with a boy of his choosing. That is where you're going to find a majority of the heart and interest in this series. And it doesn't have to be a magic medallion or the shard of a crystal or a book of powerful spells or locating the 'chosen one'. It is simply a focal point for what your characters are trying to achieve. The sooner you understand that part of the process...the sooner you can begin developing instincts on how to use this method to add depth and urgency to your work. You can even use it to bring together an entire ensemble cast of different characters together for one adventure, with their own (even conflicting) motivations of their own. Maybe one wants the magic 'thingy' to take it home to protect their village from being destroyed. But another character might be there to use it as a weapon. One may be there to protect it, because power like that is too dangerous for any one person to wield without becoming corrupted by it. And someone else might be a thief who is pretending to be a friend, but was actually contracted to steal the item and trade it in for a handsome reward. You can go in a million different directions with the idea...just remember...the magical thingy' isn't the point. It's everything that is going on around it that will enhance your story and make it something truly special. Cool?

As always, I hope this makes sense, and I hope it helps you guys out when you're writing your next big project! We're all rooting for ya! So best of luck! And I'll seezya soon!