October 18, 2012
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The Catalyst…
The Catalyst… the event near the beginning of the story that triggers the rest of the story. Life changing. Critical. If this doesn’t happen, there is no story… so… ok… I have a gem of a killer of an idea for a new young adult story. The “what-if’s” are firmly established. The characters are beginning to show themselves- their true selves. But I can’t figure out what triggers the story. Part of it is because I can’t figure out exactly what kind of story it will be. If it’s a fantasy, then all kinds of major events can be triggers. But if I want a contemporary fiction, then it has to be more realistic. It’s ok that I don’t have the trigger yet because this story is so new that it’s more of a faded dream than a story currently. But, as I begin to do the back story work, if I can’t figure out the catalyst, then there is no story.
All this makes me look at real life. You hear so many stories. Everyone has one to tell… I got sick, I lost my job, I had a miscarriage, I failed at school or love, I…. something happened that changed the direction of my life. It’s only when you look back that you can see what a profound impact an event had on your life. The decisions you made, the feelings, the work, and yet… you survived…. hmmmm…. still thinking…. *wanders away lost in thought!*
