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In This issue...
Does your planned story have a hole in it? Maybe some elements came together, but your plan for them is just falling short. (continued below)...
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Note: This newsletter ("Publishing New Writers") has 15,000 subscribers on LinkedIn.com
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A Hole in Your Novel, by Bruce L. Cook
Does your planned story have a hole in it? Maybe some elements came together, but your plan for them is just falling short.
When this happens, try this writing challenge.
Make a commitment to write each chapter on Mondays. On the weekend before, watch for something unexpected that will spark a new approach for the upcoming chapter.
I did this while living in rural Italy, so everything I found was a new adventure for me.
For example, I saw a fire in an open field and noticed someone pulling a horse away, urgently shielding the fire from the horse's view. This produced a vivid chapter involving horses rescued from a burning barn. Of course, that content had to fit into the chapter plan for the novel. If not, I would have needed to try another idea or skip the week!
Once I walked on a rocky beach along the Adriatic Sea and noticed unusual shells and pieces of fishing nets. These could evoke an interplay between two characters awaiting the arrival of other characters on a fishing boat. That would fit, as long as my story was a bit fishy!
Once I saw a policeman stopping a lad who was speeding on his motorcycle. This could give an exciting challenge by the youth or even by the policemen. Character shines forth in times of disappointment or conflict.
Another time I watched as two lines of cars waited to ride an eight-car ferry across a wide river. The ferry arrived and soon opened to accept just one more car. The drivers in the two lanes erupted into a fight over who was next. So, the ferry pilot just closed the gate. He ignored both cars and just took seven cars across. That was a story in itself!
Consider, too, whether one of these weekend observations could improve on your original plan for the story. In that case, you will be glad that you tried this writing challenge.
Let me know if this works for you. Even if you find life boring, you may be surprised if you actively seek out new ideas for your writing.
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Publishing New Writers,
mAY, 2026 (vol. 27, no. 5)
Publisher:
Dr. Bruce L. Cook
1407 Getzelman Drive
Elgin, IL 60123
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