If I may be allowed a small protest, I would like to discuss what I call the Bottomless Plot. The unforgivable BP is when a story is completely void of any point. The reader cares not for its characters nor their adventures because their existence seems unimportant, without intrigue and provokes a “so what” response to every lame attempt at suspense. The lady fair is kidnapped . . . So what . . . she’s annoying. The hero is imprisoned . . . Okay . . . why do I care? The world might be coming to an end . . . That’s fine, I never liked that world anyway. Sister to boredom, ambivalence is the number one offender to writers. If the reader doesn’t give two shakes about the people or the places in a story, then there is no reason for them to continue reading it.
How can one avoid this pitfall of shame? Easy. Only write what surprises you. If you anticipate the plot or the nature of the characters, so will your reader. Do them a favor, (hell, do yourself a favor) and keep it fresh. If it sounds familiar, it is. Don’t recycle your stories. A small camouflage of name and setting changes isn’t going to remedy the absence of a new idea. I’m not saying there isn’t useful repetition in writing. The establishment of genres is an outline for themes, tones, and a specified form of writing. The approach of those things is what needs to constantly be different. Personally, I enjoy writing stories about the strength of the individual and how we can be strong, flawed and brilliant in our own quiet way. This theme can be found in every book I’ve written, but I explore the illumination and examination of this theme in many different ways, which in turn gives me and my reader a better understanding of it and makes for brand new story.
To those who have found themselves reading a BP, I officially relieve you of the responsibility of finishing that story. It isn’t going to get any better. You will not start giving a damn on page 400. I promise. Put that nonsense aside and start something new. Life is too short to read bad fiction.