Muddy the Waters

Our goal: To make things as hard as possible for the main character, the heroes, the good guys. And to make things easy for the bad guys, then figure a way to turn the tables.

Our Job: To throw roadblocks up where ever we can to prevent our characters getting what they need. Aw, that's character abuse, now isn't it? Yet it's our job as writers to keep the story believable. Our characters are, after all, ordinary people, depending on the genre, of course, and depending on the character's occupation.

Let's face it, adversity makes or breaks us, shows our strengths and weaknesses. Helps us to grow and change as we meet the challenges put before us. This is our goal for our heroes, and if it's done right, The reader gets the delicious anticipating of wondering how it'll be pulled off. How satisfying, too, when our heroes outsmart the villains, setting the stage for "Happily ever after." For the moment, at least.

Easier said than done. I struggle with this. I tend to want to smooth the way, rather than muddy the waters. I have a lot to do, I'm realizing. You know it's easier to write about doing it than to write it.