Work In Progress Update

Here are the first ten verbs from today's work in progress: added, asked, pleaded, insisted, sold, traveled, jump started, lied, wanted, connected.

That was from the first three paragraphs. Not passive, hopefully, but pressing forward. A relentless pursuit to the end.

Here's a good test. Look at the key words in your local newspaper's headlines. See if your story's keeping pace with that. Here are the keyword from my small local newspaper today: 

killed, hurt, struck, harassment, suicide, shot, no clues, shot, caught naked, exploding, killed, robbed, drug deal.

So that's just local. If your story can't keep up with the local headlines, it's not going to impress people. It will be a yawn fest. The Melatonin Chronicles. Think of yourself as a jockey with a whip. Onward!

Your story doesn't have to be all about death and dying, but it should be about all the BIG THEMES. Love, greed, betrayal, fear, hate, power, sex, anger, friendship, sorrow, humor, acceptance, job, money, joy.

Now that's a story.

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