Lesson Learned: Keep It Simple, Stupid.
An apt and often-forgotten expression among writers.
Ok, at least me.
In the name of “action”, I was complicating my story.
Toward the end, when the tension is ratcheting up and we’re nearing the climax, Lyra needs to find something. (No spoilers! Not telling you what she needs to recover 🙂 .) In search of the secret something, I have Lyra running all over God’s green acre. (Get it? Get it? The reference to God in the Second World, where they have religion… okay, okay, I thought it was funny…). She’s new to town, obviously, but still I had her navigating the place as if she were a local. Makes no sense.
So I invited a local to join my story. I introduced her to Lyra et voila, my problems should have been solved.
They weren’t.
In fact, they multiplied.
Now Lyra has to explain to this local why she’s looking for the secret something (even if it’s a lie). Now this local will know whether Lyra finds it. And what do I do with the local who now knows too much?
So I twisted my brain into knots trying to work out the logical and logistical details.
Until I got smacked by the KISS.
I realized that what’s important to my story is not Lyra’s search for the secret something, it’s her possession of it.
So now there is no search and no extraneous local character. Instead, you know what I did to ensure Lyra gets what she wants?
I gave it to her.
Like it said, keep it simple, stupid.