Plot Problems (Are There Any Other Kinds?)

Plot Problems (Are There Any Other Kinds?)

Well, maybe it’s not a problem, but it’s certainly thrown me off track. I mean really, what is my subconscious thinking tossing that idea my way this afternoon? I’m 60,000 words into this new novel—from here to the end was even outlined—and this idea comes out of nowhere and smacks me upside the head. The ninja block turned out to be way to slow, and I got it full force.

Bam!

I said, “What?” Well, this happened during lunch at work, so I didn’t actually talk out loud. They all think I’m slowly meandering down the path to crazy anyway, so I try not to give them any additional excuses to commit me. So in my mind I had this little argument.

*Plot twist thought occurred*

“What?”

“You heard me,” my subconscious said.

“I’m ignoring you.” I went on typing.

“It’s not working.”

“Yes it is,” I insisted. “I’m totally ignoring you and your insane, twisted ideas.”

Dramatic, internal sigh. “You’ll come around.”

“Still typing.” Tap, tap, tap. (How would one describe the sound of typing?)

“It’ll be great for the story.”

“No,” I’m sure I frowned. “No, it’s too dark for YA.”

“Uh . . . you were there when we read the Hunger Games, right?”

“You are not to speak of that series.”

Subconscious smells victory. “You wanted an active protagonist; this plot twist will help with that. Not like that main character in the series we do not speak of.”

“Shut up.”

“No.”

“lalalalalalala…”

“It’s not like I can go anywhere else. Kind of stuck in here.”

I tried to ignore.

“Typing louder will not make this go away,” my subconscious said in a droll voice.

“It might.”

“It won’t.”

I stopped typing. Glared at the screen. Hovered my fingers over the keyboard, lowered them. “Drat.”

“Told you so.”

Lucky for me, this doesn’t change too much of the story before this. It was actually good timing for the plot twist. Now I just have to re-outline to the end and then fix everything else.

One thing at a time.

But first, I need to find my subconscious a shinny object to go after so it will stop pestering me.