by Beth K. Vogt, @bethvogt
I’ve been brainstorming a new book idea for several days, mulling over details about the heroine, the hero, the Inciting Incident, the obstacles, the setting. The process has been like sifting through a virtual pile of rocks to find the pieces of the story worth keeping.
I messaged another writer-friend about my story. Here’s a glimpse of our conversation:
ME: I struggle to get (the story) right. To not settle with the first idea. To layer it. Deepen the story.
MY WRITER-FRIEND: Why do you consider it “settling” by going with the first idea?
ME: The first idea, for me at least, is never big enough. It needs time to breathe.
While I find this whole sifting-through-rocks process frustrating, I also know it’s necessary.
My first idea for a story, any story, is just that: a starting place for my story. Every single time, the initial concept is too small.
While the Bible tells us not to despise small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10 NLT), I’ve learned we should not be content with “small beginnings” when it comes to planning our stories.
Most stories start with a spark of some sort. Oftentimes, it’s a “what if?”
- What if Maverick returns to TOPGUN and must confront his past as he trains a group of younger pilots, including the son of his deceased best friend, Goose? (Top Gun: Maverick)
- What if a former Navy SEAL takes part in a rescue mission to save his brother and discovers one of the hostages is a woman he could never forget? (Sunburst: Sky Ranch Book 2 by Susan May Warren)
- What if your first kiss turns out to be the one you’re meant to be with? (You’ll Be Mine by Rachel Hauck and debut author Mandy Boerma)
But a spark doesn’t a story make.
Consider this: When you’re building a campfire, you start with tinder – easily combustible material like pine needles or dry leaves or grass. You touch a lit match to the small pile of tinder and SPARK! You’ve got the beginning of a fire – but just the beginning. It takes time and patience to build a good fire. If you add too much wood to the fire right away, you’ll snuff it out. After the tinder, you add kindling and then, slowly, you add larger pieces of wood so the fire catches and burns.
Just like a campfire, a novel idea starts out small. You need time and patience, to allow the story idea grow. The initial “what if” needs to catch hold of your imagination and grow into a strong, viable story with all the right elements. Don’t rush the process or you could overwhelm the story idea and walk away from it in frustration.
Be willing to work the process – and yes, as I write these words, I’m reminding both you and me about this vital part of the writing process. Give the story spark the needed creative air to breathe. Give yourself time to mull. Brainstorm with one or two other writer-friends, but don’t talk the idea to death. That’s like tossing too much heavy wood on a campfire and putting out the flames. Most important: Remember to submit your idea to our Creator-God in prayer, asking Him to inspire you too.
The award-winning Thatcher Sister Series by Beth K. Vogt, published by Tyndale House, is described as a “Little Women gone wrong” collection of novels highlighting complicated sister relationships in the style of This is Us. NYT bestselling author Lisa Wingate said, “With tenderness and skill, Beth Vogt examines the price of secrets, the weight of tragic loss, and the soul-deep poison of things left unsaid.” The series includes Things I Never Told You, Moments We Forget, and The Best We’ve Been. Unpacking Christmas: A Thatchers Sisters Novella, was released in November 2022 by Never Door Press.
Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” She started out in fiction writing award-winning contemporary romances, including Somebody Like You, which was selected as one of Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of 2014. Beth transitioned to women’s fiction with her Thatcher Sister Series, which she calls “a Little Women gone wrong” collection of books highlighting complicated sister relationships. Published by Tyndale House, the series includes Things I Never Told You, which won the 2019 AWSA Award for Contemporary Novel of the Year, Moments We Forget, and The Best We’ve Been. Beth is also a Christy Award winner, an ACFW Carol Award winner, and a RITA® finalist. An established magazine writer and former editor of the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth blogs for Learn How to Write a Novel and The Write Conversation, and also enjoys speaking to writers group and mentoring other writers. She lives in Colorado with her husband Rob, who has adjusted to living with imaginary characters and is also one of Beth’s most trusted brainstormers for her novels. Visit Beth at bethvogt.com.