So, I had a brilliant idea last week…
“I think we should buy a farm.”
I sent this text to my husband a week ago, after stepping off a long flight to Oregon. See, I’d just watched an amazing documentary called The Biggest Little Farm.(https://www.thebiggestlittlefarmmovie.com/) (It’s available on Amazon, and lots of other places.)
It’s a moving, inspiring documentary about how two average city-dwelling non-farmers became farmers, renewed the land and in many ways, their life.
They so captured me in this documentary that I thought…Hey, I could do this. I could grow stuff. Take care of animals. Run a cool small farm.
Yes!! That’s what I want to do!! (While still writing books and creating tools for writers and occasionally going to Hawaii to scuba dive…um…)
I want to chase lambs and watch pigs being born and run my fingers through waist high grasses and pick luscious peaches from trees.
I believe…
My husband did not. “Hon. I do not want to spend my retirement getting up at 5 am to milk cows. And let’s be real—you are NOT going to start making homemade yogurt….”
Um, I might. So I made him watch the documentary this weekend.
And half-way through the movie he said… “Let’s do this.”
I mean, he sorta looks like a farmer, doesn’t he?
Okay, so before you get excited, NO. We are now back to earth and we are NOT going to sell our half-remodeled home in Minnesota for 200 acres in Iowa.
But that’s the power of story. Of inhabiting your characters fears, lies, dreams and victories.
Inspiration. Belief. And all that happens with a FEELING we get while watching (or reading) a great movie/book.
The same thing happened when I watched Instant Family (another keeper…be prepared to cry a little)
“We need to be foster parents!” I said to my husband, in tears for the plight of children without parents. (That is still on my heart…)
BTW: I watched THAT movie on a plane, also. It’s dangerous when I get on planes, apparently. Life changes happen…
But, our stories should do that—inspire change. Inspire deep thought. Inspire crazy texts to our spouses about life goals.
What feelings do you leave with your reader? Triumph? Hope? A tender heart toward grace?
How is your reader inspired by your character’s journey?
It’s a simple equation: A realistic problem + a compelling motivation + stakes (meaning, why should they NOT quit?) + overwhelming odds/problems + (spiritual/emotional/life) change = TRIUMPH.
Do you have all the ingredients in your story?
Make your heart glad and watch The Biggest Little Farm movie. Can you find all the pieces of the equation?
Your story can change lives.
Make it Brilliant.
Have a great writing week!
Susie May
P.S.I’m going to admit that not even My Story Matters: the 2020 My Brilliant Writing Planner could tug me out of bed at 5am to milk cows. Okay, maybe, if I planned for it. But it WILL help me organize my life, create priorities around my values, and create a story that has impact. Wanna learn how? Join us for our FACEBOOK LAUNCH PARTY tomorrow night, 7pm CST! (Click HERE for details!)
