DON’T FORGET TO WARM UP

Lynnette Jalufka

Dancing is a form of exercise that uses every part of your body. Think of doing the twist. Many muscles are involved in that one dance as you turn to the beat. It’s a good idea to warm up first before beginning such a strenuous activity. Muscles need to stretch to perform their best and to help avoid injury.

So what does this have to do with writing? Have you noticed that in most stories the plot twist occurs toward the end? There’s a good reason for that. The author has to build up to it, like warming up for a dance. Readers need to fully know the characters and their motivations before you can surprise them. Once you’ve lured them into thinking they know what will happen, you can throw in a twist that turns everything around. Otherwise, the twist won’t have the impact you want to achieve. Warm ups are important, even in writing