How to Become a Better Writer: A Wattpad Guide

TIP #19: Unearthing Natural Story Progression

This chapter is dedicated to @thewhateverwriter who suggested this topic.

I ask you: why are we in such a rush to tell the story? This may be especially true when developing romances or building relationships.

On the matter, our fellow Wattpader, @thewhateverwriter, had this to say:

"A lot [of writers] advance a relationship way too quickly to the point that [...] it seems [...] rushed. It's like they introduced the characters in one chapter and at the beginning of the next one they already got married and have five kids."

Can't say she doesn't have a point. And how many times have you seen the scenario where the new girl in school meets a fellow peer with similar interests and by school's end that first day, the two of them are already BFFs? Say what!

Let's be real here. In real life, true friendship is something achieved over time and through experiences. So, why should it be any different in our art? Seriously, what possibly could have happened in the span of those eight hours of high school that would have forged that type of bond, and so quickly?

Likely nothing. My friends, I'd say that this would be a classic case of rushing the story. And many of us have been guilty of this literary sin. Yes, at one point or another, most of us have been guilty of trying to force the development of the story or character interactions instead of allowing it to play out more organically.

Now, this is not to say that it should take 10 pages before two strangers learn each other's names either because the last thing we want to do as writers is drag out a story. As storytellers, one such goal should be to develop our stories so that they follow a more natural progression, as is often the case in real life.

Keep this in mind as you are developing those stories, folks!