Hey! Do you have any advice on choosing between different plot options/points? Like, the character could choose to do one thing or choose to do the other (but not both), and you have to choose which way to take the plot.
Hey Katt! There are a couple of ways to look at this problem depending on what type of writer you are.
Which choice better shows the character’s growth trajectory? Main characters go through arcs, right? They grow as people by the end of the story, and while we envision arcs in that beautiful, smooth kind of way of the gentle rise and fall, but in reality, they’re jagged ups and downs. Ideally, when you set out writing your story, you vaguely know where you want your character’s arc to go.
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As you stand at the fork in the road, think about where your character is--where in their arc they are--and think about where they’ll go. Which choice helps to demonstrate where they are now as a person? Which choice helps to highlight where they’re going?
Take a while to embody them. It’s a more in-depth version of putting yourself in their shoes--become them for a moment. Think about all they’ve gone through to get to this moment and then make the split-second decision they have to. What makes sense to them to do in this situation? From their disadvantage of not seeing the whole picture or the rest of the story, what action would propel them further toward their goal? And if both roads make sense to them, show that uncertainty in your story. Show them struggling to decide which road to take. How someone makes a decision in a critical moment can be just as telling in a narrative as a character simply knowing their course of action. Have them flip a coin if it really doesn’t make a difference to them.
The other way to think about this is in terms of plot. Consider what choice will be more interesting on the page--more exciting or more scenic, a chance for planting worldbuilding seeds for later harvesting or a moment of foreshadowing to be used later. Which choice draws you more; which do you find more compelling? Which choice makes for the good story? Which has tropes you enjoy? Which has an image you would love to write?
However you decide to think about this, do not base your decision on which choice makes it easier to get the plot from A to B. Don’t think about that. Stories are not meant to be easy, and if you smooth the path for your character simply so you don’t have to find a solution to something else down the road later, you wind up doing a grand disservice to its potential. Instead, think about what will better serve your character’s story.
I hope that’s helped. Good luck!-Pear
