Have you lost control of your story? Has it decided the path you charted (by plotting, pantsing, or whatever) is not the way things are going to go? Is it a rebellion of sorts? A mutiny? Before you hoist the white flag of surrender, there are strategies to consider that can bring things back into balance and help you regain the upper hand.
Plot In the Ditch?
The story that was set to begin with a cruise to the Bahamas has ended up in northern Canada. In October. The timing is wrong, your characters have all the wrong clothes, and what does Canada have to do with anything?
Characters Changing Roles?
Your main character suddenly steps back and becomes secondary. That stray cat (an ancillary character) had taken over an entire chapter! Protagonist becomes antagonist! Antagonist decides he’s had enough and leaves the story. Other structural elements (setting, point-of-view, tone) stand with their arms folded against their chests, wondering if you’re going to solve this mess or if they should leave, too.
Details Gone Awry?
It’s medieval Scotland, and your character is dressed in a kilt–drinking tea! His love interest has hazel eyes, but they were brown back on page 22. The white wedding dress she’s wearing did not become “a thing” until around 1840 (made popular by Queen Victoria). Your bride is refusing to wear the traditional color of the era–blue.
Time to Negotiate!
Call a meeting. Invite everyone. Serve their favorite snacks (you know what they like, right?). Voice your concerns and then let them all have their say. Maybe Canada is where the story should begin. Perhaps it ends with them taking that well-earned cruise. Listen to your characters. What you interpreted as misbehavior might have been their way of getting your attention. Try it their way. It just might work.
Maybe your protagonist would rather have a secondary role. He/she might feel like it’s a better fit for them. Keep an open mind. There just might be a character whose been on the sidelines, itching for a larger part to play in your story. What can they bring to a new or changed character? Make adjustments if you’re on board; it could re-define the direction and impact of your story.
Details. This is where you may have to take a firm, but gentle, hand. Some details are non-negotiable (like medieval, kilted tea-drinkers). Tea didn’t arrive in Scotland until the early 1600s, kilts the end of the same century. However, if you give your character a choice of approved medieval beverages (like mead or ale), they’ll enjoy some ownership while you retain the authenticity of the timeframe of the story. Is your medieval bride dead set against blue? Depending on their status and dowry, red, yellow, or green are appropriate, alternative choices.
Realizing that your story is in the ditch isn’t the end of the world. Realizing it is half the battle. Perhaps it needed to slide into the ditch to grab your attention. Make sure everyone is okay, dust yourselves off, and work together to get that story told.
Jerold Tabbott
Your second paragraph sounds exactly like what happened to my lifelong retirement plans. Oh well…
Characters and stories do tend to clamor for a life of their own, and yielding to changes is often more rewarding than staying on the path you’d planned-with the proper adjustments, of course. I tend to embrace ensemble casts in my novels, and as circumstances change, the MC in one will logically accept a background role in another. The smart ones do.
Anne
Sometimes mirrors real life, right? LOL.
Lee Gramling
A fun read. Just as in real life, characters can’t control what happens to them — only how they respond to what happens to them. The first is where you as writer come in. The second, once you know your characters, will be what it will be. It’s important not to lose sight of this.
Anne
Glad you enjoyed it!