I don't think there should be absolutes, but I will say it certainly does help to have guideposts!
One of my guideposts is to always have a character arc in every chapter/scene - at least one character should come out of each chapter/scene changed in some way, even if its a small or subtle change.
I bring this up because knowing that one teeny tiny tip would've have saved me many years of sweat, tears, and most likely even blood. Personally, I find that if I have a part of a fic that is not working, when I go back and check for character arc/change? Sure enough, the character(s) is not actually doing anything but just bobbing along. So then I smack myself and ask, 'OK, what is the character(s) learning, figuring out, deciding, refusing to decide, etc' - and voila! I usually have a much better idea how to actually fix it.
I hesitate to mention how many fics I've scrapped, screwed up, or wound up not being happy with because I didn't know this one small, but oh so vital, bit to storytelling!
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Date: 2013-02-20 03:42 am (UTC)One of my guideposts is to always have a character arc in every chapter/scene - at least one character should come out of each chapter/scene changed in some way, even if its a small or subtle change.
I bring this up because knowing that one teeny tiny tip would've have saved me many years of sweat, tears, and most likely even blood. Personally, I find that if I have a part of a fic that is not working, when I go back and check for character arc/change? Sure enough, the character(s) is not actually doing anything but just bobbing along. So then I smack myself and ask, 'OK, what is the character(s) learning, figuring out, deciding, refusing to decide, etc' - and voila! I usually have a much better idea how to actually fix it.
I hesitate to mention how many fics I've scrapped, screwed up, or wound up not being happy with because I didn't know this one small, but oh so vital, bit to storytelling!
**eyes the dead plot bunny pile in the backyard**