Hey Wit!
I feel uncomfortable because I haven't been managing my time well the last couple weeks. It means I'm behind on things, I missed things--like sending out a newsletter last week--and I have a lot of catching up to do.
It's healthy to be uncomfortable now and then, because it helps us grow and improve. At least I know that the people in my life love and accept me and will forgive a little (ahem) imperfection.
But what if there's someone in your life who's waiting and watching for you to mess up? Or, even worse, is sabotaging your best efforts?
Not so good for you and me, but for our characters, it might be just what they need.
A while back, I introduced you to my take on the "B-Story Character beat;"—the Campfire. It's an Act 2 setup beat that puts most of the story's players in, well, play. Most of them are there because they genuinely support the Hero. But what if there's someone who doesn’t belong?
They might look like they belong.
And act like they belong.
They might even think they belong.
But the reader can tell . . . something’s off.
And whether it turns into full betrayal or just quiet tension, that energy is just what your story needs.
Because internal conflict is always more interesting than external conflict.
Always.
A villain attacking from the outside? Expected.
But a fracture from within?
Now we’re paying attention.
This doesn’t mean you need a mustache-twirling traitor.
It’s usually much simpler than that:
- Someone with a different goal
- Someone keeping a secret
- Someone who almost agrees with the hero—but not quite
- Someone who shifts blame onto someone else to avoid the consequences
Tension lives in that gap. And oh, it's delicious! Definitely worth the extra effort to bake it in.
Maybe you've been lucky and have never been in such a situation, but if you have, if you can grasp onto those stories from your life, and lean into that feeling because we write the best truth when it comes from our own experiences. It's story gold.
Before you go, I wanted to give an update on how it's going with my first ever mentor/coaching Campfire group. I want to celebrate with you!
The writers are engaged, learning, practicing, and helping and uplifting others as they do. It's all I hoped for.
It's been a few months now, and I've taught
- My vision on how a writer can shape their own path through their career and life without sacrificing their dreams (The Hero's Quest).
- How to create characters with built in conflict, goals, wants, and needs.
- The Storyteller's Way—the beat sheet I created that builds and expands on Save the Cat. TSW helps us see the character's arc, the flow of the plot, and the purpose of the villain/opposition all at once.
- And each week I've been teaching how to discover the story beats within ourselves, then applying those beats to our characters. We have breakthroughs and "aha" moments every week.
We also have accountability partners, write-ins, and other activities that feed and fuel not only our writing but our marketing and publishing as well.
I'm definitely still refining things, but it feels beyond amazing to build my own dreams while helping others realize their own.
I've been hosting the Founders Circle since March, and will open my next cohort in . . . gosh . . . just a couple weeks so we can start in July! That's crazy. Time's flying!
If you think the Campfire might be a good fit for you, drop me a line. I'd be happy to tell you all about it.
Happy writing, my friends!
