The "Why" Factor

This last week a new story popped into my head.

The characters lined up at the door. Settings peeked through the windows. Oh, and the competition between loud adventurous and soft romantic made me dizzy.

A whole bag of plot pieces popped like popcorn. Yes, yes. This could make a good story, oh and I like that, too. This would be a great way to carry the story question.

And then the thought came. Where should it take place? This particular idea required the perfect setting. It would be an entirely different story based on the location.

Pressure mounted. If I set the story in America, certain essential components could not be included. If I set the story in an unfamiliar country it may not attract many readers. Hmm, such decisions.

I started asking questions of my new story. Questions that needed solid answers to provide a solid foundation. Questions which could be asked by judges, crit partners, and friends as they read the story.


The Why Factor


Here are some questions to ask your WIP

Why does my WIP take place _______?

Why is _____ the best hero or heroine for this WIP?

Why did the story head in ______ direction, did it answer a question?

Why did the climax come at ____ point?

Why this ending?
(there are many more potential why questions!)

Here is a test for the story Cinderella. 

1. Why does the story take place in a medieval home near a king's castle? 

Could the story have taken place in China before communist days, Siam, the days of Esther, Monaco, England, or America? Actually, yes. I am told the first recorded version of Cinderella took place in China. Queen Esther was a Hebrew slave. There are many versions of this story, each with a different setting, each resulting in a different story.

What about your WIP? Let's play a game. What if your story took place in Europe, Africa, or South America...or what if it took place in the jungle, desert, or big city...what if it took place in a high-rise apartment, farmhouse, or cabin in the woods how would it change? Could it help?

2.  Why is there a poor maiden trapped in her situation, an eligible prince, and a wicked stepmother?

Could the story have been as successful using a poor farm boy, a displaced American Indian, a rich landowner's daughter, a famous explorer, a spoiled prince, a dictator, or employer? Probably. But would it have been as good? Maybe.

What about your WIP? Could your MC have a different hair color, gender, age, race, political belief, have an accent from Texas, be a nerd, the president's daughter, the CEO's son, a gang leader's wife, have freckles, a spot on their nose, bad breath, fashionable, a slob, gossip, introvert, allergic to flowers or cologne, have hearing problems, a limp, or can't dance? How would he/she change? Could it help spice your story?

3. Why was the Prince given the opportunity to pick a bride at the ball?

Could the story have worked had he gone on a walk along the shore and saw...her, sailed to another country and met...her, walked out to the crops and saw...her gleaming barley dropped by a paid a worker, (Ruth), or tripped over her cart in the marketplace and spilled tomatoes across the road?

What about your WIP? Could the hero meet the heroine in a different time or place in the story? What if, instead, they met on a beach, sat at the next table in a restaurant, on an airplane, at a concert, walking in a park, in a library, on a whitewater raft, hot air balloon ride, an amusement park, courtroom, hospital, or train? Could it help add the perfect touch?

I suppose we all could collaborate and write a book of why questions, which would be a little longer than the Alley Cats would want for a post. Hopefully I’ve stirred your thoughts and have led you to put your WIP to the test.

By having strong answers to these and other why questions, your WIP will stand strong in the eyes of crit partners, judges, editors and readers. When he or she asks why did you ____ or could you have ____, you will be ready with an answer.

How about you? Pick a why question about your WIP and give us your strong defense. Or add a new why question for us to consider.

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Image by: Freedigitalphotos.net

This blog post by Mary Vee.

Mary lives in Montana with her husband and loves to hear from her three college kids. She writes Christian young adult fiction (pirate tales, missionary and Bible adventure stories).

Her Tag: Stepping into Someone Else's World.

To learn more about Mary, 

visit her blog: http://www.mimaryvee.blogspot.com