Fusion Friday

Fusion Friday...where the copywriter meets the gardener meets the fiction writer...

Got Plot?

Without spreading some conflict, probably not.

In the compost pile I refer to as the first draft of my middle grade novel, my main character, Fred, comes home from school on his birthday. He finds his achingly cool mother vacuuming with uber cool tunes cranked on the stereo. He also finds The One Thing He Wanted Most for His Birthday waiting for him. Fred has no homework, despite turning twelve. Fred has one friend, so important to him that Nick (or Eric, we're not sure of his name) barely merits mention in the MS. He has a sister he likes who is not instrumental to the plot in any way, shape or form. He has a nemesis he grumbles about, but we do not meet her. He likes games. Or so we hear.

No conflict. No colour. No fertilizer. No reason to go on.

So I donned gardening gloves and dug a whole new border. I have the earth turned. I've anchored the planting with a querulous Fred and his competitive rival, Jinny. Jinny can be invasive, so I'll keep an eye on her. Nick provides comic height at the back of the border, and is topped with a showy toque. For a touch of the traditional, I think I'll put in a Fight Over Chores Mother Plant. Add in a few stepping stones to get Fred started on his Hero's Journey (learn more about the Hero's Journey here), and there might just be enough curb appeal to invite readers in.

Failing that, maybe someone knows where I can pick up some Magic Beans, cheap?