A well-chosen complication should give you choices…
“A well-chosen complication should give you choices. Juggling choices for your characters is what makes writing fun, after all. If you discover that you're struggling more than you ought to with a draft, perhaps you've run out of interesting choices, or have given yourself too few choices to begin with. Go back to the complication, fatten it up, and start over.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Complications create choices; lacking them makes writing stagnant.
In simple terms: Complications give choices.
Key Takeaway
Add interesting complications.
Themes
writing
choices
complication
Mood
motivational
practical
Type
advice
instructional
When to use this quote
- novel drafting
- screenplay planning
- creative block resolution
- story workshops
Key Concepts
narrative structure
character development
Questions to Reflect On
- What complication could deepen your story?
- How do you balance choice and clarity?
A Different Perspective
May be hard to identify useful complications.