Change

CHANGE.

It's one of the main characteristics of a good story. Good stories always include change, because that's how life works. Every story needs a good shot of reality, even fantasies. For a reader to love your story, you need them to believe it.

Now, I'm not going to tell you how to write change, because I still don't know really. But, if you do it correctly, readers will love your story.

The change could be sad, or happy, or downright heart-wrenching. A good example of change would be in The Door Within by Wayne Thomas Batson.

(CAUTION: Example contains major spoilers for The Door Within. If you have not read the book, read the example at your own risk)

The MC, Aidan, starts out as a disgruntled boy who isn't sure what to believe, and isn't exactly the bravest squirt. He's just moved from Maryland to Colorado, and the change doesn't sit well with him. He's angry with his grandfather for instigating the move, and with his parents for enacting it.

But it's also because of his grandfather that he goes to Alleble.

By the end of the book, Aidan has come to terms with his new life, and believes in King Eliam. Whilst he was in the Realm, he became the Twelve Knight, and went to Mithegard with eleven other knights. He braved tempests, and even the forces of Paragory. By the time he returns home, he is much braver then before.

As you see, there was much change in the above. The above presents change for the better. There are other changes, as we all know very well. Like changes for the worse.

For example(I know this isn't exactly writing, but this is story change, and it can be used to help you enact writing changes in your tale), Star Wars: The Revenge of the Sith.

(CAUTION: Example contains major spoilers for Star Wars: The Revenge of the Sith. If you have not read the book, read the example at your own risk)

We have the MC, Anakin Skywalker, Padawan to Obi Wan Kenobi. When the movie starts, Anakin is on the good side. He's a great kid, and secretly married to Senator Padme Amidala. However, she reveals to him that she is pregnant, and something in Anakin snaps. He starts having dreams—dreams that she dies in childbirth. This worries him, and he turns to his good friend, Chancellor Palpatine. The Chancellor, who is really Darth Sidious, tempts Anakin. Anakin tells Mace Windu that he thinks Palpatine is a Sith, so Mace Windu and several other Jedi go to apprehend Palpatine. Palpatine massacres them, but when he is about to kill Mace Windu, Anakin comes to rescue him. Anakin helps Mace Windu, but Palpatine succeeds in turning him, and kills Mace Windu. Anakin becomes Palpatine(Darth Sidious)'s dark apprentice. Palpatine orders Anakin to the Jedi Temple and Anakin kills every Jedi there. Next, Anakin goes to a fiery planet(sorry, forgot the name of it), and kills everyone there on orders of Sidious.

In Coruscant, Padme is confronted by Obi Wan, who finds out who the father is. He asks Padme to tell him where Anakin is—she refuses. She goes after Anakin, and Obi Wan stows away on her ship. When she reaches the planet, Obi Wan comes out of the ship and Anakin attacks her. Obi Wan and Anakin fight. Anakin loses, and is badly injured(also known as: no legs, no arms, and very burned). Obi Wan flies off with Padme. Palpatine comes for Anakin, finds him. He encases Anakin in armor, and life support... stuff.

Padme dies.

Anakin is angered, destroys stuff.

In the above example, the change for the worse is visible. Anakin starts out as a good kid—becomes evil Sith(“YOU UNDERESTIMATE MY POWER”). This is a great example of bad change.

Just a word of advice. If you include change, and reality in your story, it is more likely that readers will love it. I'm not promising anything, but, I might even read your story. :-)

So, go ahead. Comment. Tell me what you think. Did this blog post even help? :-D

Signed with the Sharpie of Ideas,

-Author