Author R.A. Gasparac

Full disclosure- I’m writing this on my mobile phone. It’s clunky and autocorrect is behind the corner ready to gossip inappropriately (her game of telephone.)

I took a calculated risk in my life last weekend, and it paid off. I let myself get wrapped up in the current of life and I am glad I did. With my divorce on the horizon, and separation concrete I accepted a lost soul into my life.

This made me think. What risks are you taking with what you are writing? Answer honestly. Without risk there is no reward. (On that note I have yet to submit my work to agents as planned- damnit.)

When we write, we must ask ourselves if we are creating the highest risk possible for our characters. Others often refer this to me ‘raising the stakes’, but I choose to look at it as the former. When we write we are to put characters we love into the worst possible rock vs. hard place scenarios.

So, in your writing what is the absolute worst thing that could happen to your main character? Better yet- what are the THREE worst things that could happen? Write out how that would play out. Do it now. I’ll wait.

Often taking the easy way out is just that- easy. Our job as writers is to ask ourself that question and write our character’s in and out of said situation. That is the heart of the conflict and action. If you choose to not do this, you are not an writer.