The Closets: Digging Deeper

We’ve enjoyed this adventuresome trek through our new home, but we’re not quite done yet. Indeed, it’s time to do a little digging in the secret places: the closets.

Who wants a fabulous house with lousy closet space? (Come on, ladies... What would be the point of having great clothes with no place to put them?) In our amazing new home, the closets simply defy logic. They’re huge. They have all sorts of cubby- holes and secret hiding places.

In short, they’re so great we could actually spend time in them. Lots of time.

Now think about your writing closets. Have you written about a deep, hidden subject such as child abuse or forgotten memories? These are great writing topics. The deeper you dig into that closet, the more your reader will appreciate it. Be sure to get into the hidden places. . .the far corners.

Pull away the cobwebs and look for something new! Once you’ve found it, write about it in a new and refreshing way. Cause your reader to want to “journey” to those places with you.

Things to Consider:
This “digging deeper” thing is interesting in fiction (though, a little tricky). The way your dig deeper with your POV characters is by getting to know them (REALLY getting to know them – what makes them tick, what they’re struggling with on the inside, behind the smile, etc.)

Don’t give away too much information at once. Ease it out into the story. You can surprise the reader near the end of the story if you carefully weave the hidden subject in.

THE CLOSETS: DIGGING DEEPER

• Readers want something/someone to connect with. They want to know that they’re not alone. Revealing “deep” things gives their own experiences validity.
• Be careful not to over-do in this area or to give “pat” answers to very real problems. Remember, your reader is potentially looking to you (or your characters) for answers to dilemmas they are facing in their lives.

Download the .pdf of this lesson below.