“Is this like so and so?”
“Is this too far over the top?”
“Is this publishable?”
What if for one moment we could write like this:
Now, in the blocks, this runner looks like everyone else. He starts like everyone else, but after the second hurdle, we KNOW he’s not like everyone else.
I’m sure he’s probably having a bad day.
I mean, really, hurdles?
I can barely walk down the stairs without falling headfirst and bouncing down the suckers. Props to hurdle thrower for even being able to squat in the same blocks with the others.
What I really like is that by hurdle number four, well, we all know he’s NOT gonna win this race so why not finish with a bang.
Queue the hurdle toss.
He finished, he took his teammate out with him, but who needs a medal when you’ve got a gazillion views on YouTube?
I’m sure hurdle thrower didn’t start the morning saying: “I think I’ll just try running through the hurdles.”
He probably woke up thinking he had a decent shot at winning.
A great shot at conforming. Just look at those snazzy red shorts if you think different.
But come along hurdle number four, when it’s obvious he’s not conforming, he’s not ‘winning’, HT has a choice: Finish his way or don’t finish.
I’m not saying if you know your WIP is a pile of shredded hurdles you should rush out and query it, but what I am saying is don’t be afraid to throw few hurdle rules around.
Write for the passion, not for the commercial success.
Write the story the way it NEEDS to be told, not the way that is gonna be easy.
Vampires never sparkled before Stephenie Meyers.
Wizards never played cribbage before J.K. Rowling
And hurdlers never ran like that before.
