Body Talk

Last time (which was a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away), I compared our first draft with the Skeletal System. We all remember science class, right? Today we’re going to explore how two other systems, the Muscular System and the Circulatory System, can also give us great examples of what our writing should be like.

When we work out it’s usually for one reason—to build muscle. We religiously do our push-ups, download apps to help us plank in thirty days, and increase the weight to our iron, all for the purpose of getting stronger.

After we finish our first draft, very often we begin to reread it and not far in, we realize it’s lacking. Maybe the sidekick is supposed to have a larger role but we don’t know much about them. Or maybe the plot is one-dimensional and needs some expansion. It’s not unnatural, and doesn’t mean you’re a bad writer if you realize later that your story needs more meat, or “muscle.” One work in progress I had needed development of my setting…a lot! I realized only after I had finished the first draft that I had almost no descriptions of any settings in the entire story. So much for opening the door to my readers so they can feel like they’re actually there.

The circulatory system ensures the blood is flowing throughout our entire body, with the heart as the main hub. Several years ago, my father-in-law had a blood clot in his leg. Even though the leg isn’t a major organ, the issue needed to be resolved quickly for two reasons. First, without blood, something dies. The leg needed the blood flow to function. Second, if there is a clot somewhere, it affects the entire rest of the body.

In writing, if our story doesn’t flow from chapter to chapter, page to page, idea to idea, it will make for a not-so-great story, especially if it’s so choppy the reader has a hard time following the plot. Any foreshadowing we put in, any plot twists we add, need to be connected and resolved before the end of the story—unless you plan to add a sequel, then at least make sure it’s resolved enough for people to want to read the next one.

God intricately designed complex systems that all work together to produce a perfectly formed being—us. When everything functions at its best, we are healthy and feel great. When all the components of our stories are complete, we have created a beautiful masterpiece that readers will love.