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Retrofit

Even for the most linear writer, sometimes writing is not linear! Sometimes we're most of the way through a story when we have our "a-ha" moment, and we realize the story is about something other than what we thought it was about—that the protagonist is someone else, or that the theme is not at all what we thought it was.

Don't force your story into your original plan or outline "just because." Maybe your subconscious has been brewing something more interesting all along, and your story just needs a few tweaks to retrofit it into your newer, better idea.

And here's an anecdote about a cool box that made it easy for me to give up a really cool theme idea that wasn't serving my story!

Your Assignment

If you don't have a theme in your current project, take a few moments to determine what a fitting theme might be

If you're stuck on something, try on a few different themes for size and see if maybe a new theme would give your writing some exciting direction