Hey, that's life!

...and it's okay.

One of the interesting things I’ve learnt about writing is how dynamic characters can be. It could be argued that these characters are created by the writer, thus there’s a clearly defined plan for them.

This is what clearly defined looks like: Before writing a screenplay, I first do a treatment of the plot. This is an extended version of the synopsis and holds a scene-by-scene account of the storyline. If I stick to this during the scripting process, I’ll probably have a hitch free writing, but most times things get out of hand.

This is life.

Photo by Mark Neal on Pexels

It is this ‘getting out of hand’ that sometimes forms the basis of a character’s dynamism. That is, the unexpected has a way of birthing beauty. I believe that when a character, independent of the writer’s desire, has a life of their own, they’re able to take the story in a new direction and create something special. It could also create something chaotic, and that’s life too. But compelling characters come alive on TV screens or in a reader’s mind after finding their way out of the writer.

Fiction in many ways mirrors real life. In our real world, things don’t go as planned. And for meticulous people, it can be a nightmare. As someone who falls into the category of people who like to plan out their life, I do get shocked every now and then. And this is because everything won’t work out the way we want, it’s simply life.

Can/Should we do our best to hit targets? Absolutely.

Are we going to hit every target? No. There are just too many variables involved. You may be early to the bus stop, but the bus is running late. You may have other commitments preventing you from reaching a monthly savings goal. That’s life.

But it’s not all gloomy…

You may catch the next bus, strike a conversation with someone and start a life-long friendship. Or you may be considered for a higher role at the office with a salary increment that helps with the bills. That’s life too, my friends.

I advocate for structure, or in the case of writing a screenplay having a treatment, but we can’t always follow templates, because sometimes life happens and it’s okay. We just need to be patient with ourselves as we navigate uncharted waters. Who knows? Something beautiful may be at the other end of it.

Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it’s the Lord’s purpose that prevails.