On Writing : Random writer moment— by Kat Spencer

Nice, that's dramatic. I haven't had a script take such a major turn while writing, but in outlines such wild things happen for me.

On the converse, I'd had characters survive due to the heroes and villains constantly foiling each other's plans.

I’m working on a novel right now where the outline says a character dies but in the writing he ended up living. It was a Jesse Pinkman situation. I grew to love him so much I didn’t have the heart to kill him, and the story is stronger for it!

Yup. I won't give spoilers, but I 100% still haven't recovered from it. I say this despite it being HEAVILY foreshadowed, even by the character in question.

Michael Dzurak - I like that turn of events and find it rather comical. I assume their survival was also unexpected?

That's awesome James Calkins - I like that turn of events too!

Banafsheh Esmailzadeh Same. I still tear up whenever I re-read that section.

I honestly think writing that death scene altered my brain chemistry, Kat Spencer. Or maybe I broke my own heart. Though chances are it’s both lol. Either way, it’s a pretty big deal lol I’m normally not afraid to kill off my characters but this one definitely stung.

It happens... In my last story my co-writer said This character needs to die.... But he couldn't give me a reason. He just kept saying she needs to die... Now it was not a main character but a good supporting role. I figured he just wanted to do for his own twisted reason. But after going back and forth we realized that her death would trigger an event we had planned that we had been building up to... We just had not seen that this would push that character over the edge and be just cause for his actions... It's weird how it was really intuitive on his part and he couldn't let it go and in the end it worked out. And it's a scene readers remember.

Kat Spencer Yes, it was a major scene turn.

i grew to love my merry band of humans through writing about them for 20 episodes. even though they died of old age, peacefully, i still missed them. so much so i resurrected them in the series finale. that was my first script. at least my ai characters are going to live forever

That's honestly the best sign a story is working because it means the narrative has its own logic and you're following it instead of forcing it. Writers who won't let characters go when the story demands it are usually how you end up with those bloated third acts that overstay their welcome. The real trick now is resisting the urge to rescue them in the next draft. I once had a side character I loved so much I built three scenes around them, and then the story just quietly made it clear they had to go. Hurt like a breakup, but the draft was ten times better for it.

This is the experience...when the world stops feeling controlled and starts feeling alive.

From my experience - EVEN in development working with writers - there’s a moment where the story begins to dictate itself. Characters make choices you didn’t plan, and the narrative moves in ways you can’t force. That’s usually a sign you’ve built something real.

I love when stories take you in a direction you didn't see coming. Those unexpected pivots can so often be the making of them!

OMG yes! I love when a twist hits me out of nowhere.

is the story fiction or true story?

if it is fiction you can do what ever you want, you are creating it. I would say if you don't want them to die than don't let them die, even if it is illogical or absurd.

Yes and normally it's the wrong person murdered. I feel betrayed when it happens. Then I turn around and realise, I can make this work- IF I go back and relook at the evidence and see how and why the person was killed. Sometimes I was setting them up and never realised it.