The Bible tells
about order and organization and planning and being prepared. Luke
14:28-30 says, "For which of you, desiring to build a tower,
does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to
complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able
to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began
to build and was not able to finish.'"
The same goes with
tacos. Yes, tacos. Lettuce, while oh-so-delicious, is also a bit
flighty. It jumps ship at the slightest disturbance. And it takes
everything on top with it. I've learned over the course of my
lifetime of taco-eating that layering a taco is essential. Either the
lettuce must go on bottom, with the weight of other toppings to hold
it down, or it must go on last. There's still a risk of losing
lettuce if it's on top, but at least it doesn't take anything with
it. Namely my precious cheese.
And the same goes
with manuscripts. They take careful planning. Whether you're a
plotter or a pantser determines the level of conceptualization and
depth of preparation.
There are many
layers to consider. I've talked before about the layering process and
even offer a workshop
for those who are interested. Extensive research on the subject has
led to a precise list and method for building the perfect taco...er,
novel. As with lettuce, the placement of certain aspects of a story
is essential to the success of the whole.
Will you make it to
the finish line and be able to write the words THE END? Or will
pieces of the plot fall apart onto your literary plate?
Order.
Organization. Planning. Preparedness.
Before you sit down to build your
tower, will you take the time to count the cost? Have you prepared a
stable foundation for your characters?
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