When you’re working on a story concept one of the most important things to keep in mind is that nothing is sacred. You have to be willing to let the story goes where it will. This means, in some cases, eliminating the very idea that started it all.
I’ve both head and given this exact advice before, but until today I had never used it at its extreme. This afternoon as I tried to figure out why I wasn’t connecting with the characters in my new Dreamwalkers novel, I realized the problem: The story had moved beyond the initial idea. Way, way, way beyond it. But I still wasn’t letting go.
The idea that started it all is not the core of a story. It can be, but it certainly is not by default. The idea that started it all is nothing more than a spark that got your creative juices going. Weeks, months, or in this case years down the line you have to be willing to let it go.