The Defining Moment
Okay, you are well on your way and have laid out the preliminary characters. Now that your character has made the decision to head to Wyoming, as the writer you must keep in mind, as my mother would say, the only certain people in this world are fools. Give your character a moment of doubt, have something go wrong to make them question the decision to go forward.
However, first we must move you forward. It is time to log into Inkitt to set up your account. It cost nothing to sign up. You can also enter your work in progress as you go. Entering the work does not open it up to judging. It simply give you motivation to keep at it until the final product is ready. It will aid in decreasing your doubt as you pull together your story.
On the same note of doubt, show the character the light at the beginning of the tunnel which will also propel them to move forward.
Once they arrive in Serenity at the bunk house, or if they are staying in their own camper on the lot of land they purchased, they will need to interact with Jack.
Give them hope of friendship and the connection that is the magic of Serenity.
Defining moments have three characteristics: they reveal, they test, and they shape. As the author, you can create the character's defining moment by building them from one or more of the following four elements: Elevation, Insight, Pride, and Connection. Defining moments possess at least one of the four elements above, but they do not need to have all four.
Elevation - a moment that rises above all others in a day. Moments of elevation are experiences that rise above the routine. They make us feel engaged, joyful, surprised, motivated. To create these moments, the author can (1) boost the sensory appeal; (2) raise the stakes; and/or (3) break the script.
Insight - a moment that changes how we see our environment. Moments of insight deliver realizations and transformations. To produce moments of insight for others, we can cause them to “trip over the truth” by revealing (1) a clear insight; (2) compressed in time; and (3) discovered by the audience. To produce moments of self-insight, we must stretch, placing ourselves in situations that involve the risk of failure.
Pride - a moment that happened while we are at peak performance. Moments of pride commemorate people’s achievements. We can use three strategies to deliver pride: (1) Recognize others; (2) Multiply meaningful milestones—reframe a long journey so that it features multiple “finish lines;” and (3) Practice courage by “preloading” our responses in advance, so we’re ready when the right moment comes.
Connection - a moment that is part of our cultural fabric. Moments of connection bond us together. Groups unite when they struggle together toward a meaningful goal; they often begin their work with a “synchronized moment.” In individual relationships, it's the responsiveness that deepens our ties. A responsive interaction can bring people together very quickly.
Okay, that was clear as mud. Confused? Let me put it into perspective.
Jamar has a moment of insight when he is at the hotel and the movie is playing. He sees the wagon train stop and dig in for the Winter. They build a town. The next morning, there is a newspaper with 25k acres for sale which is much larger than a town. He purchases the land with cash from the lottery winning and has this moment of elevation. He gains pride by creating the website and a place for men to start over. He connects with the Park Ranger and Jack, and he has this synchronicity in his vision.
See, full circle. Now let's write.
Defining Moment- this is the moment where your character struggles with their doubts, insecurities, and fears. They may deliberate on going back to the way things were before and usually another supporting character will help push them forward. The tension is ramped up as the protagonist moves steadily forward. This should put your story on page 3 or 4 and you should be nearing 1000 words.