To Kill, or Not to Kill My Darlings, That Was the Question.

  My growth as a writer is largely owed to the invaluable guidance of author Jerry B. Jenkins—those are just the cold hard facts, my friends.

But let's back up, shall we? Back when a dream planted its seed, bringing forth by root a germ, that sprouted into an idea, from which its existence did emerge. How cleverly whimsical that was of me and certainly a mouthful. But you get where this is going.

It all started one afternoon, while I was having lunch in the cab of my work truck—an epiphany, if you will. I thought: Maybe it's time to use what I learned during my college studies and work on a story idea.

I'm passionate about character development. Andrew Lincoln's portrayal of the character Rick Grimes on The Walking Dead TV series was phenomenal. His exit from the show left a void that could never be filled. So, my goal was to create a character that would resonate with readers, the same way Andrew Lincoln's portrayal of Rick Grimes did for me.

Initially, my protagonist was going to be this larger-than-life individual who kicked a$$ while taking names. But as I applied myself to the craft of writing, I became more aware of the intricacies of character arc/development, and how crucial it was for my protagonist to be identifiable and believable to the reader.

A few years back, I began reading books on the craft of writing—brushing up on what I had learned during my college course in creative fiction. I looked high and low for more knowledge. There were others whose insight was informative. But Mr. Jenkins' approach just spoke to me. A 21-time Best-Selling writer, author of the successful book series 'Left Behind', passing on his knowledge to anyone inclined to tell a tale just spoke volumes of his character.

So, I joined his writer's guild and couldn't be more satisfied with my progress. As a result, I'm more confident in my prose and possess the knowledge required to be an effective writer. The characters in my current work have become so vivid, and the world they inhabit just as believable, thanks to Jerry B. Jenkins' guidance.

Once I felt confident that I could endure 'the marathon of the middle' in writing a manuscript and I began my work, it became painfully obvious that there wasn't enough room in my tale for all the ideas I had squirrelled away over the years. I said to myself: I may have to kill off some of my darlings for the sake of my tale. In other words, I should omit ideas for my story that do not serve the narrative effectively. No matter how enamored I am with the piece. A story has to ring true to the reader—it must resonate. Everything must flow smoothly.

So, I began a rough outline of my tale and noticed that the ideas originally planned for the first manuscript would be better served in a second and third. Before I knew it, the arc I had envisioned for the protagonist became more believable and vivid than I could have ever imagined, with a theme that bubbled to the surface organically during the process.

I was taught by Jerry B. Jenkins to 'write about that which you love, and you can't go wrong.' And isn't that the truth of it all.

So, it looks as though my darlings are safe—for now, at least. 😉 What was unnecessary for the first manuscript has now become pertinent for the second and third. And it was all made possible from the knowledge that I acquired through Jerry Jenkins' Writers Guild.

To those of you aspiring to write, stick with it. And tell your tale the way that you imagined it.

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts."

-Winston Churchill

PS - Thank you for showing me the way, Jerry B. Jenkins.

J.W.