Writing Excuses 9.24: Side Quests

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Writing Excuses 9.24: Side Quests

From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2014/06/09/writing-excuses-9-24-side-quests/

Key points: There are two closely related kinds of side quests, those in a book taken by the main characters, tangential to the main goal, and those outside the book, often standalone stories. Side quests in books need a story purpose. The character should learn something, it should prepare the reader for later events. They often do develop the character, experience points. But make your side quest important to the book with something at stake. Make sure side quests evoke character, plot, or setting and there is progression. Side stories are growing in popularity. Try to avoid requiring people to read them to understand the main stories. These are promotional tools, treats for the reader.

( Follow the yellow brick road... )

[Brandon] Let's go ahead and get our writing prompt. Dan?
[Dan] Okay. The writing prompt actually has nothing to do with side quests. But I want you to create a story in which you have an incredibly powerful character and a sidekick, and then flip them. Find some plausible reason for the incredibly powerful character to be the other person's sidekick.
[Brandon] This has been Writing Excuses. You're out of excuses, now go write.