BIG OBSTACLES

First Samuel seventeen is that well-known story of David and Goliath. The giant was a big obstacle to the Israelite army who remained hunkered down, shaking in their armor. But, David had a different perspective. He saw his God as bigger than any giant, and God gave him victory over Goliath.

As writers, we can’t be afraid of throwing big obstacles at our characters.

Make a list of big obstacles that your main character could face. Here’s a few to get you started.

Personal illness

Loss of a job

Car accident

Dead ends (as in solving a mystery or a problem)

An opponent (as in another character against what the main character wants to accomplish)

Obstacles can take many forms and degrees of seriousness.

Choose an obstacle you listed and create a scene in which a character meets with this obstacle.

Look back at your scene. Were you too nice? Rewrite, ramping up the effect of the obstacle on your character.

Would your second version have your reader sitting on the edge of her seat, wondering how the character is going to get out of this? That is just the reaction you’re looking for in your reader.

Though the advice when writing is not to avoid obstacles, we tend to run scared to encounter obstacles in our own lives. Just remember, your God is bigger!