Pleasant Surprises

The attached photo was snapped recently during a great family trip back to Newfoundland. My daughter was looking for a shot of a whale coming to the surface and it was only after reviewing her photos that she discovered that she’d also captured an Atlantic puffin in the frame.

This reminds me of my experiences in writing. When I set out with a story I have a plan for what I intend to write about but along the way there are often unexpected and pleasant surprises that arise. Sometimes it’s a character that evolves to play a much larger role in the story than originally intended and sometimes it’s a subplot that develops a life of its own and takes the story in new and exciting directions. I cherish these moments in writing just as I cherish time together as a family.