Problems that are easy to solve are also easy to forget.
The problems we present in our stories should grow. They should twist and turn. The layers should run deep--really deep.
Why? The deeper the problem, the more satisfying the ending once the situation is resolved.
And remember: a "problem" that can be cleared up with a single conversation isn't really a problem.
I love a good Hallmark movie more than anyone, but I do get kind of miffed when a love interest sees something he or she misinterprets then just leaves town without having a real conversation with the person they're walking away from. I can forgive them because I know we're working toward a happy ending, but I like my conflicts a bit more complex than that.
Yes, Parker was lying to Jaden in Cross My Heart. Could he have cleared everything up with a single conversation? Sure. But he had a reason to lie that was bigger than anyone expected, and when he and Jaden finally had that conversation, she wasn't easy to forgive him--too much had gone wrong.
There was more than a simple misunderstanding at play, and that's why Cross My Heart is (still) my bestselling book.
The point?
Create big problems for your characters. Make those problems as thorny as you can. Don't be afraid to push the limits.
Figure out the worst thing that could possibly happen, then make it worse.
Be Brilliant!
~Katie~
