Where's the (story) beef?

Showing my age here, but there were several Wendy's commercials some time ago, with a grandma asking "where's the beef?" To refresh your memory, I've pasted one from YouTube below.

 

The "Where's the beef" lady isn't seduced by the fine bun, the clean presentation, or even the tidy condiments. She won't settle for less than the real thing, and she's not going to swallow her discontent and walk away. She wants a juicy hamburger.

Give that lady a burger!

Same is true with your story. You can dress up the characters in all their finery and quirks, but if you're not going anywhere with these characters, your customers/readers will not be satisfied.

I'm not saying your book has to be plot-heavy. The plot should be, in my opinion, character-driven. That means the main character(s) better have clear goals, motivations, and conflicts, and these should be relevant, even essential, to the plot.

Though it's hard to talk about plot independently, a strong plot should have obstacles that keep the character from reaching their goal until the story payoff at the end of the book. Each of these obstacles should challenge the character to change/grow or at a minimum, put the character into a jam.

The more you flesh out these obstacles and the more your character reacts to the circumstances, the bigger the beef. Sync plot to character change from start to finish and you'll have satisfied readers!

Maggie Toussaint
www.maggietoussaint.com

A murder story was every reporter’s dream - Molly in Murder in the Buff

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