Into the Fire

In writing sooner or later we might just have to use one—and hope it doesn’t seem like we did. I mean, c’mon. Let’s be honest. We need to kill off a character, we need two people to meet when the reader least expects it, we need something to happen in the past, present, future!

Here’s one definition of a gimmick: a stratagem employed to promote a project.

That works, doesn’t it? We have to use a “stratagem” to promote a situation happening in the plot. And whether or not you agree it’s a “gimmick”, sometimes it is, and, worse, sometimes it feels like one.

Set up, situation, and surprise can be everything in avoiding the “presentation” of a gimmick. The story has to somehow allow for this occurrence to seem natural within the context of the story, or it will have “convenience” and/or “gimmick” written all over it. Life’s occurrences throw out curves—everyone has been faced with them. Making them believable within the framework of story and characters takes skill. If a writer takes a shortcut in establishing the background, these occurrences can feel gimmicky.

Typically, there can be deaths in stories, deaths of major or peripheral characters. So many ways to die. Commonly—cancer, drunk driver, leukemia, heart attack, gunshot. They’re all legitimate, can appear or happen suddenly, and can definitely cause death. How they’re written about can be the determining factor in whether or not they show up as a gimmick.

Another common place for gimmicks is in romance novels. Now since I’m a romantic at heart, it pains me to say this, but romance writers have to be very careful not to present Mr. and Miss Right in gimmicky circumstances. So easy to do. However, let’s face it: people do plot and connive to meet each other and prearrange their “chance” meetings, so when you do it in story form, at least make it seem true to life.

Gimmicks done well work. In real life and in fiction. Nobody argues with success. It’s when a gimmick fails that all kinds of pointy fingers expose the heresy. Remember the stratagem is to “promote” the project not seal its ignominious fate.

God, you are straightforward, truthful, and without guile. Help me to write that way no matter what technique or tool I have to use to communicate. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.