Plan B

Finally, Beauchamp reveals Plan B

The tiger stood and stared at Beauchamp. Beauchamp looked away from him. He tapped his thick fingers on the steering wheel.

“I also might just kill him,” Beauchamp said, “and skin him and make me a tiger coat.”

The Tiger Rising(2015)

What's happening here?

Action: something has to trigger your character to reveal his Plan B. In this snippet, it’s just a stare from the tiger. What could be a triggering action in your version?

Reaction and considering a different plan: this physical reaction builds suspense by slowing down time, until we hear Plan B. You can play with this moment—who’s reacting to who, and how? What’s important is you hang back for a moment, and then reveal a different plan, which should come as a shock.

Suddenly the mermaid swooped forward and smashed something against the glass. A rock. She was glaring at Dr Vine, eyes full of rage. She smashed rock against the glass again. It didn’t even make a scratch. Dr Vine smiled. He put his fingertips to the glass in front of the mermaid’s lips.

“Or we could clone her,” he said, “and start fresh with a new specimen.”

I saw the lamplight glint off teeth as the hyenas tore into the bits of carcass. Grandfather leaned forwards and fixed me with narrowed eyes. “But you could come back here. Feed the hyenas. Keep the luck in our family.”

Write your own variation, using action and reaction to build suspense before revealing plan B.

Narrative Basics Project: Revealing secrets and plans