Coincidences

I went to town on Tuesday to donate blood, and ran into an old friend. We haven’t seen each other for two years, so we had a lot of catching up to do.

She asked if we still had three dogs, and I told her we have a fourth, a boxer from hell, that she hasn’t met yet. She gave me a strange look and said her family got a boxer as well. Turns out her boxer is the same age as mine, is just as goofy looking, with the same hyperactive tendencies. They are sisters! On top of that, my boxer’s name is Bella, and so is hers.

Coincidence.
This made me think about coincidences in books and stories. As writers, we need to be careful that there isn’t so much coincidence that our story becomes predictable. But most stories also need to have a few to move the story along.

Some people may call coincidence by other names: fate, chance, divine intervention, happenstance, or synchronicity. No matter what the tag is, we have to plan them carefully. Why does he see her every day around the same time, but not in the same place? Is she stalking him? Are they supposed to meet and marry? Does she want him to follow her? Is she someone from his past that he doesn’t remember? Does she even realize that he sees her every day? Ask yourself why you are including this coincidental sighting. If it has no bearing on the plot, it doesn’t belong.

I’ve cut coincidences in my stories before. Usually it’s because my plot was going in a particular direction, but I changed course. Other times it’s because I thought I was giving too much away when I wanted the reader to continue wondering about a certain element.

Coincidental situations should be strategically planted in your stories for a reason. Watch for them while editing!