I have been stumped from day 1 with these two characters. I have NO idea how they meet, but they must. Because I already wrote them as best friends in the last section of the book. (This book is organized differently than most.) But in short, we have A and we have E. This book is set in 2010 and both characters are 15-16 years old. E has a semi-normal life. He has a younger sister and does high school work from home for personal reasons. Has supportive and kind parents. Likes going to movies, the symphony, and is generally fine with social events. A is what one might call an American Shut-in. She doesn't like to go do things and spends a lot of time playing video games due to past trauma. I am not sure what her relationship with her parents is like at the moment. Does not like going to: Schools, movies, concerts, places with a lot of people. I could have them both met through E's sister. But getting A out of the house would be a difficult task. They could meet online, but it's not realistic for them to meet in person. Sure, they could meet at a homeschool group, but again, A would avoid any meetings that take place in an actual school setting. Both of them have a lot in common and just seem to vibe together well. Sure, I could literally use Deus Ex Machina, but I did that in the LAST segment. I want something more organic. (No need for original.) Please help me figure this out. Also know, this is not a romantic plot line.
You just need to get E to A's house. Maybe their parents are friends and he gets dragged along. Or he mows their lawn and she sees him out the window. Or he goes to their house to buy something they're selling online. Or a package of hers gets delivered to his house by mistake.
So they're both homeschooled? You might consider a local homeschool group, somewhere where parents send their kids in order for them to do some socializing. With these groups, parents get together and plan social events for their kids. You haven't defined A's parents yet. Maybe they could be the type that give A no choice but to go? Or - you did mention something more organic. How about at the library? That's a good place where you can expect to be left alone with your books.
Why didn't I think of this? It is possible their parents know one another. Maybe their dads? Sadly, E isn't in the lawn mowing business. But I could have a Deus Ex Machina mis-delivered package. But you really made me think with the parents knowing each other.
Yeah, technically, they are. I don't think A is in school right now, though. Even online. And she wouldn't want to go to a homeschool group if it took place in a school and a church is out of the question for both of them. But I like the idea of the library. That actually makes sense, even though E isn't huge on reading. (Oddly never has.) But he may be researching something for an English paper or something.
That's not a Deus. People meet accidently all the time. The most interesting people I know in real life have all been chance meetings. Really, I don't think you have anything to worry about. Getting two characters to meet is simple and stands up to almost any plot-hole scrutiny. I can't think of ever reading anything and thinking, nah, no way they could have met like that.
Thanks. I am always worried about the way characters meet as 'too cliche' or 'it's a weird plot hole'. So thank you. In all my work, I struggle to get characters to meet in what I would consider 'original/natural'. But I guess life doesn't actually have that happen a lot.
There's entire stories built around chance encounters. Like I said, I can't remember ever reading/seeing one that made me think twice. I guess if you had Eminem meet the Pope in an elevator on Mars it might jump the shark, but besides that, nothing to worry about in my opinion.
