A critique partner rescued me from a sad error in *The Boy Who Closed the Sky.*
“Dave, why do you leave Elisha out of the story?”
“Because on the mountain, the Lord told Elijah that Elisha would replace him. Another verse says Elisha followed him and became his servant. But you can’t follow and replace. You have to choose. I chose replace.”
Why couldn’t I see Elisha following then replacing? Duh!
My critique partner didn’t try to show me the twist in my logic. She said, “Readers will think you didn’t do your research.”
I stewed about “replace vs. follow” until one day it clicked. Show Elijah thinking “replace” while Elisha insists on “follow.” Result: Fun scenes of conflict, misunderstanding, reconciliation, and cooperation. Thanks to a critique partner who spoke up.
