An unexpected development
Originally published 22 May 2001

Ever since a bad experience with an early storyline, which I started without knowing how to end it, I've made sure I never got into a plotline without a predetermined exit strategy.

I don't always use it, of course, if I think of something better. And I very seldom actually map the strips out ahead of time. I could claim it's so that the writing will have a spontaneous feel, but really I'm just lazy, and perhaps overly confident in my ability to think up punchlines every four panels on the fly.

This plot twist had been predetermined, but I probably didn't know until the night before that it would run when it did.

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