What if?

What if things weren't quite as we perceived them?

What if the old woman who lived in a shoe really wanted a pair of stiletto heels and had an aversion to children?

What if when Rapunzel let down her hair, the prince realized it was a weave and he didn't want a woman who wasn't authentic?

What if Rip Van Winkle could have gone on a speaking tour of Europe about how much better things were 'way back then' and why he was a better parent than his wife?

What if the hero in a romance was short, pudgy, had acne scars, and didn't have a mint socked away for a rainy day?

What if Dr. Doolittle were able to teach others to listen to, understand and accept the animals?

Why all of the what-iffing?

The better question is, why not?

I watched a video interview Sherrilyn Kenyon gave a few years ago about her writing technique.  Turns out she is a panster and a very successful one at that.  I see myself as one of those and when I have overly outlined something or put too many details out without linking the story together, the whole thing dies a painful (to me) death.

I think that What If and Why are kind of like Mount Everest ... answer them, twist them, love them, or leave them Because They Are There!