Metawriting #7: MacGuffins

Alright, so, this is a topic which has come up before in these entries, but I haven’t really delved into what they are in detail, and there’s a few reasons why I think they need an entry all their own. First, they’re kind of hard to wrap your head around, both because they’re kind of a slippery topic in and of themselves, and because I use the word in a slightly different way than it is used conventionally. Second of all, I’ve been reading some stories by writers who are relatively new to writing these sorts of stories, and they’ve been struggling with it in each one I’ve read, and once fixed, it’s something which makes their works immediately better.

So, what, again, is a MacGuffin? A MacGuffin, in conventional usage, is an object which is introduced to the plot which goes mostly unexplained, but which allows the whole rest of the plot to function. The quintessential example is the briefcase from Pulp Fiction, but we also have the Tesseract from Captain America and The Avengers, and the Death Star plans in Star Wars Episode IV. In each of these movies, these objects move the plot forward, by giving the characters motivations and goals, usually in pursuit of the object in question, but they largely go unexplained, and the story unfolds around them. So, a well placed and well thought out MacGuffin is crucial to driving any plot.

Like I said, though, I use the word a bit differently. In the context of the MC/TF genre, MacGuffins are those objects, powers or attributes used by characters to control and manipulate the minds and bodies of other characters. They are the amulets, watches and rings; the musk, the gaze, the touch; the books, the clothing, and the spells. Every story has one, and most every story’s MacGuffin has some problems, but we’ll get to that in a second. Let’s focus first on what kinds of MacGuffins MC/TF stories can have. We can break them down into a few different distinctions.

• Limited / Unlimited: Some MacGuffins can only do so much, while some can alter every aspect of reality they so choose. The Chronivac 4.0 on CYOC is a fine example of an unlimited MacGuffin. Limited MacGuffins are simply anything for which there is something which it cannot do. So, the watch that can only hypnotize a subject is limited. The curse which can only strike a certain person and affect them a certain way is limited. Both are good, but unlimited MacGuffins tend to be problematic plot-wise,  because by giving the characters who wield them unlimited power, they tend to eliminate conflict, which can make a story boring. In the end, best to go with limited–they’re more interesting, but in a big story with lots of TF’s, sometimes a universal MacGuffin is best.
• Character-Specific / Transferable: A MacGuffin is character-specific if no one else can use it, or if it is a part of their physical or mental being. A  MacGuffin is transferable if another character can use it. Examples of the former are a hypnotic gaze, or musk, or a family amulet that only the proper owner can use. Examples of the latter are rings, ray guns, books, etc.–anything that more than one person can operate. Never use a character-specific unlimited MacGuffin. Just don’t–it’s boring as fuck. Transferable MacGuffins on the other hand open up lots of interesting plot twists, with characters stealing MacGuffins and changing each other back and forth.
• Mental / Physical / Hybrid: Some MacGuffins can only change minds, some can only change bodies, and some can do both. All are fine, what’s important to be clear, from the beginning, which is which.
• Controlled / Wild: Some MacGuffins always do what the user wants–some have…a mind of their own. The quintessential wild MacGuffin is the Genie who just can’t get his wishes right. A measure of chaos in a story is always good, but having a MacGuffin go too wild just makes a story a muddle.

I’m sure there are more types and distinctions, but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. As you can see, a MacGuffin can be designed to fit any story, but therein lies the big question:

How do we pair the right MacGuffin with the right story?

Every story is different, and I can’t begin to sort out how to answer this question in every case, but here’s a few points that should guide you as you write:

1. The MacGuffin should fit the tone of the story: Are you writing a slob TF with smokers? Use a cigar or musk MacGuffin. A nerd to jock TF? A computer program or a football uniform. This is the easy part.
2. Don’t be afraid to use multiple MacGuffins: Try not to make “swiss army knife” MacGuffins, which have a bunch of disparate effects. It can work in some cases (such as a spell book with multiple spells) but even then they ought to fit some common theme. Don’t be afraid to split powers apart and embody them in separate MacGuffins–often this is the best way to go.
3. Occam’s Razor ought to rule the day: That said, if you can get everything in the story to change with one MacGuffin, don’t add a second one. If a MacGuffin doesn’t need a power for the story, then get rid of it. The MacGuffin ought to fit within the confines of the story–suited for the purpose, without overextending itself. If you don’t do this, you risk leaving out an unfired Chekov’s Gun.
4. If you use two MacGuffins, make sure their respective effects are clear: If you use cigars and musk, both should have a distinct effect. Maybe the cigars are a physical MacGuffin, while the musk is mental. Maybe the musk is character-specific, but the intended victim gets their hands on a transferable cigar and tries to turn the tables in a battle of smoke. Just keep them separate. If they end up muddled, you probably need to go back to number three.
5. If a MacGuffin has a rule, follow it in every case: If your using a curse with a specific trigger, say, whenever someone tells a lie, make sure it happens every time the trigger occurs. Don’t be inconsistent, especially not “to make the story work,” because your readers will notice, and it will just seem like bad writing, which it is.
6. If you write yourself into a corner, don’t make up a MacGuffin to rescue you: No Deus Ex Machina please, it’s just sloppy. Go back and rework the story–don’t throw something in just to get you out of a tight spot.

Those are a few points at least. I’m sure you can break them all if you wanted to, but if you break one, make sure you break it for a good reason. A badly handled MacGuffin can ruin an otherwise nice story, so don’t fuck them up.