MacGuffins, anyone?

A Macguffin is a plot device that some authors use to drive their story along, even though it doesn't have an impact on the story itself. Macguffins have been around since the days of Alfred Hitchcock and you can find them hiding in many, many stories. 



One of the best examples of a Macguffin is the falcon statuette in The Maltese Falcon. Everyone wants to get their hands on it, but the falcon itself only appears a few pages in the text. It drives the story along, but it does not participate in the story.

Other famous Macguffins. What about that adorable Grogu? At least in the first season. Don't spoil it for me because I need to catch up on watching, but I think that one might work. The sugar bowl in A Series of Unfortunate Events. Arthur's Holy Grail. The briefcase in Pulp Fiction. The Persian rug in the Big Lebowski. 

Can you think of other Macguffins? I think it can be fun to try to spot them. 

Does your story have a Macguffin? If you are struggling with your plotline and motivation to get readers from start to finish in your story, you might try a Macguffin!