If you have been writing fiction for some time now, then deus ex machina is no stranger to you. A Latin term that means “god out of the machine,” it is a literary device wherein a stunning shift of events independent from a character’s action occurs as a result of divine intervention. Picture a couple who are farmers by trade. They could no longer sustain the upkeep of their farm, and their bedridden daughter needs medication. Then the couple finds their lottery ticket under the table lamp and, upon checking the morning paper, found that they won the lottery, and it enabled them to save both their farm and their daughter. And they lived happily ever after.

The use of this literary device is not recommended as it signals poor plotting and laziness on the part of the writer, who, instead of exploring better avenues for twists and turns, decides to let some higher power to fix the story’s crisis. Still, deus ex machina continues to creep both in print and film. Some get away with it, others don’t. It’s a considerable risk, but using this device without too much suspension of disbelief and at the right time can work, and use it against your hero. Deus ex machina against your protagonist becomes believable and anticipates a crisis. In favor of your protagonist, it becomes a cliché that reflects your poor grasp at inventiveness.

Consider this story: Turko is the leader of a special forces team that raids a house to extract a fugitive drug lord who is facing criminal charges. Turko is an aging soldier who vows that this will be his last mission, but since he is the best at what he does, his commanding officers are asking him to do one more extraction, then he can live on his measly pension.

Deus ex machina for the protagonist: Turko and his men discovered that one of the brick walls of the mansion has a stash of twenty million dollars in drug money. They decide to kill the drug lord, split the loot among themselves, and make a cover-up story.

This is a typical writer’s scheme to give the aging Turko no further inconvenience. Moreover, Turko’s treachery to his call of duty ends there without any conscionable requirements that would push him to redeem himself.

Deus ex machina against the protagonist: Turko and his men implement their plans without any hassle. Along an isolated airstrip where they rendezvous to meet their lift, his men double cross him as one of them puts a bullet at the base of his skull and leaves him half dead.

Now that the deus ex machina works against Turko, it becomes another conflict that he needs to resolve. Do not make it easy for the protagonist to achieve his/her means. This is the hallmark of a good page-turner, as readers will tag along to find out what happens next. You can only bestow blessings on your characters, but be sure that such blessings are used as stepping stones for them to achieve something greater. A human being’s capacity to tackle his own conflict is what makes for a good plot.