While planning for my new project, I realised that the first part is relatively easy. You have ideas for two or three characters in your head, they have names, faces, characteristics. Heck, something even happens (this, the inciting incident on the plot chart), and then it takes a bit more effort to think of something beyond what it was that demanded your attention in the first place.
The plot arc looks lop-sided, with one-third scribbled on and the other four-fifths blank, that's how much logic you're left with when the imagination takes over! But it feels like there's nothing else to write about. The mind goes suddenly blank, and then you think...
Then what!
When the question is supposed to be
What if?
Today, the answer seemed to be to write what is already known about the story - the introduction. I knew that I had a cracking opening sequence, and wanted to get it onto paper. I wrote a few hundred words that exploded onto the page, introducing the main characters and their reaction to the inciting incident, whilst creating a book full of questions. And now, I had a bit more substance to progress with the initial goal of the day: The planning process.
Perhaps writing and planning aren't meant to be tasks undertaken in isolation, but carried out simultaneously.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Writing tip
Quickly write your first draft, understanding it's only a starting point, and not a polished piece of faultless prose that's being created - it's the beginning of a journey.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Brainstorming
I was ready to create an adult world where love and romance is hot and steamy, but it didn't materialise. Instead, I came up with ideas for a YA novel, and so, this is the story that I'm going to go with - call it gut instinct or whatever else you like, but if that's the story that arrives in your head, and knocks to be let in, it must, at least be given some worthy consideration.
Brainstorming is a funny old pastime.
Brainstorming is a funny old pastime.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Grounding the Plot
At the moment, I'm at the plotting stage of a new writing project. I always find the beginning very difficult to navigate. There are too many possibilities wandering around; the imagination becomes something that is wild and untameable. Some ideas are far too fanciful, some breathtaking with no real substance, some meandering forever, going nowhere at all. It seems a gigantic task to pluck several beings, with given characteristics and house them in their settlements, whether colourful and exotic lands, watching them soar the skies, ramble through forests and over mountains, or make them urban creatures living in squalid accommodation, allowing them to walk along dark, creepy alleys and dull-lit streets, drinking in lowly pubs and visit seedy motels.
Sounds like being a kid in a candy store, but it can become overwhelming. In trying to impose some order on the chaos, I have my plot graph already lined up, and a to-do list for when the brainstorming session dies down.
1. Outline story in two or three paragraphs.
Sounds like being a kid in a candy store, but it can become overwhelming. In trying to impose some order on the chaos, I have my plot graph already lined up, and a to-do list for when the brainstorming session dies down.
1. Outline story in two or three paragraphs.
2. Plot five point arc: -
- Inciting incident
- Primary incident
- Midpoint
- Climactic Event
- Resolution
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The Notebook
Just watched The Notebook. What a beautiful, moving story it was. It made me think about how beauty of emotion is created. Visually, it worked well with actors being emotive, but I'd now like to read the novel upon which it's based, to see how it's done through words - even if watching first and reading second is doing things the wrong way around.
This quote from the film, sums up its premise.
What does it teach us about writing, or story-telling in general?
That a story needn't be over-complicated to be poignant and meaningful. Keep it simple and let your characters live through their emotions.
Another passage:
Can be likened to a lasting tribute to the story premise, where the beginning and ending fuses, melding into one. The story becomes symmetrical, and finding that symmetry in writing is extremely satisfying and emotive if we've bought into the characters and the issues they've faced, the mountains they've climbed and the hurdles they've overcome.
Nope. I'm not a movie critic. Just a casual observer.
This quote from the film, sums up its premise.
"I love you. I am who I am because of you. You are every reason,every hope, and every dream I've ever had, and no matter what happens to us in the future, every day we are together is the greatest day of my life. I will always be yours."
What does it teach us about writing, or story-telling in general?
That a story needn't be over-complicated to be poignant and meaningful. Keep it simple and let your characters live through their emotions.
Another passage:
"I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I’ve led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough."
Can be likened to a lasting tribute to the story premise, where the beginning and ending fuses, melding into one. The story becomes symmetrical, and finding that symmetry in writing is extremely satisfying and emotive if we've bought into the characters and the issues they've faced, the mountains they've climbed and the hurdles they've overcome.
Nope. I'm not a movie critic. Just a casual observer.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Building characters
I love quotes. Those we come across that mean something to us normally stick because we see grains of truth in them. This line struck me as a shiny nugget in a pile of coal.
How does this transfigure into the realm of writing?
It's all about character and character development. Imagine that your main character tells a lie at the beginning of the book, and then goes merrily on their way, building a life and even a successful career from their lie, imagine that this lie destroyed the career paths of several of their colleagues in the process - the message is that it's a dog eat dog world. We may not like the main character, but we would portray them in a way that shows the harsh realities of life, and they would be ruthless - to say the least.
Taking the same character, who merely withhold information that will mean them succeeding in favour of their colleagues. This is deceit, which shows them to be cowardly. However, let's give the main character a background of growing up in a deprived area. They worked really hard to get to a stage where they could be really successful, and they don't want anything to stand in their way. Maybe, we get some empathy going. And to finish this character off, let's just give them a conscience, and at the moment when they could speak up, but choose not to, they keep their heads down, clasp their sweating palms together and refuse to make eye contact. They may win an achievement award for their success, but as they make their acceptance speech, you can see in their eyes they are uncomfortable. They see an old colleague in the room, and the colleague knows about their deception - now you have major conflict, because the deceptive liar will go to any lengths not to be found out. Could murder be their only defense?
This is what the quote meant to me, not just in terms of the words that create meaning, but on the depth of the verb, 'to lie', and the effect of such actions on character beyond the words: actions give words meaning in context. People who are being deceptive are often more dangerous than the out and out liar. The wordless deceiver expects to get away with not saying anything incriminating, even though their thoughts creep through in their actions.
And just like writing fiction, words and actions gives character to people we meet in our real world.
Lying is done with words and also with silence ~ Adrienne Rich ~When people lie using words, it's easy enough to look for motivation and to pass judgement on their sense of integrity, but lies that are 'told' with silence take on a new meaning: deception.
How does this transfigure into the realm of writing?
It's all about character and character development. Imagine that your main character tells a lie at the beginning of the book, and then goes merrily on their way, building a life and even a successful career from their lie, imagine that this lie destroyed the career paths of several of their colleagues in the process - the message is that it's a dog eat dog world. We may not like the main character, but we would portray them in a way that shows the harsh realities of life, and they would be ruthless - to say the least.
Taking the same character, who merely withhold information that will mean them succeeding in favour of their colleagues. This is deceit, which shows them to be cowardly. However, let's give the main character a background of growing up in a deprived area. They worked really hard to get to a stage where they could be really successful, and they don't want anything to stand in their way. Maybe, we get some empathy going. And to finish this character off, let's just give them a conscience, and at the moment when they could speak up, but choose not to, they keep their heads down, clasp their sweating palms together and refuse to make eye contact. They may win an achievement award for their success, but as they make their acceptance speech, you can see in their eyes they are uncomfortable. They see an old colleague in the room, and the colleague knows about their deception - now you have major conflict, because the deceptive liar will go to any lengths not to be found out. Could murder be their only defense?
This is what the quote meant to me, not just in terms of the words that create meaning, but on the depth of the verb, 'to lie', and the effect of such actions on character beyond the words: actions give words meaning in context. People who are being deceptive are often more dangerous than the out and out liar. The wordless deceiver expects to get away with not saying anything incriminating, even though their thoughts creep through in their actions.
And just like writing fiction, words and actions gives character to people we meet in our real world.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Cats 'n' Dogs
I was browsing through the pages of Sinfest, and couldn't resist posting this. Made me smile.
Click on the image for larger view. Linkback to: http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=3431
Click on the image for larger view. Linkback to: http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=3431
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