Sometimes it's difficult for me to write, not because of writer's block. I could write if I ever started, I just get...insecure and discouraged. I feel that even if I hone my talents to the best that they could be that no one would want to read/view my work. There's always the possibility that I'm just not good enough.
Then there's the more horrible possibility that I'm decent enough, but life says I'm doomed to be ignored anyway and that my time to shine will be long after I'm dead.
That's a terrible thing for me because I write for people who live today and their current experiences. I'm not writing for my legacy or for future people. This is blasphemy, but I don't care if my work doesn't live on if people right now get as much enjoyment as they can out of it.
This has nothing to do with how 'intelligent' my work is. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the ability of my work to resonate with contemporary people. Those who live and dream and cry and work and fight and love and laugh today. That's who I want to reach.
Yet what if I can't.
Showing posts with label becoming a writer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label becoming a writer. Show all posts
Monday, April 7, 2014
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Learning from My Peers
I'm trying to give feedback as much as I can. It helps me to see mistakes that I make in my own writing, but from a more distant perspective. I feel the effects of those hits and misses instead of just assuming that a particular attempt works.
Today I learned the importance of having a full story, one that isn't too thin. I guess this is where subplots and plot layers come in to give a story some heft, and also help to turn things in new directions. If everything hurtles toward the end in a straightforward path, there's nothing much to engage me.
So, I'll keep that in mind when I'm thinking that the plot I have is "enough."
Today I learned the importance of having a full story, one that isn't too thin. I guess this is where subplots and plot layers come in to give a story some heft, and also help to turn things in new directions. If everything hurtles toward the end in a straightforward path, there's nothing much to engage me.
So, I'll keep that in mind when I'm thinking that the plot I have is "enough."
Friday, April 4, 2014
Long Scenes
I knew this would happen, but I guess I was hoping it would magically be different once I began typing the screenplay.
My scenes are too long. I've thought each one over so carefully that they are all jam-packed with setups that I'll pay off later and foreshadowing and characterization and a little exposition sprinkled here and there. How do I cut all that out?
Do I write a two and a half hour script and then chop it up later? Do I figure out what can be dropped now? It might be a revision thing, but... I'm going to be letting people in my writing group read this. I cringe at handing them a script that long.
But we're showing each other our stuff in parts...I'm worried about things I shouldn't be right now, I know, but I should probably learn how to write concise scenes at the beginning so there's less of this. Because I'm going to need to cut many scenes later on just because I cut one line of dialogue here and there in these earlier scenes...they're jam-packed, I tell ya.
However, for right now, I'll just write and enjoy the ride. I can always worry when I'm about to hand my pages over.
My scenes are too long. I've thought each one over so carefully that they are all jam-packed with setups that I'll pay off later and foreshadowing and characterization and a little exposition sprinkled here and there. How do I cut all that out?
Do I write a two and a half hour script and then chop it up later? Do I figure out what can be dropped now? It might be a revision thing, but... I'm going to be letting people in my writing group read this. I cringe at handing them a script that long.
But we're showing each other our stuff in parts...I'm worried about things I shouldn't be right now, I know, but I should probably learn how to write concise scenes at the beginning so there's less of this. Because I'm going to need to cut many scenes later on just because I cut one line of dialogue here and there in these earlier scenes...they're jam-packed, I tell ya.
However, for right now, I'll just write and enjoy the ride. I can always worry when I'm about to hand my pages over.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
When Plans Change
So I start typing out my story, just winging it, trying to get a feel for what I'm doing, where I'm going, and whom I'm I'm writing about when it hits me.
I'm writing about the wrong characters.
What do I do now? I close the document and write down about these new people and their issues and what they want. And it's totally different than what I'm doing. I can't just keep writing and plug in these characters; it's going to take some rethinking.
Or is it? Maybe these are just secondary characters, or the ones I started out with are the secondary characters. Whichever the case, I might not have to start completely over.
But I'm not afraid to, if I have to.
I'm writing about the wrong characters.
What do I do now? I close the document and write down about these new people and their issues and what they want. And it's totally different than what I'm doing. I can't just keep writing and plug in these characters; it's going to take some rethinking.
Or is it? Maybe these are just secondary characters, or the ones I started out with are the secondary characters. Whichever the case, I might not have to start completely over.
But I'm not afraid to, if I have to.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Antagonists
Sometimes it's difficult for me to remember to add strong opponents to my protagonist's goals. I just don't like 'villains' in the kinds of stories I'm writing right now. However, I know I need to remember that antagonists don't equal villains.
These characters are in conflict with the protagonist over the same goal; that has nothing to do with their moral alignment or personality. The antagonist can even be a hero in his or her own right.
I have to remember that.
These characters are in conflict with the protagonist over the same goal; that has nothing to do with their moral alignment or personality. The antagonist can even be a hero in his or her own right.
I have to remember that.
Monday, March 31, 2014
National Poetry Month 2014
What to wear--what to wear?
I hope to write, write, write in April. I don't know...this will be kind of crazy. Will I really be writing a screenplay, a novel, and 30 poems? Sounds kind of ridiculous.
Oh, well. Away I go.
I hope to write, write, write in April. I don't know...this will be kind of crazy. Will I really be writing a screenplay, a novel, and 30 poems? Sounds kind of ridiculous.
Oh, well. Away I go.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Thinking More Than Writing
Sometimes I find myself having spent an entire day without writing a thing. Yet I don't really feel that it was time wasted. I have to work out these little kinks in certain scenes in my mind that niggle at me.
And if they don't have anything to do with the current scene I'm writing?
I just feel like those problems can cause problems all over the story. There have been plenty of times where I've found solutions somewhere else and that's led me to change what I'm about to write in a seemingly unrelated scene or sequence.
All the scenes further the same plot. The thing is to not get carried away or let 'thinking' be an excuse for not putting my pen to paper or my hands to the keyboard. Writing is a way to solve those issues and untie those kinks, too, along with actually getting the story completed. It's just that on some occasions I have to visualize the problem first.
And if they don't have anything to do with the current scene I'm writing?
I just feel like those problems can cause problems all over the story. There have been plenty of times where I've found solutions somewhere else and that's led me to change what I'm about to write in a seemingly unrelated scene or sequence.
All the scenes further the same plot. The thing is to not get carried away or let 'thinking' be an excuse for not putting my pen to paper or my hands to the keyboard. Writing is a way to solve those issues and untie those kinks, too, along with actually getting the story completed. It's just that on some occasions I have to visualize the problem first.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
How to Tell When a Scene Isn't Working
Back to my screenplay... I've begun writing the scenes. The first scene was pretty easy--suspiciously so. I even enjoyed it. Hmm...
I wrapped it up and prepared myself for the next one. All right, what's this scene about. Got it. Goal? Uh... No, you know this. Goal. Mmm. She wants her life to be better? Nuh uh. That's not a goal. What's she going after in this scene? Well, she's just going home. Oh...
But it's important because when she gets home and is thinking about stuff... Oh... But, wait. She comes across something that changes everything. That's when she decides her new goal. She's between goals, you see.
Yuh. No. I had to nix the scene. My character needs to be after something, needs to have purpose in every scene. I couldn't really visualize the scene because nothing was happening. The solution is to shorthand all this. The audience will know she got new goals by her actions, not by watching her clean up at home (is that really what she was going to do).
And that's why I ask these kinds of questions (along with ones about motivations, stakes, and conflict) before I start writing even one word of a scene. I would have wrote a meandering, wandering, boring mess here. Maybe later something might pop into my head, but for right now, the scene is D.O.A.
I wrapped it up and prepared myself for the next one. All right, what's this scene about. Got it. Goal? Uh... No, you know this. Goal. Mmm. She wants her life to be better? Nuh uh. That's not a goal. What's she going after in this scene? Well, she's just going home. Oh...
But it's important because when she gets home and is thinking about stuff... Oh... But, wait. She comes across something that changes everything. That's when she decides her new goal. She's between goals, you see.
Yuh. No. I had to nix the scene. My character needs to be after something, needs to have purpose in every scene. I couldn't really visualize the scene because nothing was happening. The solution is to shorthand all this. The audience will know she got new goals by her actions, not by watching her clean up at home (is that really what she was going to do).
And that's why I ask these kinds of questions (along with ones about motivations, stakes, and conflict) before I start writing even one word of a scene. I would have wrote a meandering, wandering, boring mess here. Maybe later something might pop into my head, but for right now, the scene is D.O.A.
Friday, March 14, 2014
Subplot or Plot Layer
Okay, panic mode is over, and I've just about worked out the kinks in my screenplay.
I've laid out most of the main plot and a lot of the subplot, and I do believe I've got it all straightened out. It all started from figuring out what was really the subplot and what was just a plot layer of the main plot.
So I realized that anything depended on the main character's story was just a plot layer. Anything that was independent, that branched off and did its own thing, connecting and intersecting at certain spots until maybe at the very end, was indeed a subplot. The subplot contains its very own main characters.
That let me see that I had 5 plot layers (for each supporting character that had a small arc and resolution that related to the main plot) and 2 subplots (for the characters that had their own branching stories). I lopped off one subplot, and voila-- I had simplified my story to a manageable level.
I've laid out most of the main plot and a lot of the subplot, and I do believe I've got it all straightened out. It all started from figuring out what was really the subplot and what was just a plot layer of the main plot.
So I realized that anything depended on the main character's story was just a plot layer. Anything that was independent, that branched off and did its own thing, connecting and intersecting at certain spots until maybe at the very end, was indeed a subplot. The subplot contains its very own main characters.
That let me see that I had 5 plot layers (for each supporting character that had a small arc and resolution that related to the main plot) and 2 subplots (for the characters that had their own branching stories). I lopped off one subplot, and voila-- I had simplified my story to a manageable level.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Inciting Incident and Protagonist Flaw
Still working on that screenplay. I think I've gotten the barebones structure laid out--something that I'm kind of happy with for now. I was unsure about the climax before, but I see now that it was the whole second act and in particular the inciting incident.
Before I just had the protagonist eventually accept the call to adventure and then hilarity ensue, and she reaps the repercussions from that. However, I came upon this web site that laid out the structure of 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN and at the inciting incident it had the protagonist's flaw linked to it.
I decided to do the same. What could I throw at the protagonist that tests her weakness right from the start? Then I saw that everything began building right off to a natural climax. I didn't have to force anything like I felt I was doing before. The plot points fell into place easier too and made better sense.
So I guess the moral of the story is to get it everything in order right from the start.
Before I just had the protagonist eventually accept the call to adventure and then hilarity ensue, and she reaps the repercussions from that. However, I came upon this web site that laid out the structure of 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN and at the inciting incident it had the protagonist's flaw linked to it.
I decided to do the same. What could I throw at the protagonist that tests her weakness right from the start? Then I saw that everything began building right off to a natural climax. I didn't have to force anything like I felt I was doing before. The plot points fell into place easier too and made better sense.
So I guess the moral of the story is to get it everything in order right from the start.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
The Beginning to the Middle
The story I am developing this month has finally found its main character. She has a goal that will drive her to the end, and I know how the pursuit of her goal changes her and where everyone might stand at the end of the story.
Now I can go to the middle where she begins to change and see where the plot leads me there. It's funny how I can take a story which vaguely interests me and develop it into something that excites me with just a few words.
Now I can go to the middle where she begins to change and see where the plot leads me there. It's funny how I can take a story which vaguely interests me and develop it into something that excites me with just a few words.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
When to Stand Firm and When to Let Go
There's an element of my story that many people in one of my writing groups are pretty consistently not liking. Well, it's not a 'not like' sort of thing. It's more of a don't understand. Their suggestion is to change it and make it more conventional and expected and just like it's always been done.
Yet what's the point in that?
None of them give me solid reasons why changing it would benefit my story. They say that . And I got a 'if you keep it this way, then maybe your outstanding writing would save it.' Huh? Shouldn't my writing be top notch no matter what? Moreover, no matter what state my writing is in, I doubt that it would win over that particular person. I made a mental note to not trust that person's words. I don't waste my time on close-minded people. The rest will see what I'm going for when they see the first pages.
How do I know when I'm wrong, and everyone's right? Or when I'm right and everyone's wrong? I know in most cases that the majority rules, and I bend to that.
However, in this case, this doesn't feel right. Why should I change something to fit someone else's experiences when they go against mine? Even when that hurts the story. I thought I was writing what I know?
Thursday, March 6, 2014
When You Don't Know the Story
I'm developing a story that I'll be writing in April. I have no idea what it will ultimately be about. That's truly scary. Usually, I will have thought months about it in my head and worked out some scenes and characters. I don't have any characters in mind or what will happen or how this will play out.
It will all be completely made up as I go along. The development stage has been going along slowly; I've been working more on my script than this novella. Where do I start with this? Do I plot it out? Try to get a character in my head? Piece out a scene? Come up with a compelling conflict? I generally know the end, but that hasn't propelled the story into my mind as it usually does.
I wonder if that means the idea is D.O.A.
It will all be completely made up as I go along. The development stage has been going along slowly; I've been working more on my script than this novella. Where do I start with this? Do I plot it out? Try to get a character in my head? Piece out a scene? Come up with a compelling conflict? I generally know the end, but that hasn't propelled the story into my mind as it usually does.
I wonder if that means the idea is D.O.A.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Back in the Habit
It's been a while...
Migraines and writing don't seem to go together so well, but I'm back at it. Scratching away in the sand.
I'm doing screenplays right now, in addition to noveling and short stories. I wonder how this will work out. Probably not so well either.
I have outlined a story and characters and will be doing a scene list (step outline). After that comes the rough draft. Since my momentum slows down so drastically towards the end, I've decided to write that dry wafer of an ending first. Then the flat, crunchy beginning. Lastly, the smooth and creamy delicious, delicious, middle. Just the opposite approach of an Oreo cookie.
Migraines and writing don't seem to go together so well, but I'm back at it. Scratching away in the sand.
I'm doing screenplays right now, in addition to noveling and short stories. I wonder how this will work out. Probably not so well either.
I have outlined a story and characters and will be doing a scene list (step outline). After that comes the rough draft. Since my momentum slows down so drastically towards the end, I've decided to write that dry wafer of an ending first. Then the flat, crunchy beginning. Lastly, the smooth and creamy delicious, delicious, middle. Just the opposite approach of an Oreo cookie.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Breakdown of Random TV Shows: Dads Part 2
Introduction
Part 1
My husband (I somehow roped him in) and I are breaking down the Dads episode "Funny Girl." This show is about two sons who live with their respective fathers. It takes place at their homes and at the sons' company which seems to develop video games.
Disclaimer: I'm not a fan of this show, and I don't hide that. However, that doesn't mean that I think that this show is irredeemable or that I can't learn something about television writing from it or anything like that. I don't like it--it's as simple as that. This may be entirely about my personal preferences rather than objective standards about what is good or not. Consequently, what follows is my opinion...I hope that's obvious.
I'm trying to approach this as a television viewer who just happened to tune in so I didn't look up actor's names or anything like that.
The characters' personalities aren't set up to maximize conflict or friction. If two random characters end up in a room together, I couldn't tell you specifically what will start sparks between them. The only ones who bump heads are the sons with their respective fathers, and that could get repetitive later on.
The characterization may be different for other episodes, but here is what I see for "Funny Girl." In order of importance to this episode's plot...
Eli
Dude
David
Funny Girl
Part 1
My husband (I somehow roped him in) and I are breaking down the Dads episode "Funny Girl." This show is about two sons who live with their respective fathers. It takes place at their homes and at the sons' company which seems to develop video games.
Disclaimer: I'm not a fan of this show, and I don't hide that. However, that doesn't mean that I think that this show is irredeemable or that I can't learn something about television writing from it or anything like that. I don't like it--it's as simple as that. This may be entirely about my personal preferences rather than objective standards about what is good or not. Consequently, what follows is my opinion...I hope that's obvious.
I'm trying to approach this as a television viewer who just happened to tune in so I didn't look up actor's names or anything like that.
Characters:
Overall, the characters are a bland bunch. Nothing much stands out about them other than the actor/actress playing them. I couldn't really say who they are at this point. I'd say that Crawford is the most defined character, and he's just a well worn stereotype.The characters' personalities aren't set up to maximize conflict or friction. If two random characters end up in a room together, I couldn't tell you specifically what will start sparks between them. The only ones who bump heads are the sons with their respective fathers, and that could get repetitive later on.
The characterization may be different for other episodes, but here is what I see for "Funny Girl." In order of importance to this episode's plot...
Eli
- This guy seems to be the main character (at least for this episode), though he's the least developed. His role is to get into contests of will with his father and be 'the single guy.'
- likes play over work
- casual clothes even at work
- many recreational items in his apartment
- focus on personal life rather than business at work (he doesn't actually do work in this episode)
- thinks of relationships as a means to get sex
- has had many casual relationships
- spends time with a woman only so far as what he'll get out of her
Relationships
- towards father
- insulting, belligerant, and whiny
- doesn't think his father is or can be right
- wants to prove his father wrong no matter what
- towards Dude
- discloses personal information, though it was one-way this episode as Dude didn't confide in Eli
- intimate
- towards assistant
- playful, can be belittling
- has crush on her
- towards maid
- protective
- friendly
Dude
- This is Eli's friend. I don't know his name--no one ever said it in this episode. His role is to get frustrated when his father causes him trouble and be 'the married guy.'
Characteristics
- more professional
- dressier clothes
- focused on the job even at home (though I couldn't really tell you what he does, exactly. In this episode, he seems to be doing a job that would be outsourced or relegated to someone who specialized in voice over work)
- in a committed relationship
- he and his wife seem happy
- doesn't seem to like the fact that he has kids
- towards Eli
- concerned
- involved
- intimate companionship
- towards father
- wary
- quick tempered and frustrated easily
- towards assistant
- trusting
- casual
- towards wife
- passive and yielding
- comfortable
David
- This is Eli's father. His role is to indirectly challenge his son and to be a more extreme flash forward to how Eli could turn out.
Characteristics
- blunt and indifferent
- will nose his way into his son's life if he feels it's needed
- takes advantage
- likes to eat
Relationships
- towards Eli
- offers advice
- skeptical
- towards maid
- aggravating
- intrigued but provokes her
Crawford
- This is Dude's father. His role is to show how a capitalistic, conservative stereotype causes problems and to be a more extreme flash forward to how Dude could be in the future.
Characteristics
- business minded in every situation, even when it's unnecessary
- oblivious to his own racial offenses
- takes things too far
- Republican, Wall Street type
Relationships
- towards Dude
- kind of casual but friendly when not in conflict
- towards Dude's wife
- friendly
Veronica
- She is Dude's assistant (because Eli doesn't do actually work, she only acts as the other one's employee). Her role is react to her bosses' antics and bring attention to work related problems. I actually didn't know her name until I glanced at the episode synopsis (I was avoiding doing that).
Characteristics
- knows more about what's happening in the company than her bosses
- has a high tolerance for being around people she doesn't really like
Relationships
- towards Dude
- casual
- tells him what to do
- honest about what she doesn't like
- towards Eli
- condescending
- ignores/tolerates his antics
- towards Funny Girl
- doesn't like her [not seen directly interacting with her in this episode]
Edna
- This is Eli's maid/cook. Her role is to be comic relief, a pseudo mother figure, and someone who gets one over on Eli's father.
Characteristics
- happy, for the most part
- naive
- not good with speaking English
- deceptively old
- mysterious past
Relationships
- towards Eli
- does what he says
- towards Eli's father
- suffers his hindrances
Dude's wife
- This is Dude's wife. Her role is to play mediator between Dude and his father.
Characteristics
- proud, feisty Latina
- towards Dude
- makes decisions for him
- towards Dude's father
- sympathetic
Funny Girl
- This is Veronica's 'friend' and then Eli's date. Her role is to be he plot device used to cause conflict in Eli's life when they date and he finds that she has to always be the unfunny clown.
Characteristics
- girl
- always makes unfunny jokes and does crappy bits
- towards Eli
- an audience for her jokes and no more
- towards Eli's father
- indifferent to his grumpiness
- towards Veronica
- never interacts with her 'best friend'
All right. These are the main characters of this episode. The next part will focus on the story/plot.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Writing from the Doldroms
Writing when I'm emotionally all over the place is impractical on most of these occasions. I'm being pulled in too many different directions (most of them down), and focusing on a story that takes good deal of concentration is a no-go.
My writing takes a back seat to the upheaval going on in my mind.
And it's not like I can use that as a channel to reflect what's going on with me in what I'm writing. I can barely get my fingers on the keyboard, or around a pen, to get a story down in the first place. I'm distracted with my attention wandering from worry to worry, from fear to fear.
I feel helpless during these periods, trying to get through but stuck in a thick funk. The more I fight, the more I sink and the losing battle just makes things worse. I'm currently climbing out a minor downswing and I think I'm learning to fend off the valleys a little bit better than in the past.
Things I turn to to keep my spirits up:
My writing takes a back seat to the upheaval going on in my mind.
And it's not like I can use that as a channel to reflect what's going on with me in what I'm writing. I can barely get my fingers on the keyboard, or around a pen, to get a story down in the first place. I'm distracted with my attention wandering from worry to worry, from fear to fear.
I feel helpless during these periods, trying to get through but stuck in a thick funk. The more I fight, the more I sink and the losing battle just makes things worse. I'm currently climbing out a minor downswing and I think I'm learning to fend off the valleys a little bit better than in the past.
Things I turn to to keep my spirits up:
- Prayer
I don't know why I don't pray more. Usually, praying stops my downward spiral in its tracks. I have to learn to let go of things that I really have no control over and give it all over to the One who has everything in His hands. - Fasting and Meditation
My body is a weak, decaying, faulty thing and I'd be a fool to depend on it or to think it won't fail me. Realizing that mood shifts are a part of my body's weaknesses helps me to put my situation into perspective. I will have low tides as well as high. - Finding a purpose
Not just long-term, "what do I want my life's meaning to be" purposes. But daily, moment-by-moment purpose. Why am I writing this? Why do I need to write this? Questions like these keep me focused, willing, and eager to write because if I have good answers then I know I'm not wasting my time on something trivial. At the end of it, I will have something worthwhile that I have accomplished, and that makes me feel more worthwhile. - Keeping up the daily routine
The temptation to just sleep it off or take a break is overwhelming. Sometimes it's necessary, but not as much as I'd like to think. I could stop exercising, eating right, cleaning, reading the Bible, or writing every day, but though I may feel a momentary reprieve, breaking the good habits I have set up just pushes me into a depression in the long run. - Recommitting to my goals
Sometimes I just want to throw it all away because of a temporary feeling that will eventually ease. When I am feeling bleak and pessimistic is definitely not the time to reconsider my goals, but to cling to them even more. Once I'm stable again, I'll be able to look over at what I set to see if I'm doing too much or too little or if I have made my goals tangible enough.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Writing during an Emotional Upheaval
When I'm sad, it doesn't feel like an everyday sadness. I consider every little thing I do and whether it's worth getting up for. Even going to the bathroom. I feel like I'm going into debt by spending the effort it takes to do anything. I want to sink deep inside my mind, beneath the surface, and never come back up again.
I withdraw from everyone, including myself. Writing during these periods is a painful process. I don't like expending the mental energy and struggling through a story when standing does me in. I'm getting better at it, though--controlling my emotions and writing through intense negative emotions. Not writing becomes too easy, and I need to take away all of my excuses.
So I've stopped saying, "I don't feel like it" or "Ugh, I can't concentrate on that right now." That doesn't make much sense because the alternative is to continue to feel bad or to dwell on feeling bad. Writing gets me out of my skin and into someone else, a character who will soon be going through an ordeal much worse than mine. *wink wink*
Writing is a part of my life now, and just like my family, God, and exercise, I can't push it aside whenever I'm feeling down. I need to let it use me so that I can think on things outside of myself. Then I'll find myself feeling not so bad after all.
I withdraw from everyone, including myself. Writing during these periods is a painful process. I don't like expending the mental energy and struggling through a story when standing does me in. I'm getting better at it, though--controlling my emotions and writing through intense negative emotions. Not writing becomes too easy, and I need to take away all of my excuses.
So I've stopped saying, "I don't feel like it" or "Ugh, I can't concentrate on that right now." That doesn't make much sense because the alternative is to continue to feel bad or to dwell on feeling bad. Writing gets me out of my skin and into someone else, a character who will soon be going through an ordeal much worse than mine. *wink wink*
Writing is a part of my life now, and just like my family, God, and exercise, I can't push it aside whenever I'm feeling down. I need to let it use me so that I can think on things outside of myself. Then I'll find myself feeling not so bad after all.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Week of Jan 13, 2013: An Obvious Thing...
I Learned about Writing.
Those different kinds of plots (Request, Revenge, Supplication, etc.)? I can use them in small-scale situations as well as for the overall plot. I don't know why this didn't occur to me before. I can have, for example, a small act of revenge that covers just a subplot, a series of scenes, just one scene, or part of a scene. I'm always struggling to come up with plot complications, and they were right in front of me all along. I feel silly.
Those different kinds of plots (Request, Revenge, Supplication, etc.)? I can use them in small-scale situations as well as for the overall plot. I don't know why this didn't occur to me before. I can have, for example, a small act of revenge that covers just a subplot, a series of scenes, just one scene, or part of a scene. I'm always struggling to come up with plot complications, and they were right in front of me all along. I feel silly.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Why Do I Love to Write?
Good question. I'm glad nobody asked. I'm going to list the reasons why I love to write (which is, incidentally, a different list than the reasons why I write period). I hope this list is more than four items.
- Meeting new people.
I love meeting people when it's one on one and in a comfortable setting. Since I have control over the setting (some hazy ether I can't be bothered to describe) and the number of people if I'm writing, this is an ideal way to discover a person. I can take the relationship as deep as I want to, though I prefer that most of them are intimate--I'd like to know everything! I don't feel like God creating beings to serve me; I feel as if I'm finding friends. - Creating Entertainment.
This is not a lofty attainment, for sure, but who cares. I love finally reading what I finished (finishing is rare for me, so a rare treat) and enjoying it. I mean, I hope that's the experience others have reading my stories so a good indicator is my enjoyment, right? Laughing at my own jokes sometimes makes me self-conscious, as if I'm being narcissistic, but if it happens, it happens. One of my goals when writing a story is a connection to the emotion of another. Not mere manipulation, but to connect to those powerful feelings that are already there. I know that some believe that emotion is a lower state and to frighten or inspire wonder or create fear or amaze or anything else to do with that nature is not as high a calling as stimulating someone intellectually. But I don't kowtow to snobs... - Exploring a place I've never been.
I have not been to many different places. I only left the South when I was 21 years old. Yet there are many places I would love to travel to--to visit landmarks, eat new food, see colorful people, breathe different air. I like researching these places and trying to recreate them on the page so that I'm going on a journey. - Expressing values, beliefs, and attitudes.
Not necessarily my own. I like studying why people are the way they are. The first thing I think about when I need a character for a story is her motivation. What drives her? What makes her tick? What made her tick that way? How did she come to believe that? How does she express her values. I even like delving into values and believes that are totally foreign to me. I like dissecting a society that could lead to certain attitudes and ways of life. These are things we don't usually question, yet act upon. We live them. I like finding out what we live for. - Feeling satisfaction.
Yay, five! Doing something that I'm getting better at every day feels like an accomplishment, as if I'm fulfilling my higher purpose. When I write I feel as if I'm reaching towards my destiny and all that rah rah. - Communicating to a wide audience.
I can have one-sided conversations with others. I have examined each word, throwing out the ones that don't fit my needs and rebuilding meaning, intention, and circumstance. I love knowing exactly what I mean and want to say and then sharing it with someone else. - Discovering myself.
We don't know ourselves as much as we'd like, at least I feel that way. In the struggle to convert instinct and thought into words, I find out who I really am. Stories are like arguments and debates for and against certain ways of life. I like figuring out what side I'm on. I like getting to know me better.
There you have it. These aren't all the reasons I love to write, but all I will ramble on about here.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Why I Outline
So, apparently this is important to writers; therefore, I will pretend this important to me because I'm discovering if I have what it takes to be a writer.
I didn't know writing methods mattered one way or another: I'm a simple girl--if I find that something works, I do it. I've been taught to use outlines to guide my work and I use them occasionally. Sometimes I don't. It's all about what works for me when I approach any particular idea.
Some ideas are complex and I have definite things I want to reveal and explore. These ideas need outlines to structure them so that they are coherent and so that I don't wander from my main purpose and get lost. For these particular ideas and stories, I have an endgame in mind. This is the destination (let's say NYC) and this is how I want to get there (by car!). Sometimes I plan out exactly how I want the story to end (Central Park on Mon, Statue of Liberty on Tues, off-Broadway show on Wed) and sometimes it's more general (shopping, eating, touring). The more specifically I plan what I'm doing at the destination, the more focused my story becomes (well, if I'm going to NYC, then I can take one of four routes). I then figure out what kind of story I'm telling, one that matches the ending (if I'm seeing an off-Broadway show, then I have to save up money and get tickets way in advance; if I'm shopping, I had better make sure that I have enough room in my suitcases and car for new stuff).
Now, I may write a slightly different plot than I had planned and add unexpected subplots to the story (detours!), but usually I'm still heading in the same direction (NYC). There may be times when I realize that the plot I'm working on doesn't fit the ending I've planned. Then I have to decide whether I will get back on track or follow the new plot (Hey,Chicago is now on my route!). I also have to decide whether what I've already written is a part of the old story if I've decided to go back to the original plot (or was I just lost?).
To tell the truth, I almost never end up where I thought I was going. But the outlines guide me and free me to concentrate on the journey. If I have an ending in mind, even if it will change, I can make my journey specific and memorable. I find that if I plan for surprises and discoveries, I find them more often.
In any case, my outlines allow for changes, and I always keep in mind that this outline is a guide not a rule. I'm not even specific with them. I'll put down "She learns a big secret" vs "She learns that her mother is really her aunt." I give myself as much leeway as I can so that I'm not burdened with trying to make a story go in a way that may not be working any more (did I mention I do what works?). I can let the characters and story build in organic ways without being confined to writing it happen in one particular way.
On the other hand, I may have a more straightforward story in mind. With these I can start with a premise and just write. However, at some point in the story I have to go back and outline to help me analyse the patterns and structures I have made. Then I decide whether I'm headed somewhere worthwhile and adjust as necessary. Making the story up as I go can feel spontaneous and thrilling, but there's a bigger chance that I will become frustrated when I suspect that I may be going nowhere at all. I like spending my time writing stories not searching for them.
Actually, I look at pantsing as just creating a different type of outline. One that is more detailed, to be sure, but just an outline that gets down specific dialogue and narration and character actions. I have to be willing to change and explore through pantsing just as much as I would through a less detailed outline.
So I guess it comes down to whether or not vivid scenes (and whether the scenes make up the bulk of the story or only a small part) come to mind when I'm working on a story. If they do, sometimes it's best to throw it all down in the heat of the moment and then go back over it and give it structure and connect the dots through a general outline.
Some writers feel that outlines suck the fun and creativity out of writing. I find they help me find it. With outlines, I can concentrate on revealing memorable characters and creating an interesting plot. It's all a matter of perspective.
I didn't know writing methods mattered one way or another: I'm a simple girl--if I find that something works, I do it. I've been taught to use outlines to guide my work and I use them occasionally. Sometimes I don't. It's all about what works for me when I approach any particular idea.
Some ideas are complex and I have definite things I want to reveal and explore. These ideas need outlines to structure them so that they are coherent and so that I don't wander from my main purpose and get lost. For these particular ideas and stories, I have an endgame in mind. This is the destination (let's say NYC) and this is how I want to get there (by car!). Sometimes I plan out exactly how I want the story to end (Central Park on Mon, Statue of Liberty on Tues, off-Broadway show on Wed) and sometimes it's more general (shopping, eating, touring). The more specifically I plan what I'm doing at the destination, the more focused my story becomes (well, if I'm going to NYC, then I can take one of four routes). I then figure out what kind of story I'm telling, one that matches the ending (if I'm seeing an off-Broadway show, then I have to save up money and get tickets way in advance; if I'm shopping, I had better make sure that I have enough room in my suitcases and car for new stuff).
Now, I may write a slightly different plot than I had planned and add unexpected subplots to the story (detours!), but usually I'm still heading in the same direction (NYC). There may be times when I realize that the plot I'm working on doesn't fit the ending I've planned. Then I have to decide whether I will get back on track or follow the new plot (Hey,Chicago is now on my route!). I also have to decide whether what I've already written is a part of the old story if I've decided to go back to the original plot (or was I just lost?).
To tell the truth, I almost never end up where I thought I was going. But the outlines guide me and free me to concentrate on the journey. If I have an ending in mind, even if it will change, I can make my journey specific and memorable. I find that if I plan for surprises and discoveries, I find them more often.
In any case, my outlines allow for changes, and I always keep in mind that this outline is a guide not a rule. I'm not even specific with them. I'll put down "She learns a big secret" vs "She learns that her mother is really her aunt." I give myself as much leeway as I can so that I'm not burdened with trying to make a story go in a way that may not be working any more (did I mention I do what works?). I can let the characters and story build in organic ways without being confined to writing it happen in one particular way.
On the other hand, I may have a more straightforward story in mind. With these I can start with a premise and just write. However, at some point in the story I have to go back and outline to help me analyse the patterns and structures I have made. Then I decide whether I'm headed somewhere worthwhile and adjust as necessary. Making the story up as I go can feel spontaneous and thrilling, but there's a bigger chance that I will become frustrated when I suspect that I may be going nowhere at all. I like spending my time writing stories not searching for them.
Actually, I look at pantsing as just creating a different type of outline. One that is more detailed, to be sure, but just an outline that gets down specific dialogue and narration and character actions. I have to be willing to change and explore through pantsing just as much as I would through a less detailed outline.
So I guess it comes down to whether or not vivid scenes (and whether the scenes make up the bulk of the story or only a small part) come to mind when I'm working on a story. If they do, sometimes it's best to throw it all down in the heat of the moment and then go back over it and give it structure and connect the dots through a general outline.
Some writers feel that outlines suck the fun and creativity out of writing. I find they help me find it. With outlines, I can concentrate on revealing memorable characters and creating an interesting plot. It's all a matter of perspective.
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