Ever since Sara Holmes at Read Write Believe and Liz Garton-Scanlon at Liz In Ink did a full fascinating blogging week on the relationship between exercising and writing (see the roundup of it here), I find myself thinking about my writing projects in the middle of workouts--even more than I already did.
Tie that together with the fact that I bought a heart rate monitor a few weeks ago. I love this thing. Constant, numbers-based feedback. What could be better? I know, I know. I should be more perceptive of my own body and how hard I'm working (or not). But that's difficult for me. With my little blinking heart flashing "Work harder" or "Slow down" at me, I spend more time in the zone where I need to be for aerobic fitness.
So I've decided I need a similar monitor for my writing. Something that will blink "More plot," "Not enough character," "Perfect! You're 28% of the way to a critically-acclaimed novel!" You know, that kind of stuff. Something that gives me feedback and can tell me immediately the effectiveness of my work of the moment in regards to my entire body of work.
If you see something like that on the shelves of SportMart or Office Depot, please grab one for me! I'll pay ya back, honest.
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By: Laura Purdie Salas,
on 2/27/2008
Blog: laurasalas (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: heart rate monitor, heart rate monitor, Add a tag
By: Martha Alderson, M.A.,
on 2/12/2008
Blog: Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: The End, Crisis and Climax, The Middle, Crisis and Climax, The End, The Middle, Add a tag
Writing scenes for The End can be more uplifting than writing scenes in The Middle.
Think of the Middle as the tunnel of darkness, fraught with antagonists of all sorts. The Crisis, the high-point of the Middle, is the dark night of the soul, hitting bottom, when the protagonist becomes conscious of who she really is, or what she has been avoiding or denying. A light snaps on, and thus begins the process of transformation.
In the End, the protagonist still has foes to confront and overcome. Only now, she is armed with a new understanding of herself. For the first time, her goal comes into focus.
The Climax at the End (1/4) serves as the light at the end of the tunnel. The protagonist moves toward the light -- one step forward toward the ultimate transformation, three steps back, a fight for a couple of steps, being beat backwards.
The Climax spotlights the character in full transformation demonstrating the necessary new skill or personality, gift or action.
The Climax is the crowning glory of the entire project. The Climax is where protagonist "shows" in scene her acting in a transformed way -- in a way she could not have acted in any other part of the story because she first needed to experience everything she does in the book to get to the final stage.
Ask yourself what scene will most dramatically show her demonstrating her transformed self?
The Resolution ties everything up. If the story resonates with thematic significance the reader is left to ponder the deeper meaning.
By: Martha Alderson, M.A.,
on 1/7/2008
Blog: Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Dramatic Action, Character Emotional Development, The End, The Middle, The Beginning, Dramatic Action, The End, The Middle, The Beginning, Character Emotional Development, Add a tag
I have purchased and read your book "Blockbuster plots pure and simple" and I still don't understand. I'm starting with a basic logline for a plot and don't know how you come up with scenes if you don't even know what the story is about. It would seem to me that in order to create scenes or follow the plot planner portion of the book you need to know more about how the story is going to unfold than you know when you just get the idea. It feels like there is a step missing between the initial idea and being able to come up with scenes.
What am I missing?? Please help!
Thanks,
Muriel
Dear Muriel,
Often, with a firm understanding of the Universal Story form and the natural trajectory of a story, writers can better come up with scenes needed to create a story.
If character most intriques you, start with the character emotional development profile (info can be found in BBP, on the website, and in entries below).
If dramatic action ideas bubble forth, start with the action.
Study the three biggest scenes in a story: The End of the Beginning, The Crisis, and the Climax (in the second half of BBP -- Plot Planner portion of the book -- also, the blog has info on these three critical scenes below).
See if you can visualize any of those scenes in your story.
How do you get your character from the beginning to the End of the Beginning?
What events are you interested in exploring, writing?
Do you plan to use any true historical events?
How can those events work into creating one of the three major plot lines (examples are in the book and below)
or....
Start with whatever you've got. Write that in scene. Then ask yourself: because that happens, what happens next.... Write that scene. Then ask yourself again -- if that happens, what happens next?
Hope this helps.
I'll put the word out for other writers to give their ideas as well.
Great good luck.
Sincerely,
Martha
By: Martha Alderson, M.A.,
on 8/14/2007
Blog: Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: The End, The Middle, The Beginning, Crisis, Climax, Readers, Crisis, The End, Climax, The Middle, The Beginning, Add a tag
We as writers may start out writing just for ourselves, but even for those who are the most resistant to admit it, we each long for a readership to enjoy our projects.
Once a writer embraces that truth, our relationship to our writing changes.
One way to consider your readers or audience is to get closer to yourself. What kinds of writing do you like? How does your favorite author begin their stories? In scene or in summary? How do your scenes compare to theirs in terms of complexity, interest, excitement, character development, and truth?
What constitutes the Beginning, the Middle and the End of their projects? Can you detect what launches the character(s) into the heart of the story world towards the end of the Beginning? Does the Crisis reveal anything about the character to the his or herself or does the highest point in the story so far function only on the Dramatic Action level alone? How does the Climax show the character doing something they could not have done at the beginning of the story? Is there Thematic Significance to their writing? Is there to yours?
One of the greatest personal benefits of writing is the opportunity to dig deep for our own individual truth. The first draft for many writers skims the surface as we look for meaning and conflict shown in scene and how the characters will show their transformatio over time. Often, what we write in these first drafts is what we've heard before or learned from our family and friends, in school, and through our own reading and the news.
But once we read what we have written, we immediately sense when something does not ring true. There is no better way to learn what is true for us and what is not, than to read our words ourselves first.
As I stated in my plot book for writers, Blockbuster Plots Pure & Simple, my hope for you and for me is that our search for the truth through our writing remains active and honored. We dig for the truth not only for ourselves, but for our future audience as well.
We each share the need to be heard.
We each have something vital to offer.
By: Laurel Snyder,
on 6/24/2007
Blog: Kid*Lit(erary) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: picture books, egielski, the end, laRochelle, Add a tag
This moment, it happens to every writer... the split-second gasp of recognition and frustration, the sudden discovery of a book they wish they could have written.
Or--more than that--the discovery of a book they think they *might* have written eventually. If they pushed themselves to the limit... and of course, if someone else hadn't beaten them to the punch.
Well, this week I found such a book. A picture book by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Richard Egielski, The End. I wish I had thought of this!!!
Why?
No-- I don't love this book because the pictures are vivid and funny (a little bit Sendak even). Or because it's a fairy tale of sorts. Or because the economy of words is pretty amazing.
I love it because LaRochelle has invented something that feels new to me. A new form.
"The End" is a book you read backwards. Duh. So obviously, it begins with "The End". And then each subsequent page contains the "cause" for the action on the previous page. In this manner, it leads readers back to the "beginning".
Like so:
“And they all lived happily ever after. They lived happily ever after because…”
How incredible is that? Simple and brilliant at once. A backwards book.
Especially brilliant because this is JUST how writers work a lot of the time, backwards. Asking themselves "Why?" before turning the page At each moment of decision or action, writers have to determine what the compulsion for the next page is. If they're worth their salt.
So here we have a book that teaches kids how to become storytellers, how to understand momentum and compulsion. How things can seem inventive and bizarre (gigantic tomatoes and big bowls of lemonade and floods of bunnies and flaming knights) without seeming arbitrary.
Because the seemingly bizarre details are connected by the all-important question "Why?"
Of course, adult writers have given us backwards books, but I don't think anyone has ever done it with pictures, have they?
Ach! Darn! I want to have written this book! But I didn't.
Sigh.
This helps clear things up but even better it comes at just the right time. Rather than stall out, I'm excited to go on. Your post stimulated a couple of great ideas. :)
Hi, Martha,
I'm on a two-week writing (actually, a revising) retreat in New Mexico and greatly appreciate your clearly outlined plot tips, which are helping me clarify what's missing from my first draft.
It's amazing to me how each book (this will be my 5th) is different; I feel like a beginner each time! As a more intuitive (as opposed to more analytical) writer, I really appreciate people like you who can help me analyze a story.
Thank you!
You are TPL (The Plot Lady).
In Louisiana we cherish sports. One LSU past great is Shaquille O'Neal. He's a tall, hunkering mass of a man with a dynamite basketball game, always lit and ready to blow past the competition and score. But, one never expects words of greatness from people that look like brutes. Imagine Bluto saying something intelligent to Popeye. Then one day Shaquille says, "Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do," and my head fell off and bounced across the court and again, I didn�t score, he did.
I love your ideas because they are excellent and here in the South we might say to you, "Lady� you got a game of excellence and it goes down to your toes but I bet ya knew it would take the plot habit to get it and keep it.
Keep those e-mails coming,
as I am always,
your student,
Sid Chaney
What a thrill.
Hearing from a writer in New Mexico and another in Louisiana. Who knows where the other one harkens from.
And, I'm off now to do a two hour plot consultation with a writer in Arkansas.
Ah, the joys of the internet. Makes the world small indeed.
Thanks for your generous words now and now and now..........
Okay, I know I'm only up the hill in California, but...great timing on this post. I have a WIP I'm just brainstorming and guess what--I know the ending first. I mean, REALLY know it. Mabye that's because it's a historical fiction, and I know the history moment I want my character to step into as her...oh, shoot, now I have to figure out if its the crisis or the climax! Back to your book, I go. :)
I always know my ending before I begin. And I've always thought of it as the light at the end of the tunnel, lighting my way as I write. Interesting to hear your spin on things.
When I worked with kids with speech, language, and learning disabilities, I first helped the child modify a specific behavior-- be it an incorrectly formed speech sound, inappropriate classroom behavior, or whatever. When the child was able to use the correct behavior for the first time, we would then say that the new behavior was emerging.
During the time of emergence, the child's performance is inconsistent -- able to correctly form the sound in isolation, but unable to in words. Able to in words, but unable to in sentences.
Under times of stress, like when their parent starts a new job or a new sibling comes into the home or whatever, the child generally backslides and we would begin again -- only this time the new behavior would come more quickly and effortlessly as the child moved toward mastery.
In other words, for your character to demonstrate the new behavior or act with their newfound understanding based on what happened in the Crisis, they will be inconsistent at first.
Full mastery at the deepest level comes only at the Climax.
That's a great addition/explanation, Martha. Thanks!
You make it sound so easy :)
Thanks, Martha. Really helpful support, especially your added comments above.
Interesting. I've taken your workshops and read your book, but still each time I hear from you I learn something new, from a new angle, a deeper understanding.:)
Hi,
A few years ago I started writing a novel. Then, for various reasons, including the arrival of our son, I stopped writing.
There were two reasons why. Firstly, I could not find the silence I needed to concentrate and turn my ideas into words. Secondly, I started a blog and it was much easier writing short posts than finding the time and silence to write a novel.
Writing is a complex process, and some form of planning is needed to keep things cohesive. This is not always easy...
I have tried to bring my book to it's conclusion, but I cannot decide how to bring it to a conclusion and now, after reading your ideas about plot planning, I'm going to start thinking about how I can develop the plot and bring this story to a conclusion.
All I need now is the time and the silence!
Still, this blog may help my ideas to gel, and, possibly inspire me to finish the book off, even if it is not going to be easy after such a long time, and my blogging is developing/transforming my writing style.
So I might well read what I've written, and go aaaagh!
Regards,
Alex
Thank you!
See, this is why I do this. Sometimes life feels fractured and on the edge, and I forget. Then comes a comment like this and I'm all revved up again.
That the blog and everyone's comments could help you with one piece of the equation fills me with joy.
P.S. you've already found the time. Oh, and now that you've started again, the story will drown out the noise......
For every one person who comments there are more writers who read your blog and feel exactly the same way. Your posts and all the concrete support rustle dormant ideas and the story begins to swirl.
I needed exactly this message. I'm sending it on to my writer sons.
The section on Crisis is excellent. thanks
I needed exactly this message. I'm sending it on to my writer sons.
The section on Crisis is excellent. thanks