Hi Martha,
Here's a question that I'm almost too embarrassed to ask.
My SceneTracker is strong from Chapter 1 Scene 1 through Chapter 3 Scene 7.
I have the big scene for Chapter 5 Scene 15.
It's the empty 7 scenes between that is making me anxious and doubt myself. I could develop characters in each scene and provide their POVs but I feel like I should know the flow and what will happen next "because she did this ...."
Does this happen to others?
And what would be the best way to prime the muse to have the characters tell me the rest of the story?
Do your characters "talk" to you? I've heard writers say this.
What do you honestly think?
Writing in North Carolina
Dear Writing in North Carolina,
One technique would be to leave the scenes empty for now and forge ahead.
If you believe that the Climax -- the final big scene before the Resolution at the End -- determines what comes before, the sooner you reach the Climax the better.
Sounds like creating Dramatic Action filled with conflict, tension, suspense and curiosity is intuitive for you and Character Emotional Development less so. Why do I say that? You wrote first that "I could develop characters in each scene" and followed with your gut feeling: "I feel like I should know the flow and what will happen next "because she did this ...."
Stay in your strength while keeping the goal of writing your first draft all the way through. The important thing is whatever keeps you writing.
My characters seem to take up residency in every aspect of my life for as long as it takes me to finish a project, which can be a long time. I usually know the end before I begin. I take it draft by draft by draft, knowing each draft will deepen my vision of the project as I sink deeper into the story and spend more and more time with my characters.
Look to research to help dream up and develop scenes. Once you know:
1) what the character wants
2) what stands in her way
3( What she stands to lose
4) The character's flaw
Find inspiration and ideas in researching the unusual world you'll develop in the Middle, any major historical, political, spiritual, scientific events during the time period including contemporary.
I'll put the word out for input from other writers.
Good luck.
Sincerely,
Martha
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By: Martha Alderson, M.A.,
on 2/20/2008
Blog: Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: scene tracker template, Character Emotional Development, scene tracker template, Character Emotional Development, Add a tag
By: Martha Alderson, M.A.,
on 1/14/2008
Blog: Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Dramatic Action, Character Emotional Development, Memoir writing, Thematic Significance, Dramatic Action, Memoir writing, Character Emotional Development, Thematic Significance, Add a tag
One of the most fascinating aspects of being a plot coach for writers is learning about other writers' writing process.
Usually, I find that writers have a preference for communicating their projects through one plotline initially over the other three plotlines --- character emotional development, dramatic action, and thematic significance.
Most writers divide into one of two groups -- developing characters versus developing action. However, every so often I find a writer who approaches a story through the thematic significance or deeper meaning of the piece. Recently, I worked with a writer who not only excelled in thematic significance, she was drowning in it.
Sara, I'll call her, is a memoirist. Throughout the plot phone consultation, Sara’s fears of not being able to do what she had set out to do constantly interrupted the flow. Her self-doubts about her abilities and worthiness were doing to her what they do to all of us -- stall, cripple, and damage the writing process more than any lack in actual writing abilities.
To protect herself from her fears, Sara stayed in her head. She seemed incapable of bringing the story down into her body. As difficult as it was to get her to consider the dramatic action needed in her story, she was oblivious to developing the characters. Sara had spent years intellectualizing her memoir. She had never written a word.
Sara had strong beliefs she was determined to bring forward, points to prove, judgments to render. When given the chance to stay in the intellectual, Sara's voice grew strident. I sensed she had to force herself to bite back true anger. Yet, her bitterness was the very emotion preventing her from actually ever writing her story. To get around her anger about the unfairness of the establishment, I kept asking her to consider the protagonist's (her) transformation and what actions got her there.
We finished the consultation after more than three hours with a good plot planner in place. However, I worry about whether or not she’ll ever get beyond her self-doubts and anger to actually get out of her head and write the story. I hope so. The story has merit. We’ll see….
*FYI: For a technique to determine what parts of your life to include and which to cut in your memoir, go to http://www.blockbusterplots.com and click on Memoir Writers.)
**FYI: Sure, lots of natural-born storytellers excel at all three approaches to writing at once. But, for the rest of us, a firm understanding of our strengths and weaknesses can help us achieve balance in creating our stories.
I have a test for writers to determine whether they are a character-driven writer versus a dramatic action-driven writer on http://www.blockbusterplots.com/test.html
OR
Ask yourself if you prefer to develop the character and break down at coming up with conflict, tension, and suspenseful dramatic action? Or, are you great at creating breakneck excitement on the page, but come up short when it comes to character?
OR
Do you live through your mind and like to intellectualize about life? You could be best at developing thematic significance.
Are you active and live through movement and your body? You could be best at developing dramatic action.
Are you spiritually driven -- this does not mean religious, but spiritual? You could be best at character emotional development.
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 11/5/2007
Blog: Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Character Emotional Development, PLot Planner, POV, PLot Planner, Character Emotional Development, Add a tag
Q: My current story has my two main characters. The P.O.V. shifts from one to another in alternating chapters as the chase continues to a surprising climactic ending. I have written a plot summary (chapter by chapter so I know where it is going) and what the arc of the story will be. I have completed three chapters so far, but would appreciate any tips you might share with me on plotting my story with a shifting P.O.V. in this way
A: A quick tip I can give you is this ~~ on your banner paper, draw two plot planner lines, one above the other. One each for the two major characters. Use these lines to plot out their individual plots. Develop a plot profile for each to help with their individual character transformations. This way you're ensured to have two deeply developed characters and are able to plot out their individual stories and how the two intertwine with each other.
By: Martha Alderson, M.A.,
on 10/29/2007
Blog: Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Dramatic Action, Character Emotional Development, scene tracker template, Thematic Significance, Elements of plot, PLot Planner, plot writing, Character Emotional Development, Elements of plot, plot writing, Thematic Significance, Dramatic Action, scene tracker template, PLot Planner, Add a tag
The following are questions that came up after the last post. Thought the questions and answers might help other writers so I include them below. Happy plotting...
Q: So basically it’s the scene(s) in the climax section that we have to watch out for in terms of the final CED, to see if the character has evolved from the initial fatal flaw in the beginning of the story?
A: Yes, the scene in the Climax is what each and every scene has been driving towards throughout the entire story, which is why it's a good practice NOT to go back and start over again until you have written all the way to the Climax and are pretty sure what that scene is. If you find yourself in that cycle of constantly going back and beginning again, you'll perfect those early scenes that may end up being cut when you finally understand the Climax. Once you know the Climax, you have a much better idea of how best to begin the project.
Q: And what you are saying is that it is suffice by just marking it in a different color to denote the arc or character journey in emotional development? Subplots, therefore don’t need to be marked separately in Plot Planner because it is intertwined within the Dramatic Action?
A: Some subplots deserve their own Plot Planner. In that case I recommend that one line is above the other so you can see how the subplot works with the major Dramatic Action and Character Emotional Development plot.
Q: On the last question, so summaries don’t show thematic details?
A: On a subtle level, thematic significance shows up everywhere ~~ in scene and summary ~~ though word choice, mood, etc. However, you only plot out scenes on the Plot Planner and on the Scene Tracker.
Q: (Anyways, how would we know to mark the summaries for Theme in plot planner if we don’t even track that info in scene tracker). Is my understanding then to just mark those scenes (not summaries) whether above or below the line, that have thematic details, correct?
A: This is true only in later drafts. The Thematic Signficance does not always emerge until after the story becomes more stable ~~ beyond the first couple of drafts. In the early drafts, don't worry about the Thematic Significance. You'll have enough to work with just honing down the Dramatic Action plot and the Character Development plot.
I apologize if I seem to be reiterating my questions, I just want to make sure I am interpreting your response correctly. I know you are extremely busy and I really do appreciate all of your help.
ps. You're right, PP and ST is addicting. And I have resumed back to my writing with more confidence! By the way, I ordered your DVD with the focus on CHildren Writers and eagerly await to be enlightened by your method again. Perhaps by watching you explain your method, I'll get a greater sense on everything you have written in your book.
A: Yes, I believe you will get a greater sense of how the Plot Planner works and how the Character Development profile helps to build the Character Development plot line. Let me know what you think.
Q: Was also wondering, are all of your DVD workshops pretty similiar and touch on everything that is on the book or do you delve into any advance topics on plotting for example with the DVD you have that uses Memoir of a Geisha?
A: The DVDs are different in that they are live workshops that were taped (some better in quality than others).
Thanks in advance Martha for everything and for your continued support!!!
A: Thank you, and great good luck with your project!
Interesting topic. :D
My critique partner tells me only to have scenes that are crucial to the plot, scenes that move the plot forward, otherwise it is fluff and bogs the story down.
I am writing my current ms by having the characters tell me what happens next. It has worked. I kept asking myself what the characters were thinking after I had written a scene and what they would do next? I researched their personalities and wrote down their traits.
GMC - Goal, Motivation, and Conflict are the elements that bring the story to the dark moment and the resolution. The worst thing that could happen should happen and then the characters should find growth so they can move past it to a HEA - Happy Ever After.
Hugs, JJ
I do what you suggest, Martha. I make a list of antagonists both internal and external. Generating the list always fires up ideas. Referring to the list keeps the fire hot.
Martha knows I use the concepts laid out in her book loosely then put my own spin on things. Here's what works for me:
...I keep a fragment file where I keep ideas, conversations I've overheard, plot points, ANYTHING that might inspire me down the road.
...If I get stuck (and we all do) I go out and do my errands paying very careful attention to everything around me. It could be something as simple (and crazy) as the name on a Walgreen's clerk's nametag, but I always race home to get back into my story.
...I think Martha said this, so I'll reinforce it, just keep writing. Sometimes you have to skip around in the story. I do it all the time.
...When all else fails, I read a few paragraphs or pages from a book I love. It's like working out, once you start, you get motivated, inspired and start to feel really good. Good writing always makes me want to create great writing of my own.
So get to it, girl. Don't be too hard on yourself. Just write the damn book!!!!!
Mary Kennedy Eastham
Author: The Shadow of a Dog I Can't Forget
Works-in-Progress: The Possibilities of Love (Short Story Connection, Night Surfing (My first novel)
Fun to hear from you, Mary! Thanks for your ideas and your inspiring tone. Helpful motivation.
Congratulations on the poem and the wonderful organization you're involved with. Thanks for sending the info. How was the Oregon book party????
fondly,
martha
Oops, meant to comment to you, too, nature nut and livetowrite.
Nature nut: your critique partner is so right.
I'm determined someday to write a book the way you have chosen to -- entirely character-driven based on the dramatic action rather than juggling history, character, and action all at the same time. I can imagine how deeply you connect to the character. And, the characters must be thrilled to be given free rein......
livetowrite: great suggestion!
Perhaps, the following questions will help in your inspirational writing…
What impact do you want to have on your audience in this particular writing? If it’s a “call to action,” what action do you want them to take? If it’s introspection, where do you want them to look? If it’s to stimulate, what do you want to stimulate? You get the idea.
What has been showing up in your life that has a message for you? How can you share this message?
What do you really want your audience to know?
I hope this helps get you going…
For inspiration about a scene--I think about an episode in real life that moved me, or scene in a movie, or TV show, sometimes even a book I've read.
Whats important is that I feel or have felt the emotion in the scene. I have to be right there with the characters so readers will be too!
I've read a lot of writers blogs. Never commented until now. I just had to tell you how helpful I find this. Keep up the good work
I write poetry and some short stories from my life's experiences..so character development is not something I have tried a lot of..but self doubt is something all writers seem to have at one time or another..(or everyday like me..::))))
I usually consult close friends for a review..which usually means I was fretting over nothing but in some cases I got some good points and feedback
My suggestion goes along with a couple things which have already been said: figure out what your character wants, etc. But I'm going to throw a monkey wrench into things. Once you've figured out what your character wants most, think of the worst possible thing that could happen to her which will keep her from her goal. Then have that thing happen to her.
Readers don't want to be led through the character's life in order to get to the big climax. They want to be dragged, yanked, picked up and thrown through the plot along with the character. They may love your character, but they want things to be difficult, hard, even tragic. Not because they're cruel, but because they want the character to win in the end. The victory is that much sweeter when it's too hard to win.
So, torture your babies. That's what your reader wants. ;)
Best of luck!
VG
PS - Please note that I'm a popular fiction writer. Folks who are of a literary fiction bent may have variable mileage ;)
Hi Robert,
Know all about the self-doubt. It's what makes writing all the more difficult with that critic nattering in our heads -- or ego, I guess it could also be called.
Venessa, I love what you wrote: "The victory is that much sweeter when it's too hard to win." This is perfect!
I find myself warning writers, especially women writers, not to fall too in love with their characters or they'll never put them in peril.
Those things handed us on a silver platter can never compare to that which we fight have to fight for.
Well put......
I plot first. Listen to my characters as I write what I plotted. Re-plot. Then listen again. The back and forth process seems to help me. I guess it's like you say, using both sides of the brain.
You did a great job in answering, I don't have anything to offer, the best advice for getting stuck is to keep going, and that is what you ultimately let eveyone know. Love you, you are a genius!
As requested, I'll give my two cents:
Characterization has never been one of my strengths, though I feel like some of my more recent characters are starting to become actual people who can drive my scenes more than they used to. But, I don't have conversations with them.
My method of plotting tends to be making as tight an outline as possible at the beginning, complete with fun scenes and plot twists and everything else I want to include in the book - this isn't always easy, as there are some sections that are hard to fit together, and it usually takes me a good week to get it down.
Then, when I start writing, I always see things that I didn't before and end up changing the plot in very significant ways. One example with my current project: two central characters were introduced much earlier on than planned.
It's hard to offer specific advice without knowing more about your project, but do you know anything that needs to happen between chapter 3 and 5? Do you have any things you'd like to include that would work well there? I would start with that and see where it took me.
Alternately, you could just start writing and see how it ends up. You might get some ideas in the process, and you can always revise later.
-Thorn / Novelish.com
I'm a prime example as one of those women writers who fall in love with her characters and can't bear to put them in peril. Yet, I realize now its a very slow read, indeed. Gotta take the gloves off and get to work creating dark moments. I dare say this is going to be a lot harder on me than on my character.
A writer can become too occupied with analyzing the story from a distance and lose track of characters or only identify with one character. This can hurt the overall characterization of antagonists and secondary characters.
I think we should put on different hats. Just as a great actor gets into character, we need to relax (meditate, soak in the bath, whatever) and use that strong imagination to literally envision ourselves as the character.
If you do this as your villain, you'll know exactly how to attack the hero in the most vicious and severe ways (leading to a more interesting story).
Scenes can be structured into 3 parts in order to eliminate filler.
1. Problem
2. Conflict
3. Resolution
Conflict tests your character. Resolution molds them by their actions. This is where character development comes from (heroes make personal sacrifices and villains make selfish decisions).
If you're stuck (or bored) and want to spark your imagination, check out Dreamlines at http://www.solaas.com.ar/dreamlines/
Type in a few keywords related to your scene and watch the magic.
P.S. Martha, I left you a message at BC, regarding your technical blog question.
I am so grateful to each of you for commenting.
I'm learning from each and every one of you and I am confident other writers benefit from all these thoughts, insights, and advice, too.
Thanks to each of you for taking the time.......
Hey, surprisingly good stuff here. Nice job.