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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.

Maybe talking about her story is enough for her. I know lots of people who talk a good story. Few who are still and quiet enough to actually call themselves writers.
Writers write. Right? Everyone else talks about writing.

This post of yours gave me just what a needed: a kick in the pants to get back to my writing.
Thanks.

Hey, can you give us a better pointer to that test you have on your website--I want to see if YOU can answer the question of what I plot first.

I usually start seeing fun scenes--in my WIP, two kids will be acting in a performance of Hamlet, so I'm going to have a LOT of fun with the sword fight. And, natch, there has to be SOMETHING with the skull. And I have a scene where I know the other hero (sidekick) gets to tell off a truly obnoxious character. Then, as I start thinking more about character and theme, I sort of start attaching those to the scenes I've visualized and adding more--like I now know that telling-off scene is going to resonate with the whole theme of the book.

It's kind of a mish-mash. Which is why I want to take your test!

It's so hard to separate yourself from the book--I feel for "Sara." I think writing for kids has helped me step a bit further away from my own "crud." Or I'm only dealing with my past crud, and that's long enough ago that I get to put some power behind my characters, so they don't have to put up with the things I did. Maybe. :)

I, too, get stuck in my fear of what I write not measuring up, that no one will care to read it, that it will have no merit.

How does one get beyond that?

I could use some tips on that.

Thank you.

Gotta just start.
Somewhere.
Anywhere.
Look at the scene tracker headers for inspiration.

The middle is the hardest. Always. Try and think about where your hero has to end up--not necessarily in the actual story, but where HE think he has to go. And then think about goals and obstacles. If he sets a goal for a scene, and he fails (which he has to for most of them), what is he going to try next. What is the new goal/plan.

For example, say your detective is trying to solve a crime. His first plan is to interview a witness. When he gets to the witness' house, he finds her dead--no interview. What might he do next? He might search her house, see if there is a clue about why she was killed. He might go back outside and talk to the neighbors and see if they saw anyone going into her house. Or he might hide in the closet and eavesdrop when the police show up.

Again, what is your hero's plan in any given scene. When that plan is finished, whether successfully or not, what's his new plan?

Try going from there! And good luck!

Every comment I've read here is correct because there just isn't any one way to get from point A to point B. This is all more art than science. Tools can help you focus but they can't take remove the step of getting into your story and your characters. Let your creativity and imagination flow.

Personally, I jump ahead to a point/place I know I want to reach. I call it a goal point. Then I get my character into my head (or get into my character's head) and figure out what must happen to reach my goal point. Sometimes I even work backward from my goal point.

Isn't what Muriel asked what writing is all about? Wedding imagination to plot and structure understanding?
Kendra says it's more art than science. Yet, knowing the science of writing (plot and structure) frees up the imagination.
At least it does for me.

Helpful post and comments.

Hey Muriel.

Plot, in my mind, comes down to one thing: what does your protagonist fear most?

You, as the author, have to drive her toward that fear. What actions she takes to escape is what we call plot.

If she fears abandonment most, abandon her. How does she respond? Abandon her again, though in a harsher way. What does she do? Abandon her again and again until she has no more evasive moves and has to face that fear. There's your climax.

Once you know your character's greatest fear, I have no doubt you'll be able to move through Martha A's plot process successfully.

Good luck!

Congratualations Muriel! You are right where you need to be, at the beginning. You have a story to tell, a seed kernel of an idea, a trip to take, and, well, how to get started and where to head is a natural starting place! What is that story about? Just settle in and do a little fleshing out to get a sense of what is calling to you in the first place.
Martha has wonderful questions about what the hero or heroine wants, why, and what stands in the way. Good place to dig, and find out whatstory you want to tell, why, and what stands in the way. We are never far from our characters' dillemas!
Have some fun with this, and you'll be on roll with the book's guidance once the jouney is underway.
WW

Martha (Engbar!),

I really like that. I usually look at it as what does she NEED most, but that's all pretty much based in fear. I have a tendency when I'm writing to shy away from the complications, the "bad stuff," and I have to push myself to keep throwing it at my hero. It's the only way they'll be able to change, grow, etc!

Becky

OOh, glad I found this blog. :D

I let my characters tell me the story line by what they whisper in my ear. I know the story premise and the ending and let the characters fill the rest in.

Hugs, JJ

Thanks Martha for your continued commitment in providing such a great and useful tool. Your tools are so simple to use, they're almost brilliant. Your DVD was also very helpful! A great supplement to the book and highly recommend. Everytime I reread your book, I continue to find additional nuggets of worthwhile information. Thank you again for honoring your book's techniques the way you do on your site!

Hi Livvy,

You are so kind. Thank you for your comments.

Distilling the abstract concept of plot to a simple, concrete level is not as easy as it sounds.

However, I didn't want learning to use the tools to take time away from writing, but rather I wanted to make the tools simple in order to enhance and inspire and stimulate the muse.

My goal when I wrote the book was and continues to be to support writers in the actual act of writing.

Many comments I receive from writers indicate that when they hit a rough spot or lose energy for their stories, by merely switching from writing to filling in the templates, their creative juices begin to flow again and, before they know it, they are back to the actual writing.

The plot tools I offer are not the end, but merely the means to the end. In other words, I offer up the tools to help you not only write, but to finish your project in a way that pleases you, and ultimately your readers and audience, too.

Thanks again, and please feel free to post any other questions that may crop up. I may not always answer very quickly, but I am always here and willing to help.

Good luck!

I would love to see you come out with another book Martha! Do you have anything in the works any time soon?

Since watching your DVD, I am now reading AL Capone Does My SHirts. Great book!

I will definately keep in touch and let you know how things are progressing. If anything else comes up, I will definately blog you a question. For now, I have tailored your tools for preplotting / plotting and am more focused in my writing. At least now, I have a clearer sense of direction in knowing that many if not most of the key elements of a scene/story are not being forgotten. This is definately a great tool to have during revision.

I look forward to reading more of your monthly tips as time goes by! Thanks again.