And They Lived Happily Ever After

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Original Posting: June 16, 1995

Aha! To begin, imagine a happy couple, embarking on life's little journey of marriage...(names, sexes, and such are left to your discretion and imagination). Events, exchanges of matrimonial contracts, and other slippery issues leading up to this blessed time are also at your command!

Pick one of the following "developmental tasks." Tell us the tale of how your couple grapple with this phase in their mutual growth.

1. Emotional separation from the families of origin
2. Building togetherness through intimacy
3. Enlarging the circle to provide for children
4. Confronting adversity (illness, disaster) and overcoming it
5. Making the marriage safe for conflict
6. Establishing a sexual life that meets both partners' needs and wishes
7. Preserving humor in the relationship
8. Providing nurturance and encouragement
9. Keeping alive idealized images of early courtship

(stages courtesy of Wallerstein, quoted in the Boston Globe)

Just imagine...

You and me against the world,
That's how it had to be,
Just you and me against the world.

*ding dong the wedding bell,
the wedding bell,
the wedding bell,
ding dong the wedding now is done!
it's time to forget the fun,
watch them run,
and run and run,
ding dong the living has begun*

Opening the Door

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

original posting: Fri, 9 Jun 1995 16:14:59 EDT

[Opening the door, he called for volunteers. Eight brawny lads wedged themselves solidly in the doorway, blocking the whole enterprise...]

Let us suppose that you have a story idea (perhaps from one of my earlier exercises). You have even written up part or all, but somehow, the beginning just isn't quite there yet...

Can you imagine being in this situation? If so, here's a little exercise to help out.

Pick at least three numbers from 1 to 8 (okay, okay, you can use dice if you want to. Roll one die three times--first roll is 1 to 6, second is 2 to 7, and third is 3 to 8.)

Then look up the numbers in the following list of opening strategies, and write those alternatives. Write all three, then pick the best, or even combine them.

A summary of "Eight Opening Options" by Hans Ostrom, June 1991, Writer's Digest, p. 37-39.

1. Conflict

State the conflict flatly in the first sentence. This strategy works for any story in which the conflict is fierce and obvious.

2. Character

Put your reader inside the head of the main character and suggest their relationships. Such an opener is adaptable to a variety of commercial and literary stories in which character is crucial.

3. Combine Conflict and Character

Reveal conflict and get the main character talking. This kind of opener is a natural choice for first-person stories of all types, from horror to character studies.

4. Dialogue

"Ever dream about doing anything kinky?" Julie asked.

This opener lends itself to any story that springs from a problematic relationship of some kind.

5. Suggestive Setting Description

A striking image (but avoid personifying nature). If you're working with a setting that lends itself to a suggestive, vivid opener, start with an image of the landscape.

6. Character Description

A bit of mystery, a bit of suspense about someone? If your theme or conflict springs from one character being intrigued by another, let the reader feel this curiousity, too.

7. Express a Desire

I wish... If longing is the key to the conflict of your story, let your main character express that emotion at the outset.

8. Frame the Theme

If the theme is intriguing, try an abstract or formal statement. Although seemingly more suited to essays than fiction, this opening strategy may work precisely because it is unorthodox.

[He thought about it for a moment, then used dynamite to clear the blocked doorway. The brawny lads, fresh from the cartoon studios, just shook their heads after the blast, wiped soot from their faces, and grinned as they lept to their feet again, ready for the next thrilling act...]

Keep Writing!