Write about...(3)

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

original posting: Sun, 5 Dec 1993 18:35:02 JST

In days of old, lived men so bold...

CHALLENGE: You've probably heard of the Wandering Jew, Gilgamesh, or some other long-lived MAN. But you might not know about the women who share their curse. However, you have a date with destiny today - you are about to meet a woman who has lived down through the ages.

Write up that meeting. What does she look like? What does she think of the world? What advice does she have for you...

Mama mia! Venus Eternal springs from the ocean spray again...

Beginning and Ending

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

original posting: Sun, 12 Dec 1993 18:35:02 JST

This exercise is intended to help you focus on two parts of your fiction that need to be closely related, but are often well separated in the actual story. Try it in order first, then experiment with somewhat different ways of tackling the beginning and the end of your tale. Novel writers, poets, and other forms may want to consider how this approach to a short story "maps" to your preferred mode of expression.

Step 1. Write a one-sentence question you want the reader to have while reading your story. It should be in the form of a question.

Step 2. Pick a quota (5, 10, 20) and brainstorm at least that many different answers to the question. Write down the list using short phrases. Then go back over the list and pick the best one.

Step 3. Write out the one-sentence answer you want the reader to "get" after reading your story.

Step 4. Now write the beginning paragraph (at most three paragraphs) of your story. Remember that you want to set the scene, introduce at least one character, display a little of your style and the style of the story, "hook" the reader into reading, and (most important for this exercise) pose the question from step 1 for the reader. You may plan to provide more details, to define the question more clearly, etc. later in the story, but the reader should start thinking about the question from the very beginning.

Step 5. Now write a one to three paragraph "resolution" aimed at getting the reader to realize the answer from step 3. You probably want to avoid directly telling the reader the answer, so you need to show it, or imply it, or "kick" the reader into thinking of it because you don't provide it! While you may not directly use these paragraphs in your story, you need to make this resolution as tight and "real" as possible for now. The resolution need not be the final words in the story, but should be as late as possible.

Step 6. Think about these two and polish as desired.

Step 7. Now comes the fun! Ask someone else through private email or post to read your beginning and ending, then tell you "What question and answer do these pose?" See how close they come to the question and answer you thought you had written about.

Step 8. (optional) Go back and fill in the story in the middle!

Little Stuff...

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

original posting: Sun, 19 Dec 1993 18:35:02 JST

Take a common action, such as a waiter getting the order for food from your character. Something very simple like that, preferably with a "spear carrier."

Now, take five (5) emotions from this list:

Amazement, Anger, Boredom, Desire, Envy, Fear, Greed, Grief, Happiness,
Hate, Jealousy, Joy, Love, Pity, Pride, Shame, Spite, Surprise, Worry, Worship.

CHALLENGE: For each emotion, write the same scene, showing the reader which emotion your character is feeling. Don't use the word for the emotion - show us! Incidentally, don't take the easy way out and let your character feel this strong emotion for a mere "spear carrier" on the scene - make the object of the emotion another character, off-scene right now!

And they're writing...