EXERCISE: 5 words for...

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original posting: Thu, 28 Mar 2002 01:25:24 -0500

Let's see.

A quick and quirky thought.

Suppose we took a theme -- perhaps the foggy rainy weather outside and how it impresses itself on our lives and minds?  (yes, if you have sunny weather, I guess you can beam)

Now, let's summarize that in five words.  Don't worry about the grammar, feel free to pars e the odd verbal conjunction, and let the spelllling devils beware!

Just make sure that it's five words.  Not four, not six, five.

Something to keep those fingers busy, and the little grey cells employed.

(yes, you may remind us of the pathetic fallacy, if you want)

But can you make the theme resound in just five words?

Write them up!

EXERCISE: What Is This Place?

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original posting: Sun, 24 Mar 2002 03:07:49 -0500

Hum...

Happened to stumble across a description of the net in very concrete terms (alleys and stores and such) and wondered.

How do you think of this "place?"  I've written pieces about the virtual bar, the tree that ties us together, and such, but what do you picture this place as?

A mailbox stuffed with odd junk mail?

a coffee shop, with the scent of well-roasted coffee brewing, the sound of a guitar being tuned, and the low buzz of conversations here and there?

a shopping mall, with micky d's serving up yet another fast meal, and the teeny boppers gleefully showing off their midriffs?

Or...

What is this place?

Language is a city, to the building of which every human being brings a stone.  Ralph Waldo Emerson

and what lights the towers of that town?  that little lamplighter, tink

EXERCISE: Fireworks for the Fourth?

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original posting: 3 July 2008

And as the day rolls near, let us consider:

"We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be
to arrive where we started -- and know the place for the first time." T.S.
Eliot

"Success is often the result of taking a misstep in the right direction." Al
Bernstein

"The best way out is always through." Robert Frost

"You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless
he has his freedom." Malcolm X.

"Each reckons greatness to consist
in that in which he heads the list,

And Vierick thinks he tops his class
Because he is the greatest ass." Ambrose Bierce

Pick one or more of these. Then twist, cajole, rewrite, substitute slightly different words or even totally different words. Consider it in terms of concrete situations or perhaps just ice cream cones. Make that aphorism do some work, and then consider telling the rest of us what sort of a job it does for you.

And enjoy corn on the cob or whatever you have for your Fourth!

Writing - the way to reach readers!

TECH: Make a Scene #11: Scene Intentions

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TECH: Make a Scene #11: Scene Intentions

So here we go, looking at Make a Scene by Jordan Rosenfeld. This week we're going to look at intentions among the core elements of the scene.

Let's see. Get the setting right, use the senses, develop and motivate characters, mix in some plot, don't forget the subtext, and work that dramatic tension with us wondering just how it's going to come out. And then to avoid wandering aimlessly in your narrative, make sure that the protagonist has a clear intention in every scene, something that they want to accomplish that gives purpose to the scene. Don't just roll the dice and pick one, tie it directly to the significant issues of the plot and your protagonist's back story.

Jordan points out that the intention is a character's plan to take an action or do something. Motivation, on the other hand, is the reasons that explain why the character has these plans. Intentions drive action and consequences, making the scene relevant to the plot and the characters. Intentions build drama and conflict, because as the character pursues the intentions, you as writer make sure that it is opposed, thwarted, grows in desirability, and perhaps -- at the end of the story -- allow the character to achieve it or a reasonable facsimile along with whatever satisfaction may result.

As you start to write a scene, you need to consider what the protagonist wants, needs, and intends to do. Consider the following questions:

1. What are the most immediate desires of the character?
2. When will your characters achieve their intention or meet with opposition? Intention that meets with complications builds drama and suspense. Don't let your characters achieve things too quickly or too easily.
3. Does the scene intention makes sense for your plot? Beware of tangents and side paths (do we know anyone who would be so easily distracted? :-)
4. Who will help your characters achieve their goal? Who will oppose them? Decide how the characters and conditions support or thwart your protagonist's intentions, and make sure there is enough resistance to the scene to avoid achieving intentions too soon or delaying them beyond the realistic.

Jordan recommends thinking about intentions in two ways, as plot based and as scene specific.

Plot-Based Intentions

The first imperative for every character in every scene should tie back in some way to the significant situation of the plot. This helps to tie the scenes together. The intention is a course of action that your character plans to take or needs to take in the scene because of the significant situation -- and the consequences of actions.

Scene-Specific Intentions

Along with the grand intentions related to the plot that push the character, there are often more immediate scene-based intentions. These are often tied to consequences -- after the car blows up, characters need to hide. They may want to run down the main street, but with the sniper busily picking people off, ducking into the sewers is a much more reasonable reaction. And so forth.

Opposition to the Intention

But with the character's plan established and starting to go into action in the scene, opposition rears its head. Opposition builds tension, keeps the sense of urgency alive, delays achievement, and raises... dramatic tension. Jordan lists four major ways to oppose intentions:

1. Prevent the completion of the intention. Direct intervention, unexpected storms, accidents -- lots of things can get in the way, and do.
2. Throw in a twist. The protagonist learns that what he intended to do is impossible, illegal, wrong, or otherwise risky. Does the protagonist go ahead anyway, give up, or try something different?
3. Complicate the intention. The protagonist often sets out with one intention in mind, but then circumstances, information, or something else intervenes and adds additional bits and pieces to the course of action. You can't just kill the bad guy, you have to find out where the hostages are.
4. Create a new intention. When the original intention is thwarted, complicated, or twisted, the protagonist may need to change course and figure out a new intention.

Support for the Intention

Allies, assistance, the odd bit of information -- now and then your protagonist will receive some support. "Protagonists need friends and supporters, small acts of kindness, insights and clues that lead them on in their journeys."

So that's Chapter 11, the last of the core elements for scenes. There are the grand or strategic intentions driven by the plot that push the protagonist and the narrative. There are scene-specific intentions, the tactical reactions to consequences within the various scenes. And there's the opposition that builds the tension and drama by keeping your character from simply deciding to do something and doing it. For stories, characters want to do things -- and other people, the world, even their own nature instantly get in the way and keep them from simple achievement. Or to put it another way, because of the resistance, achieving their goal is heroic.

The next big chunk of the book talks about various specific types of scenes. The first scene, the suspense scene, dramatic scenes, contemplative scenes, dialogue scenes, action scenes, flashback scenes, climactic scenes, and final scenes. So you can lay out your scenic smorgasbord and feast, I guess?

Today's assignment? As usual, take a scene from a book or a scene that you've been working on. Now consider the protagonist. What is their intention in this scene? What do they want to achieve or do? Is it tied back to the original plot, or is it a reaction to some of the consequences at this point? What or who opposes them? What support do they get? Now consider whether there are ways to sharpen their intentions? Is there another intention, plot-based or scene-based, that you should include in this scene? Are the motivations pushing their intentions clear and sharp? Do you want to adjust the opposition? Take a look at this scene in terms of the intentions of the characters, and how you might tweak those.

Write? Sounds like a plan to me.

To achieve the impossible dream, follow the improbable path! And keep going.