FILL: Talk about frustration

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Original posting 24 October 2007

I know it's anthropomorphizing, but . . .

The lunchtime news station had a little piece about some place up in Hokkaido. On a river, well inland from the shore.

So imagine you're a fish. Some kind of salmon, I think. And you've swum this far up the river. And there's a stupid flood control dam there, just high enough that the fish can't jump over it.

But you found the wooden collection space where they are trapping the fish. You've joined the horde flipping away in there. There were enough fish that it looked like you could walk on the water.

And now they put a large net on a frame into the space and use poles to drive the fish into the net. Haul the net up full of fish and dump it into a triangular space with a jet of water pumping into it. Flippety, flip, flip.

And you find the pipe that exits this space, along with some others, and dive into it. Long dark pipe that leads . . .

Across the dam, over the waters, and dumps you . . . onto a wooden deck, slippery with water.

And here is the indignity. While you are madly wriggling and trying to get further up river on this silly deck that they stuck in your way, one of several men stomps over in his plastic boots and looks down at you, then bats you to his left or right, depending on whether you are a male or female. He's got this wooden rake, and shoves you along. Another helper gives you a boost with his rake, and plop. You fall off the deck into a holding cage full of your sex mates. But . . .

Wasn't the whole point of this swimming up the river thing to find someone of the other kind? How you gonna finish the business if you get stuck in this cage?

I gather that they are "farmed" fish, and that in fact there is a careful program of replenishment. But wow! For the fish, it must be quite a come-down. Here you are, overcoming freshwater, swimming away upstream despite all the odds, ready to go out and reproduce for old Mother Nature, and bam! You get stuck in this series of tanks and pipes and people shoving you around with rakes. What a discouraging turn of events!

Makes you want to tell the next generation to try another river or something, eh?

TECH: Zipping along in plot and structure (21?)

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Original Posting 31 October 2007

Zipping along in plot and structure (21?)

Actually, this may be timely for those who are about to head into nanowrimo. In the book Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell, chapter 10 is all about plotting systems. There's a lot of meat here, so let's get started.

The first question is whether to outline or not. Bell talks about the long-running feud between NOPs and OPs. No outline people (NOPs) like to take off without a plan, seeing what pops out as they go. Outline people (Ops) prefer to have a very specific plot, 3 x 5 cards pinned securely to a board or 30 or 40 pages of plot treatment and character sheets in hand. There's good things and bad things about both of them.

You may want to play around with it, and see which way really works for you. Borrow some pieces from the other approach, and keep your writing lively and on focus. Bell does suggest using the LOCK system (you remember, lead character, objective, confrontation, and the knockout) and the back cover copy. The marketing copy that makes the reader by your book -- and makes you want to keep writing.

Some suggestions for NOPs. Even if you don't want to outline, you might want to try some of these. First, set yourself a writing quota. Maybe that's every day 2000 words, or maybe it's two hours at the keyboard, but set yourself a daily target. Second, start your writing each day by re-reading what you wrote yesterday. This isn't an editing and major change point, although you may want to add new pieces -- insert a whole new scene or flashback. Third, one day every week record your plot journey on a plot grid. That's probably all for a real dyed-in-the-wool no-outlines-for-me person. Bon voyage!

OPs! There are lots of systems that you might want to try. This is just an overview, and you should feel free to mix and match and modify to suit you. First, try index cards. Write scene ideas on them, and spread them out or put them in order as a pack, on the floor, or pinned to a corkboard or wall. You may want to pick out the ending, then the major scenes, and then put everything in order. Don't be afraid to shift things around, and add in pieces where you need them.

An interesting way to provoke your brain to think is to put them all in order and number them with pencil. Then shuffle the cards and look at them two at a time in this random order. Look for new connections and fresh perspectives.

Second, try the headlights system. When you're driving at night, you can only see a little ways -- so you drive that far and see what's next. This is the progressive outlining approach. Start with what you know and write a little ways, the opening chapter and maybe some ideas about the next few chapters. Ask yourself what the characters' emotions are at this point and how they'll react next. What is the next action that they need to take? Is there a strong scene up ahead that needs some buildup and transitions? Are there any new characters that need to be woven in, or are there plot developments because of the characters in this scene? Then write a little more, and outline a little more. Write a little, outline a little, rinse and repeat until you finish.

Third, there are narrative outlines. Many writers produce 20 or 40 pages of narrative outlines, a large canvas overview. These may get rewritten several times before they ever start writing the real story.

Fourth, the David Morrell method. "It's a simple concept. You write a letter to yourself. You ask yourself questions about your idea. The most important question is, Why? Keep asking that one over and over." Even NOPs like this one!

Fifth, there's the Borg method (you remember the Borg? Star Trek cybernetic
assimilation?). Here's Bell's steps for an all-encompassing system:

1. Define the LOCK elements (lead character, objective for the lead, confrontation by an opposing force, and a knockout ending)
2. Write your back cover copy
3. Create the overall structure. Three acts, two doorways of no return, etc.
4. Describe your characters. You may like to use character sheets or biographies. Bell does a simple grid with the headings: name, description, role, objective and motive, secret, emotions evoked.
5. Create summaries for each act
6. Create chapter summary lines
7. Do full chapter summaries
8. Take a break -- you deserve it
9. Write the novel
10. Revise the novel
11. (and he forgot to say it) submit it!

Bell has two exercises in this chapter. The first one is a fairly unscientific list of opposed choices for you to make, with the suggestion that people who like one end of the scale probably prefer outlines while people at the other end probably don't. The second one is I think interesting. Make a list of at least 10 of your favorite novels. Look at the list. Are they mostly plot and action, or are they mostly character driven? If you prefer character driven novels, you are probably a NOP. If you prefer a plot driven approach, you may want to have an outline in hand. Write what you like to read.

Okay? Something to think about as our nanowrimo challengers start into their frenzy! To outline or not to outline, that is the question. Whether tis easier on the fingers and minds to work to a plan or dance merrily in the morning sun, that is the play wherein we'll capture the nodding head of the writers!

Anyway, write now!