TECH: 101 Tips (36)

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Original posting 16 July 2009

Writers' Digest, October 2004, pages 26 to 33, has a collection of short "nuggets of wisdom" related to getting published. Maria Schneider is the author of the compilation. Take a deep breath, and here we go:

"Dive deeper into your manuscript. Break it down into components and analyze where it goes off track. Maybe the lead-in is too long, the buildup is unevenly paced or the payoff isn't satisfying. Dissect the story and examine how you can make each section as powerful as it can be." I. J. Schecter

Revision by chopping and weighing? Sure, why not? After all, if we have five pages of lead-in, two pages of buildup, and a single flaming page of climax... perhaps it is a bit lacking in balance? Or consider the act one, two, three structure? How are you handling the incitement to action, the kick that gets the hero off their duff? And then walk across the room and out! What gets them going, what forces them through the first door of no return, what makes them decide to take on the bad guys? Complications and trials, the middle of the sandwich -- as the old ad has it, "Where's the beef?" Make it a dagwood! And then... what forces them into the second doorway of no return, the final commitment to stand and do or die, to fight the unbeatable...well, you know how that goes, right?

Look at the different parts. How does the story balance in terms of action and reflection? Or was that action and dialogue? Plot vs. character? You got some setting in there for ballast?

Rotate the tires, check the pressure, a little lube, dipstick for the oil...

You get the picture. Run your own checkup and make sure that your little darling is ready for a spin.

CONTEST: One Flew Over...

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Original posting 13 July 2009

[Note: the contest is being held on the Writers list http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/writers and is only open to members.]

Mulling over the contest, how about...

What about this one from What If? By Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter?

Write a linear story, in which a strong main character is on a quest for something important and specific (e.g., a shelter for the baby, medicine for a sick mother, or the key to the storehouse where a tyrant has locked away all the grain from a starving populace). The object is a given -- don't explain its importance. The main character starts acting immediately. She then meets a (specific) obstacle; finally she triumphs over the obstacle by means of a magic or supernatural element that comes from the outside (like Dorothy's red shoes in the Wizard of Oz). You may introduce minor characters but the narrative should never abandon your main character. This story should be told through action and dialogue.

We could tighten it up. Define the Maltese Falcon -- the object of the quest. Pick out a particular obstacle, and a magical element. But I think off-hand, I'd leave it loose.

So, there's the challenge. Write a story:

1. main character is on a quest for something important and specific
2. Start with action
3. Have them meet at least one specific obstacle
4. Have them triumph over the obstacle by means of a magic or supernatural element that comes from outside
5. Focus on the main character
6. Action and dialogue

Does that sound good?

As for the quota or time limit? How about this? If there are ten stories posted for the contest, we'll declare victory. Otherwise, we'll cut it off at the end of August (having my deadline and quota too!). That's mostly so that we can start prepping for the big Halloween contest (October, right?).

Multiple submissions? Personally, I don't mind. So let's leave it open for now (yes, you can!).

'saright? Write a quest story. Submit to list. Lather. Repeat. Until either ten stories or end of August. Can do?

Crits? Yes, we would also like them. How about we try to do them on the stories submitted, okay?

Go for it?

CONTEST: A Maltese Falcon?

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Original posting 15 July 2009

Just some quick thoughts about our contest challenge.

So our hero -- the protagonist -- is going to go on a quest for something. While we might start the story a bit later, we might want to start thinking about the story in terms of the initiating event or the inciting event. What got the protagonist started? Did a letter arrive describing the something? What about a treasure map, perhaps found in the odds and ends left in great grandpa's trunk? Or maybe the protagonist is in a junk shop -- excuse me, a recycle store -- and recognizes that the strange old hanging actually is a map? Or that the slip of paper in the book is directions? Or... does someone pay the protagonist to go and get the something for them? What about...

What is the protagonist going to get? What is the goal of the quest? Literal or figurative? Unique or one of several? Animal, mineral, vegetable?

How did they find out about it?

Are they going to get it for themselves, for someone else? What's motivating them to go?

What do they know about it? Even worse, what don't they know about it?

Do other people know about it? Do they care? Is the opposition going to try to get the something before or away from the protagonist? Or is the opposition simply blocking the protagonist, perhaps because they don't like him or her? What is the opposition's stake in this? Do they want the something, do they want to simply preserve the status quo, or is there something about the protagonist that makes them want to keep him or her from completing their quest?

What fun, and I haven't even gotten past the something that we're going to go searching for!

How about some possible things?

1. A piece of art (painting, sculpture, pottery -- your choice)
2. Portable wealth (bearer bonds, piles of money, jewels, gold -- guess who gets to decide)
3. Important information (birth certificate, marriage license, the will -- what else?)
4. The key to unlock... (password, key, the secret name, etc.) [the fun part here is get the real one!]
5. A hostage (person, animal, whatever -- which can add a ticking clock to reach them before...)
6. Christian V of Denmark (more here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_V_of_Denmark -- I have no idea why we are trying to reach the King of Denmark and Norway, but I thought I would give the random article at Wikipedia a chance.)

A quest, a quest... a writer in search of a story? No, that's very common. A quest...across the pages...