FILL: What're we going to do tonight, Brain?

[mbarker]

Original Posting 2021/10/9

(For those who don't recognize it, that's one of the taglines from Pinky and the Brain. To which the Brain would typically answer, "The same thing we do every night, Pinky! Take over the world!")

If you want to listen to the theme song, try this... https://youtu.be/GBkT19uH2RQ 

So, let's see. It's slipping into fall. October! Whoops! Do we want to do a Halloween story contest? Anybody? Yipes, that's only 3 weeks away!

I have to admit, I've been enjoying the weekly writing prompt exchange over at Odd Prompts https://moreoddsthanends.home.blog/ where each week, we all submit various odd bits and pieces (writing prompts!) which are then randomly assigned to us to play with over the next week. Most of us do sketches, although we have had a few outbreaks of poetry or other responses. We could do something similar here on the list? I can make up a "submit your prompt" sheet pretty easily, then randomize and so forth. Or maybe we should just post a few of your favorite prompts, and anyone who wants to can take a swing at it?

Of course, I have a pile of writing books that I could start meandering through. I'm not sure if people really like that kind of rehearsal of approaches and suggestions, but I know I kind of like trying to figure out what these folks are doing.

Hum. Thanksgiving, Christmas... anyone have any particular ideas about how to turn those into writing provocations? A theme for the holidays?

Oh! Short notice, but over here https://www.cedarwrites.com/sanderley-studios/ there's a call for an anthology about PTSD and trauma. "Write us a story about love, and honor, and the barrier of trauma that holds so many of our service men and women from fully coming home for the holidays." Take a look!

Let's take over the world tonight! 

FILL: What is that?

[mbarker]

Original Posting 2021/10/15

I was poking around in some old files and found this list. I think it must be a list of possible actions or events for stories, and I think I added the ones after the dashes as possible alternatives? Anyway, I thought some of you might find it useful for brainstorming. When you want to think about what might happen next in your story… Run down the list and see what catches your eye, what kind of problem could your character be involved with?

Supplicate, ask for help – offer help, deliverance, rescue
victim of misfortune – receiving good fortune
disaster
abduction – eloping, running away, vacation
obtaining – giving away
hatred – love
rivalry – boosting
adultery – reinforcing marriage
madness – sanity
murder – saving lives, giving life
self-sacrifice – self-fulfillment, expression
dark secret – hidden abilities
love blocked – love aided
ambition – promoting others
revenge – good payback, forgiveness
pursuit – helping to freedom
revolt – support
daring expedition
mystery
fatal curiosity – curiosity repaid
mistaken jealousy
faulty judgment – mistaken forgiveness
remorse
recovery/loss

Something there for almost anybody!

TECH: Nanowrimo again?

[mbarker]

Original Posting 2021/11/02

Whoops. It's November second here, and that means NaNoWriMo is off and limping! National Novel Writing Month! Get those keyboards smoking!

Let's see. There's a note from one published author asking what your starting line is, and musing on the importance of a good starting line. Of course, I kind of think that we could come back and fix that in revision, but... if you like, give this search a chance.

https://www.google.com/search?q=opening+line+generator

Or just go over to one of the many first line lists. Take a look at those, and see if something catches your eye. Then make a note, and start writing! Get yourself a character, or maybe a setting, or scene, or plot, and let the words flow!

That's probably one of the keys to success at nanowrimo is just going with the flow, again and again, all month. Oh, sure, feel free to try to lay out some kind of overall plot, and keep track of your characters, scenes, settings, and all that, but... let the words flow.

Actually, you might want to consider that M.I.C.E. stuff that they talked about recently on Writing Excuses (https://writingexcuses.com/ ). Think about the milieu (aka setting), inquiry (aka question and answer), character (aka who am I?), or event (aka change from the status quo), and see whether that prompts something you want to write about.

Oh, yeah. Drop by https://nanowrimo.org/ and join up or sign in. Then follow the yellow brick... well, prompts, anyway. What's your story about? And all that!

Keep those words coming! 

TECH: A quick plot base? Lester Dent Pulp!

[mbarker]

Original posting 2021/11/3

Oho! I was wondering about using the Lester Dent Pulp Master Fiction Plot for Nanowrimo, and decided to poke around in my archives. Found this, which summarizes his approach nicely. Might need to add a few more repetitions of the second or third parts, but that's pretty easy. Or maybe use this for segment after segment of your potboiler? Sure! And keep those words coming! Because there's a man with a gun over there, saying, "Write!"

TECH: Lester Dent Pulp Master Fiction Plot
Original Posting Dec. 2, 2016

Let's see. Someone was talking about pulp fiction recently, and I pulled out Lester Dent's plot. They seemed surprised to learn of it, so... what the heck, let's review!

http://www.paper-dragon.com/1939/dent.html has a copy, if you want to follow along.

First off, Lester recommends brainstorming about four different things. They are:
1. A different murder method for the villain to use
2. A different thing for the villain to be seeking
3. A different locale
4. A menace which hangs like a cloud over the hero
You need at least one, two is better, and three is great! Okay? So do some thinking about what's going to be your unique points.

Next, divvy up the story into four parts. Lester was doing 6000 word stories, with 1500 word parts, but adjust to taste.

First part.
1. First line, or as near as possible, introduce your hero and hit him with a bunch of trouble. Hint at a mystery, menace, or problem that the hero has to deal with.
2. Make the hero pitch in to deal with the bunch of trouble.
3. Introduce all other characters as soon as possible, bringing them on in action.
4. Near the end of the first part, let the hero's efforts get him into an actual physical conflict.
5. Also, near the end, drop in a complete surprise twist in the plot.
Suspense? Menace to the hero? Logical sequence of events? Make sure that your action does more than just move the hero around in the scenery. Let him learn things, and surprises.

Second part
1. Load more trouble on the hero.
2. The hero keeps struggling, leading to
3. Another physical conflict and
4. Another plot twist!
Make sure we have more suspense, increasing menace, and the hero is getting in more and more trouble. Also, we still need that clockwork logic progression.

Show! Make the reader see things.
Try to put at least one minor surprise o each page.
Use tags to keep your characters easy to remember.
Continuous action!

Third part
1. More trouble for the hero!
2. Hero begins to make some headway, and corners villain or someone in
3. (You guessed it!) a physical conflict
4. And yet another surprising plot twist.
Whoosh! More suspense, that menace is turning solid black, and the hero is really in trouble! All in logical lockstep, right?

Feel free to make the physical conflicts different, just to avoid monotony.

Action: vivid, swift, make the reader see it.
Atmosphere: all the senses.
Description: scenery and details.
Make each word count.

Fourth part!
1. More troubles for the hero!
2. Get the hero almost buried in trouble.
3. Let the hero pull himself out using his own skills!
4. The big mystery gets cleared up during the final confrontation.
5. Final twist, a big surprise.
6. Punch line ending!

Keep the suspense going to the last line. Keep the menace there until the ending. Make sure that everything is explained, and that the events all happen logically. Use the punch line to make the reader feel warm and fuzzy! And, make sure that your hero kills or defeats the villain, not someone else.

There you go. Simple, right? Get the character in trouble, keep them fighting and finding out new twists, build it up to another fight and twist, build it up to one more fight and twist, and then kaboom! Let the hero fight their way out, with a final big twist.

Got it? Now write it!

TECH: You say you want a little boost for Nanowrimo?

[mbarker]

Original posting 2021/11/4

Caught this in my morning scramble through Google news... recommended for me?

https://www.lifesavvy.com/22054/five-creative-writing-exercises-to-jump-start-nanowrimo/amp/

Oh, now google news is offering me aids for Nanowrimo? Let’s see…

Morning pages? Right, the Artist’s Way recommended starting your day with three pages of thoughts. Anything and everything that comes bubbling up. Of course, many of us know that approach as free-writing. It’s a good warmup, and a way to keep going when you need it… hum, they snuck one in there, about writing about an object. Just look around, pick something, and go! Google images can help, if you need more pictures…

Memory and dream journaling? Sure, dig back into the past, and tell us about a time when you… what are the stories that you share when talking to friends? What do you remember? What did you feel? Or maybe you want to do dreams? 

Writing prompts? I happen to participate in a weekly round of prompts, but a search on the Internet for writing prompts will keep you busy for many, many words. Looks as if there is one aimed at Nanowrimo, too.

Fan fiction! Pick a story, and retell it. Or maybe pick a bit character from your favorite story and tell their story?

Interesting. The headline says 5 creative writing exercises, but they only seem to have four groups? Maybe the last one is DIY? Do It Yourself… what kind of push will keep you churning out the words, pushing along, aiming at that golden Nanowrimo feeling of accomplishment? Go ahead, make your day, write a bit!