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writercises2012-12-26 01:39 pm
mbarker.livejournal.com) wrote in writercises2012-12-26 01:39 pm
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TECH: Jumpstarting your writing for nanowrimo
Original Posting 31 Oct 2012
Whoops! I said I was going to add something about brainstorming scenes, didn't I? See, along with the notion of at least giving yourself a rough outline of scenes to work from, quite a few people have found that doing a little brainstorming at the start of each writing session -- or at least whenever you start a new scene -- can really help you churn out lots of words. I think I've seen someone claiming that they went from 2,000 words a day to 10,000 word a day, just because they started each writing session with a little focused brainstorming session.
In fact, over here, Maya Lassiter talks about her approach.
http://johndbrown.com/2012/07/generating-story-14-freewriting-from-inquiry-to-outline-to-scene-to-draft-with-author-maya-lassiter/
She uses a particularly formatted sentence when she is making her list of scenes. You might want to use that same format. For each scene, try writing out this sentence:
However, the real meat of this is that when you're sitting down to write the scene, before you start writing, spend 10 to 15 minutes brainstorming with a worksheet of various questions. For example, you might want to use some of these:
Okay? Don't get carried away with making a runaway set of questions. You can always add more, and consider some twists and turns on the setting, characters, actions, emotional change, and conflict in the scene. The real key here is simply spending the first little bit of your writing time brainstorming, answering the questions that sparked your interest and help you visualize the scene, and maybe even doing kind of a mini outline of this particular scene. And don't get carried away -- you don't want to spend all of your writing time brainstorming. 10 to 15 minutes to get set, and then write that scene.
All right? So in preparation, we roughed out a logline -- the overarching idea. Considered the genre, thought about characters, did a quick outline of the key scenes, and then made a list of scenes, with notes about the setting, action, emotional change, and conflict for each one.
That let's us sit down to write with a clear vision of the whole thing. And when we pick a scene from our list, now we've got just a little more brainstorming to help spark the writing. Take your list of scene questions, and jumpstart each scene.
Ready? Set? ... GO NANOWRIMO!
Whoops! I said I was going to add something about brainstorming scenes, didn't I? See, along with the notion of at least giving yourself a rough outline of scenes to work from, quite a few people have found that doing a little brainstorming at the start of each writing session -- or at least whenever you start a new scene -- can really help you churn out lots of words. I think I've seen someone claiming that they went from 2,000 words a day to 10,000 word a day, just because they started each writing session with a little focused brainstorming session.
In fact, over here, Maya Lassiter talks about her approach.
http://johndbrown.com/2012/07/generating-story-14-freewriting-from-inquiry-to-outline-to-scene-to-draft-with-author-maya-lassiter/
She uses a particularly formatted sentence when she is making her list of scenes. You might want to use that same format. For each scene, try writing out this sentence:
1. A protagonist with a needTwist? Turn. Change in expectations.
2. in conflict with
3. an antagonist with a need
4. in an interesting setting
5. with a twist.
However, the real meat of this is that when you're sitting down to write the scene, before you start writing, spend 10 to 15 minutes brainstorming with a worksheet of various questions. For example, you might want to use some of these:
One Sentence Description:
Problem: What does the main character want in this scene?
Blocks: What persons or forces are in the way? What do they want?
Value: What's at stake? What is the price of getting there?
Charge: What is the charge, plus or minus, for the main character as the scene opens, and as the scene closes?
Turning point: When does a gap open between expected and actual results? What is that gap?
Beat Pattern: What action/reaction exchanges are there?
Where are we?
-- Fun, cool, weird, odd, details, surprises for the reader?
-- Time, weather, etc.?
-- Background or world building details?
Who is here?
-- What's the situation for each character?
-- Who is driving this scene?
-- What is their concrete objective/goal?
-- What do the others want (motives)?
-- Fun/cool stuff? Surprises for reader?
What story lines will have beats here?You could probably mix in Longyear's 10 questions, even though they're intended for short stories. They work pretty well for a scene, too.
-- progress or trouble?
-- points of conflict?
-- obstacles?
-- Turn?
Opening/transition:
Current situation:
Setting, significant details:
Next big crisis:
Desired effect in reader:
Events:
Emotions:
Character's unique reactions:
Ending hook:
1. Where are we? (Setting)Oh! You might also use the scene-sequel template as a basis for brainstorming? The scene is where the action is, so you need to dive into the problem or conflict, then wrestle with it for a while, probably with try-fail cycles (the hero tries this, and fails. Then the hero tries something else, and fails. And then the hero tries again, and probably falls flat on his face!). Build up to the scene ending. And then consider filling out the sequel. The reaction. Start with the emotional blast. Then the hero can start thinking again, and figure out just what went wrong. Next, what are we going to do next? Come up with the alternatives, and then make a decision, a plan, that leads to... The next scene!
2. Who's involved? (Characters, strengths and flaws)
3. Where are we headed? (Goals and motivation)
4. What stops or blocks us? (Obstacles, problems, opposition)
5. What are we going to do? (The problem, and how we expect to overcome it)
6. What is the hook? (How is this going to start, what will interest the reader?)
7. What backfill is needed? (Foreshadowing, internal information)
8. What is the build up? (Longyear uses this for scenes, but in a scene, you still may have build up)
9. What is the climax?
-- How does the character change?
-- How is the problem resolved?
Remember that most scenes end in disaster -- either no, and or yes, but. The goal is NOT achieved, AND there are further complications. Or Yes, the goal is achieved, BUT there are more problems.
10. What is the purpose, the moral or theme?
Okay? Don't get carried away with making a runaway set of questions. You can always add more, and consider some twists and turns on the setting, characters, actions, emotional change, and conflict in the scene. The real key here is simply spending the first little bit of your writing time brainstorming, answering the questions that sparked your interest and help you visualize the scene, and maybe even doing kind of a mini outline of this particular scene. And don't get carried away -- you don't want to spend all of your writing time brainstorming. 10 to 15 minutes to get set, and then write that scene.
All right? So in preparation, we roughed out a logline -- the overarching idea. Considered the genre, thought about characters, did a quick outline of the key scenes, and then made a list of scenes, with notes about the setting, action, emotional change, and conflict for each one.
That let's us sit down to write with a clear vision of the whole thing. And when we pick a scene from our list, now we've got just a little more brainstorming to help spark the writing. Take your list of scene questions, and jumpstart each scene.
Ready? Set? ... GO NANOWRIMO!