'nother Mike (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mbarker) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
writercises2018-10-03 01:57 pm
mbarker) wrote in writercises2018-10-03 01:57 pm
TECH: Nanowrimo bits and pieces...
Original posting Nov. 2, 2017
Recently, on Writing Excuses http://www.writingexcuses.com/ , they offered a slightly modified version of the venerable Orson Scott Card MICE quotient. MICE, as you probably know, is Milieu, Idea, Character, and Event. However, the new acronym is MACE -- Milieu, Ask/Answer, Character, and Event.
Briefly, they suggested that in a Milieu story, the basic plot movement is going into some place new, and then returning from that new place. Obviously, you can play lots of variations, but the notion of going into something new -- a place, a situation, a kindergarten, whatever -- and exploring that, then returning or at least exiting that new place is the basic plot fo the Milieu.
An ask/answer story, on the other hand, starts with a question. Who dun it, of course, is the well-known mystery question, but there are other questions, too. You might fall back on who, what, where, when, why, and how, the six honest serving men of Kipling's fame. Anyway, ask a question, who did it, what if, where are we, when did it happen, why, oh, why do we keep asking these questions, and how long can this go on... and then answer it, one way or another. Heck, sometimes you may answer it several different ways, just for the fun of it.
The character? Well, these usually start with a problem with the self, something is wrong with our image, our identity. They explore the person, and eventually result in a new self image or identity, or sometimes simply in acceptance of the self that we have.
Then, of course, there are event stories. The typical starting point for these is a broken status quo, something is wrong with the world! After this and that, we eventually achieve either a new status quo or possibly acceptance of the status quo as it is, broken and all.
Whoosh! Four threads that you might use in your Nanowrimo plotting on the fly! After all, you can mix these up, although normally they come nested -- one inside the other. Incidentally, you might consider something I noticed, which is that milieu and event stories are largely external oriented -- go someplace new, a broken status quo -- while ask/answer and character tales tend to be more internal oriented, often focusing on the internal growth and change of the characters more than the external disasters.
Anyway, something to play with while you are grinding out the words, grinding out the words, we shall have rejoicing, grinding out the Nanowrimo words!
Write?
Recently, on Writing Excuses http://www.writingexcuses.com/ , they offered a slightly modified version of the venerable Orson Scott Card MICE quotient. MICE, as you probably know, is Milieu, Idea, Character, and Event. However, the new acronym is MACE -- Milieu, Ask/Answer, Character, and Event.
Briefly, they suggested that in a Milieu story, the basic plot movement is going into some place new, and then returning from that new place. Obviously, you can play lots of variations, but the notion of going into something new -- a place, a situation, a kindergarten, whatever -- and exploring that, then returning or at least exiting that new place is the basic plot fo the Milieu.
An ask/answer story, on the other hand, starts with a question. Who dun it, of course, is the well-known mystery question, but there are other questions, too. You might fall back on who, what, where, when, why, and how, the six honest serving men of Kipling's fame. Anyway, ask a question, who did it, what if, where are we, when did it happen, why, oh, why do we keep asking these questions, and how long can this go on... and then answer it, one way or another. Heck, sometimes you may answer it several different ways, just for the fun of it.
The character? Well, these usually start with a problem with the self, something is wrong with our image, our identity. They explore the person, and eventually result in a new self image or identity, or sometimes simply in acceptance of the self that we have.
Then, of course, there are event stories. The typical starting point for these is a broken status quo, something is wrong with the world! After this and that, we eventually achieve either a new status quo or possibly acceptance of the status quo as it is, broken and all.
Whoosh! Four threads that you might use in your Nanowrimo plotting on the fly! After all, you can mix these up, although normally they come nested -- one inside the other. Incidentally, you might consider something I noticed, which is that milieu and event stories are largely external oriented -- go someplace new, a broken status quo -- while ask/answer and character tales tend to be more internal oriented, often focusing on the internal growth and change of the characters more than the external disasters.
Anyway, something to play with while you are grinding out the words, grinding out the words, we shall have rejoicing, grinding out the Nanowrimo words!
Write?