EXERCISE: Goals and Conflict

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

original posting: Fri, 25 Oct 2002 22:31:00 -0400

Goals and Conflict

Sadistic Writing (Putting Stakes in Your Writing)

You've got a problem -- here's a character you want to write about, you know what s/he wants to accomplish (the goal, the motivation, that place they dream and scheme for), but you're not sure what to put in the middle.

The books say conflict.  But today we're going to do it real simple -- step-by-step, you might say.

Step 1.  Pick a character and goal.  While most goals are major, for this exercise it is all right if you just want the poor schnook to get to the other side of the road, buy some gum, or whatever.

Step 2.  Now make a list of at least ten (10!) things that could get in the way of reaching that goal.  Little things - somebody moved the road - or big - someone kidnapped the Pope, shot the dog and is threatening to blow up the world if your character achieves their dream... List them up.  Don't worry about how the character will get over, around or through them yet.

Step 3.  Pick five (5) things from the list (the classic number is three, but we're going to stretch a little).  Now, put these in order by the size of the stakes involved - how hard is it going to be for the character to beat them?  What is it going to cost to beat them?  Pay attention to the possibility that non-material costs are "bigger" than material costs.  The basic order should be cheap to expensive - start with some easy stakes, low costs to the character for LOSING.

For a comic relief, you might reverse the order - looking at loss of house and family, the boss threatening to take away executive parking privileges is a joke.  Such reversals in the rising stakes can be effective, but be careful not to make a mockery of the character (unless that's what you really want to do, of course).

Step 4.  Now expand your plot.  At each block until the very last one, the character is going to LOSE (that means NOT win).  Raise the price of getting to that goal every step of the way.

Step 5.  Write that sucker up.

Step by step, slowly I turned... as the sadistic, cruel author turned up the heat, whipped me, rubbed salt into the lashmarks, crushed my toes in a press, and at last, long last, put me where I needed to be, racked between the pillars of the temple.  With my last ounce of spinach-inspired power, I pulled the temple down on his head... well, I'm sure you'll do better than that.

He's off, and sliding back, being kicked, he's down, folks, he's down, and now he's on the ropes... and what a comeback!

That's the sadism that makes the character's victory meaningful - the writer put everything they could think of in the way, and that rascal just got better and better.

As will your story.

Getting To A Climax

1.  Start with someone (a character!) trying to do something (a goal!).  If you like, pick a number (between one and six--a single die will do you).

    1.  go on vacation
    2.  go to a movie
    3.  go shopping
    4.  get to work
    5.  go home
    6.  have a party

2.  Stop and think.  Make a list of problems that might arise. Natural disasters, governmental intervention (love your local cop, fireperson, or other crisis stirrer), mechanical failures, power outages, neighbors who don't understand (being arrested for breaking into your own house is embarrassing!), family that seems bent on revenge--or at least on achieving their own goals, coworkers, the list goes on and on...

Make your list of at least five and preferably ten items that could get in the way.  Pick some fun ones (my father-in-law used to tell the story of going to the movies the day of the Great Tokyo Earthquake...)

3.  Now ponder how your character might overcome those petty roadblocks--and why!  When the trashmaster gleefully eats the cake that has just taken four hours to bake and frost--does your character sink into a jellymold and quiver or decide to take out the kids' piggybanks and buy a leftover funeral cake?  What's so important to your character about this silly job, anyway?

4.  Rearrange the blocks and reactions.  Start with some easy ones, then up the ante.  Drop world war three interfering with the party (although several authors have used that...) and make the progression from an everyday event to serious life commitment a natural one.

5.  Write it up!  You can either start with "I was on my way to..." and slowly build to the fight of your life, complete with torn clothing and tight hard smiles of gritted teeth--or start with the torn clothing, then flashback to how simply and easily normal life turned into a nightmare on thursday the twelfth...right here on main street USA...in anyone's backyard...

Grow for it!  A podperson in the garage?  oh, my.  Or just the ordinary annoyances of everyday life--a flat tire, the ATM decided to eat the bank card, the voicemail system seems to have the hiccups, and my boss--my boss has just decided to go wrestle wild bears in Canada? What else can go wrong, just trying to get through the day--or across the road?

[Oh, yes.  The starter sentence crowd is muttering...how about this one?

"How could she..." he muttered, and washed his hands.

let the tension build, slowly, slowly...and WRITE!]