writercises | Entries tagged with climax

Original posting 2022/3/9

And the last of the bunch! Climax (or battle), what does it mean?, what am I going to do now? and where are we now? All from https://luisanaduarte.com/2018/03/02/trubys-22-steps/

19. Battle
During the battle, the goals of the protagonist and the opponent should be crystal clear. There should be no confusion about what each side is fighting for. The story’s plot and subplots usually converge of this point. The winner of the battle achieves their goal.

My comment: The climax, the face-off between the hero and the villian, the final showdown. This is where the whole plot has been aiming, now make it come alive!

20. Self-revelation
The moment after the battle where the protagonist comes to a deeper understanding of their self and what they fought for and perhaps won. The revelation should be meaningful and life-altering. Show, don’t tell, what the protagonist learned/understood. The revelation can be moral and/or psychological.
At the same time, and usually surprising the audience, the opponent can have a change of heart through the protagonist’s revelation.

My comment: Okay, so here the protagonist sees what they have done to themselves, and what they have done, in this story. Final revelation, as the battle fades away...

21. Moral decision
The moral decision is the course of action that the protagonist will take once the self-revelation happens. The protagonist, if that’s the route they’re going for, can even choose to dismiss the moral and/or psychological revelations. It is through the moral decision that the audience learns what the protagonist is truly ‘made of.’

My comment: Now that the hero knows themselves, what are they going to do? What are they planning to do with the rest of their life?

22. New equilibrium
The new stasis in the story world. The ‘new normal’ the protagonist lives in once the goal has been achieved or lost.

My comment: And what about the world around them? Has it changed? What happens to it in the aftermath of that battle?

So, we have the battle, and the results of that, both for the protagonist now and in the future, and for the world around them.

It's interesting that these 22 steps really don't say much about the plot. There's a lot of reflection on the character, the setting or world, and so forth, and on how the revelations of the story affect the character.

Go ahead. Make Truby's steps your own! Take your work in progress, and see how these steps fit your work. Make some notes about the things that don't quite fit, too. And think about whether you want to incorporate some of these steps in your process, your outlining, or whatever.

Write?

mbarker

Original Posting 2022/1/20

Hi, ho... over here on Writing Excuses, https://writingexcuses.com/2022/01/16/17-3-chekovs-surprising-yet-inevitable-inverted-gun/ they have a bit of homework at the end of the podcast that I think deserves some attention. The rest of the podcast is a discussion of various examples based around the maxim that if you hang a gun on the mantle in Act I, you should fire the gun in Act III, or at the very least, do something with it!

But the exercise is fairly simple. Basically, take a work in progress (you have one of those, right?). Now, pick a character, a place, a thing, some bit that you included near the beginning that you did not intend to use later on the story. Perhaps a waiter at the diner where the protagonist had breakfast, or the gas station where they filled up the car, or... something that was not intended to be a major player. And... make it one! Write it into the big climax, revise things to make this a major part of the story.

Yes, you may have to do some revision earlier in the story, and in other parts, to really make this work. But that's part of what the exercise is pointing to, is the changes that are needed to make that gun on the mantle shoot someone in the final action.

Remember, as the actors tell us, there are no small parts, only small actors. So, let your character/setting/whatever take the center stage and show you what they can add to your story!

Write!

mbarker

Original posting 2022/01/03

I suspect some of you remember JC, one of our Writers from a while back. I still contemplate his advice for writing from time to time. It was pretty simple.

Write the ending first.

See, when you visualize your story, fairly often the ending is the exciting, fun part. It's where the climax is, the detective pointing out whodunit, the fateful happily ever after, the ride into the sunset, or whatever. So, JC recommended that you start by writing that piece. Write that great ending scene, the climax of your piece.

Then, of course, you get to work your way backwards. You can do tentpoles, highlight scenes along the way to that ending, and then tie them all together. By the way, foreshadowing gets easier when you know where you are going! Or you can literally write it backwards, one scene at a time, until you get to the beginning. Or, of course, you can ratchet all the way back, and start from the beginning and go on until the end (which you already know, because that's what you wrote first!).

Heck, even if you are an outliner, carefully working out all the bits and pieces in outline before starting to write, you still might want to consider starting at the end, both for the outline, and for the actual writing. Keep your goal in mind!

It's an interesting twist. Instead of starting at the beginning, and then bogging down in the middle, and never quite getting to the end...

Write the ending first.

Then you can keep your eye on that horizon while you beat your way through the jungle towards it.

Write?

mbarker

Original Posting 5/15/2020

Writer's Digest, February 1991 (Wow! Almost 30 years ago!) had an article on pages 34-37 by Michael Bugeja. The subtitle suggested "Your story's success depends on three key elements. Here's how to identify each element, hone it to a razor edge, and fit all three together to create the sharpest fiction you've ever written."

He starts out by suggesting that we've all had a story where the sentences are smooth, the characters sharp, and the conflict is well-established and resolved, but... "The story just doesn't work." How do you fix it? Well, Michael suggests looking at three keys.

Persona: the speaker who narrates the plot.
Point of view: the position from which the story is told.
Resolution: factually closed or suggestively open?

Narrative persona? Hey, it takes the right storyteller to make the campfire story a good one! You need to match the voice of the narrator with the story. It sets the tone, and blends with the topic. "To find that storyteller, ask yourself what type of person would feel comfortable with the topic of your story. Imagine that storyteller sharing his tale..." Then make a list of the traits of the persona. Describe that voice. Make sure the persona is aligned with the subject matter.

Point of view? Which character is the main character? This works with the persona, but unless you are doing first-person, they are not the same. You may even have them play off each other! You need a POV character with the most clout, the most unusual viewpoint, or the one who changes the most (or is changed the most) by the story. Don't just use the most convenient character, pick the one with the most power for this story. "To find your point of view character, ask yourself who will lose or gain the most from the story's events." Oh, and avoid headhopping? Switching POV often loses readers.

Resolution! Stories can have either an open or closed ending. Open? Suggestive, a sense of the situation, but... readers get to think about it. Closed? Factual, loose ends tied up, and the door closes. "The final words satisfy readers, sate curiosity or alleviate suspense." Here, again, match the persona, the point of view, and the story.

Oh! And he tosses in a "Whetstone Checklist" with four questions about each of these elements. He suggests giong through the checklist once to sharpen the three elements, then go back and check that the answers work with the other parts. So... here's his checklist:

Narrative persona
– Am I inventing a storyteller or simply telling a story in my everyday voice?
– What type of adjectives would best describe the voice of a storyteller narrating my fiction?
– Do those adjectives set the proper mode for the content of my story?
– Would such a persona understand the subject matter and be comfortable in the setting?

Point of View
– Which character will tell my story with the most clout?
– Am I choosing a character for point of view merely because I relate as a person to him or her?
– Is the voice of my first-person story compatible with the main character? Does the persona of my third person story further the plot or enhance the theme?
– Will I be able to develop a plot or theme through my main character, without knowing another character's thoughts or seeing events through another set of eyes?

Resolution
– What type of ending would best resolve the main character's plight or situation?
– Is my persona capable of achieving such an ending, given his or her personality traits?
– Would my persona want to sum up the facts for a closed ending or, by nature, intrigue us with an open one?
– If I were reading my story in a magazine, would I want to feel reflective upon finishing it (open ending) or satisfied (closed)?

There you go. If you want an exercise, take a story you've done or one you're working on, and take a look at his three elements and his checklist. I have to admit for myself, point of view and resolution are something I think about, but I haven't thought much about persona, who is telling this story, in most cases. Something to work on, I guess.

In the meantime, don't forget to write!

mbarker

Original Posting 3/27/2020

Here we go! In chapter 13, Weiland tackles the climax! This is where the whole story has been going, both in terms of the plot, and in terms of the character arc. Why did the character go through all that? Ha, now comes the payoff. And now the character shows that they have early changed.Back at the beginning, the character got shaken up, then scrambled trying to figure it out, and got the revelation of midpoint, and then... moved away from the Lie towards the Truth. Now we have a confrontation between protagonist and antagonist, and the character must show they have learned their lesson.“The Climax is a scene or series of scenes that forces the protagonist to face the main conflict in a decisive confrontation.”You need to resolve the primary conflict here, fulfilling promises, and still giving readers some nice surprises.You may have two climaxes, a faux climax and the real one.Watch out. In the third act, there’s a renewed attack on the character’s new direction, that Truth they have claimed. That attack probably will continue into the climax.Next, Weiland discusses the two choices of when to have your character do a final rejection of the Lie, either in the climax or before it. Look at whether your character’s internal conflict is closely related to the external conflict with the antagonist or not. If they’re closely related, the antagonist may very well hammer at this weak point. Putting this attack and the final rejection of the Lie (and embracing the Truth) in the climax let’s you put the two conflicts, internal and external, together, with high stakes and tension. But it’s dangerous, too, because a big external fight may not give you time to really explore the character’s internal struggle.On the other hand, you can have your character do their final dance between the Lie and the Truth before the climax, and emerge transformed, ready for the final fight. Then in the climax, the character can act on that Truth. You probably still want it to be close to the climax, but...The climactic moment? Weiland suggests that within the climax, there’s a single moment that resolves everything! Try to make a scene that your reader will know is the key. Where the hero finally destroys the antagonist. Now nothing lies between him and his goal. Not that this means he gets what he wanted, but rather, he gets what he needs. I.e., watch, the goal may have changed! Or perhaps the hero rejects what he thought he wanted, now preferring to get what he needs. Or his feelings about the whole thing have changed. Or, in some cases, maybe he gets both!Weiland next walks through the climax in a number of examples. You should probably take a look at those if you are interested.And, as usual, we have a set of questions to ask about the character arc in the climax.1 How does your character prove they have changed in the climax?2 Does the renewed attack on the new Truth happen before or during the climax? How does this affect your pacing?3 How does embracing the Truth enable victory in the external conflict?4 Does your character embrace what he Needs in the climax?5 How can he use what he Needs to defeat the antagonist?6 Does he get what he Wants?7 Has his view of what he Wants changed? Does he still want it?At the start of the story, there was a question. Will the character overcome the Lie to gain what he Needs? In the positive change arc, the Climax says YES! It proves that the character has changed.So what’s left? Ah, the emotional cleaning up known as the resolution. Come back next episode for that!Exercise? Probably the main one is to take a look at several climaxes and see how they work. Maybe make a list of five that you really like, then look closely at them. Consider the questions that Weiland suggested. Oh, you might also think about a climax you didn’t like, and try to pinpoint what went wrong, and how they could have fixed it. Of course, you can always try applying Weiland’s ideas to something you are working on, too!Keep Writing!

mbarker

Original Posting 9/4/2019

Had a little spare time, and was considering what we need for a short story. So...Let's see, we probably need a character, right? Well, let's start out by giving them a job. Strolling through the Internet, we findhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Classification_of_OccupationsWow! 10 major groups, with lots of subgroups? Let's take the 10 major groups...1. Managers2. Professional3. Technicians and associate professionals4. Clerical support workers5. Service and sales workers6. Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers7. Craft and related trades workers8. Plant and machine operators, and assemblers9. Elementary occupations10. Armed forces occupationsSo! Pick a number from one to ten! Then go look at the subcategories of that group. Pick an interesting occupation, and...Feel free to embellish your character with a little back history. How old are they, where did they come from, what about family, relationships, friends? What's their name? And then consider…Add a conflict!So, a goal, and someone (or something) blocking it. What does our character want? Let's take a wander through the Internet again... Aha!https://www.gbnews.ch/who-are-we-steven-reiss-16-basic-desires-that-motivate-our-actions-and-define-our-personalities/Here we go! A list of 16 fundamental desires, with end goals that go with them. So, pick a number from 1 to 16, and... here is what you have chosen:1. Power: achievement, competence, leadership2. Independence: freedom, Ego integrity3. Curiosity: knowledge, truth4. Acceptance: positive self-image, self-worth5. Order: cleanliness, stability, organization6. Saving: collection, property7. Honor: morality, character, loyalty8. Idealism: fairness, justice9. Social contact: friendship, justice10. Family: children11. Status: wealth, titles, attention, awards12. Vengeance: winning, aggression13. Romance: beauty, sex14. Eating: food, dining, hunting15. Physical exercise: fitness16. Tranquility: relaxation, safetySo your character desires something. Go ahead and make it concrete, what is it that they want? How do they think they are going to get it?And, of course, add someone or something getting in the way. An antagonist, someone jealous, angry, or whatever, certainly personalizes the conflict. But a flood, hurricane, comet falling from the sky, or some other impersonal disaster can also make life hard on your character.And what is the endgame? We're doing quickie short stories here, so what is the change, realization, success or failure, what's the point? Considering what the character wanted, what are they going to get?Hum? Stroll through the Internet again? Well... Oh, here's this. Achievements that matter the most?https://www.cam.ac.uk/women-at-cambridge/chapters-and-themes/chapter-1-the-achievements-that-matter-most-and-why1. Being able to pursue interesting, high-quality work that has a positive impact.2. Securing awards, promotions, and other acknowledgments of achievement.3. Maintaining a happy and healthy family life as well as a career.4. Handling challenge, complexity, and change.5. Being a role model or pioneer.6. Exercising leadership, authority, and influence.7. Having a positive effect on and engagement with others.8. Demonstrating authenticity, integrity, and roundedness.What the heck, those sound like they could be fun. So pick a number from 1 to 8, see what you have chosen, then consider that in light of your character and their desire, and… Figure out what they might achieve at the end of your story along those lines.So, character, conflict, and at least a sketchy achievement/climax? It must be time to write your story! Go ahead and start sketching out that tale!Bonus! Over herehttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1thvbJEjTVYlkASPG7bTHvGdNaU8npypOhD7jr1yBGGo/edit?usp=sharingThere's a spreadsheet that will give you random mix-and-match of the three elements. Each time you open it, it will give you a new randomized triplet, or you can press CTRL-R to get a new combination. See if that helps spark some ideas!

mbarker

Original Posting April 19, 2019

"Every great ending is a Final Battle inside or outside the main character. Sometimes a mixture of both."So, in Act I, we had Disturbance and Trouble Brewing to kick off the action and warn us that the final battle was ahead. In Act II, we had The Kick in the Shins to remind us, and the Mirror Moment when the main character really decides they have to do it. The Doorway of No Return #2 slammed shut behind us, Mounting Forces gathered, Lights Out made us sweat, the Q Factor gave us hope, and now…The Final Battle!Okay, so this is the focus of Act III, the ending or resolution of the whole story. Outside? We're looking at physical forces. Big or little, will the main character have the courage to fight? Will they win? Inside? A psychological battle! Will the Lead have the courage to be transformed?So why do we have this piece here? Well, this is the point of the story, what everything leads up to. It's the resolution, the satisfaction, the completion. The Final Battle is what makes the story happen.James gives us a hint. Go back and look at your Mirror Moment. If it was a "I'm going to die" moment, the Final Battle is likely to be physical. If it's "Who am I and what have I become?" Then the Final Battle is likely to be interior, a dilemma, psychological.And, we have a reminder. The arc of the story is a quest for courage. If it's courage to fight overwhelming odds, the Final Battle is against outside forces. If it's the moral courage to do the right thing, then the Final Battle is against inside forces. Don't forget you might have a tragedy, where the main character loses and dies (physical death!), or doesn't do what's right and dies professionally or psychologically. (I have to admit, I'm a Disney kid, I love a happy ending, though!)It seems to me that part of the trick to getting this right is really going back and looking at what you have promised in all the other pieces. Remember those pieces I mentioned at the start? Make sure that The Final Battle lives up to all those. Yes, it's a battle, so you can have loose ends and chaos, but… Try to take care of the issues you raised in those other parts. Of course, some people start by outlining or even writing up this part first, and then make the rest of the story match up with it.

mbarker

Original posting March 22, 2019

Okay! Act II is closing down, and through this door… Act III! There is no turning back. This is the doorway that leads to the final battle and the resolution.Let's step back a moment. Act II is where the major action of our story happens. The stakes, according to James Scott Bell, are death, physical, professional, or psychological. The lead, main character, protagonist, our hero has to fight! Act II is "a series of scenes where the character confronts and resists death, and is opposed by counterforces."Then, The Doorway of No Return #2… And Act III begins! Usually, this doorway involves a major crisis or setback, some kind of a clue, a discovery, a revelation… And it sends us on toward the final battle.Now, why do we have this? Well, Act II could just keep going, but the Doorway of No Return #2 sets up the final battle. Now, three act structure says that Act III is about one fourth or less of your book. So that's where you find the Doorway of No Return #2.James gives some hints for plotters and pantsers. Plotters? You may want to leave this until you are well into your outline or even writing. Everything up to this point affects it. The characters, scenes with happy surprises, new events. It all feeds into the Doorway of No Return #2. So leave yourself room to make this great.Pantsers? Discovery is the name of the game for you. So this one really works. Just keep in mind, and think about it from time to time. If possibilities hit you, go ahead and write them down. Then, when you're ready, pick the best one or a brand-new one and go for it.James also has a reminder. Don't use coincidence to get your lead out of trouble. A crisis or a setback is more trouble, so that's okay. But, a discovery, a clue, a revelation really needs to be earned. Make the lead work for them, do something to get them.Act I started off with a disturbance, which led to The Doorway of No Return #1. Then we had a kick in the shins, the mirror moment, and other complications and troubles that led to The Doorway of No Return #2! With The Final Battle looming ahead of us.Kind of like crossing the United States. First you have to get across the Appalachians, then you can wander around until you hit the Mississippi, and across the great flatlands… And there's the Rocky Mountains looming in the distance!How do you get this door right? I'd suggest (a) wait a while. Outlining, writing, see what pops up. (b) Brainstorm a list! What sets up the Final Battle? What key step does the lead need to take? What changes that forces them into that final battle? Now, pick the best one.

mbarker

Original Posting Sept. 14, 2018

Writer's Digest, October 1993, had an article on pages 32-35 by Carol-Lynn Marrazzo with the title Show and Tell. It's not about the school pastime, it's about using both show and tell in your storytelling. She starts out by explaining that her readers were telling her that the climax just fell flat, they felt distanced. "Even though I'd used dialogue and description to show what was happening… readers said they wanted more." So she did some analysis of stories by writers that she admired.

"In story after story, I found that climactic moments contained two elements: a physical action or manifestation (crying, trembling, etc.), and narrative. Telling." In that moment of realization, when the characters internalize change, the narrators told us what they were thinking and feeling.

Carol-Lynn next shows us an example from Eudora Welty. A bit of action, but what it means is focused and heightened with narrative. Show and tell!

Then she expands on it a little bit. "You can do this in your own stories. For example, if you show a character doing something at a critical juncture in the story – breaking eggs, unbuttoning a blouse, drawing an ace from a marked deck – in that bit of storytime you have the opportunity to tell that character's thoughts or feelings."

Sometimes it's just a very short characterization. Carol-Lynn gives an example of the" "sweat of regret." That "of regret" is clearly the narrator naming the experience. So, you can use this technique to heighten characterization in later drafts, during revision. Watch for these little sprinkles of telling, and make sure that they're the right ones. Or, of course, you may be more expansive. There is an example from James Joyce, with a rather lengthy chunk of narration. It depends on the character. "If your character has been freely sharing observations and feelings throughout the story, and then goes mute at a critical turn, your reader may feel cheated."

Internal monologue, a.k.a. narrative, helps us to really understand what the character is feeling. Physical signals are good, but tell us the true feelings!

Try what Carol-Lynn does throughout her article. Take a scene from a writer that you admire, and highlight the pieces of narrative, the telling intertwined in the showing. You may be surprised at how much is there.

Now, Carol-Lynn warns that you have to know your characters and your stories very well to do this effectively. But, separate the showing and the telling, then look for inconsistencies and contradictions. Study the telling, modifiers, adverbs, adjectives, little descriptive phrases and clauses. Make sure they match your story and your characters.

"Pay special attention to the narrative. Learn to identify ineffective telling, and let it help you find and focus your story. Then, use artful telling to heighten your character's deepest thoughts and feelings, to get to the heart of things and bring your story to life."

There you go. Show and tell.

mbarker

Original Posting March 14, 2018

So, let's see. A likable character faces opposition or conflict, and by his or her own efforts, achieves a worthwhile goal. So we need a character, opposition and conflict, efforts, and a goal? Or maybe start with the character and goal, then the plan to get there, and finally the opposition or conflict, what's going to be in the way?

Heck, start with any of these. Characters, Setting, Plot, or even theme or purpose. Then brainstorm away at the others.

Here, start with a character. Who are they? What are their goals and desires? What are their problems and faults? In your story, what changes?

Or maybe a setting? Where are we? What are the scenes and locations?

Of course, plot is a really common starting place. What threatens the character's self-image? What can go wrong, and what will it cost? What blocks the character, and what are they going to do about it? Think about the events you want to have in your story, and especially the climax. Are you going to have some small try-fail cycles, bumps along the road, before you get to the climax?

Another simple plotting approach is:
1. What is the moment of change that starts the story moving?
2. What is the hook for the reader?
3. What is the story problem?
4. What is the first doorway of no return? What is the point where the main character, the protagonist, commits to solving the problem?
5. What are the complications that they are going to face in trying to achieve that?
6. What is the second doorway of no return? What is the twist, the revelation, the point where the main character figures out how to achieve their goal, and starts into the climax?
7. What is the ending? What is the climax, the character change, and the answer to the story problem?
8. Now go back and consider, what backfill and back story do you need?

Another way to brainstorm about it is answering questions. Here's one set:

1. Where are we? Setting!
2. Who is there? Characters, with their pluses and minuses.
3. Where are we going? What are their goals and motivations?
4. What blocks them? What are the obstacles or opposition?
5. What are they going to do? What are their plans?
That's all kind of background. The story itself revolves around:
6. What's the hook? What's the story question or problem?
7. What background do we need?
8. What's the build up? Lay out the scenes, the information, the turning points, the reveals, the surprises.
9. What's the climax? What is the character change, the plot resolution, the story answer?
10. What is the purpose or theme? You may not be able to answer this until you have written at least a first draft.

Or maybe you want to think about genres? Lots of different lists, here's one from Save the Cat:
1. Monster in the house: a monster, and the house. Something scary, and a restricted field.
2. The Golden Fleece: we are on a quest to get…
3. Out of the bottle: wish fulfillment.
4. Dude with the problem: ordinary guy, extraordinary circumstances
5. Rites of passage: life changes
6. Buddy love. Love stories, odd couples, mismatched…
7. Whydunit. A mystery by any other name.
8. The fool triumphant. The underdog wins!
9. Institutionalized. What happens inside.
10. Superhero. An extraordinary person in an ordinary world.

Take your character, your seed of a plot, or whatever, and try running it into some of these questions, or maybe brainstorm how you would write it up as several of these genres. Remember, it's still early, so you've got time to kick the tires. Next week, we'll start having to actually write a story every week! But, I'll let you do a little preparation if you want to. That way you just have to pick out a story idea and sit down and write, write, write.

Whoosh! All that for a little story? Well, you don't have to. You can just sit down and write by the seat of your pants. Many great writers swear that they just sit down and open a vein, and... the words come. The arguments between seat-of-the-pants writers (pantsers, or discovery writers) and outliners have been going on probably since the first cavemen sat down to tell a story over that new invention, the fire. Frankly, do whichever works for you. Some people swear that thinking about it, outlining and planning, takes all of the excitement and interest out of it, and they just can't write a story once they've done that. Others find that blank page terribly intimidating, and a little bit of brainstorming and planning helps reduce that terror.

And just think! Starting Sunday, March 18, we'll all be scratching our heads and churning out a story (or 6!). So watch for the submissions, starting March 24! Right here on Writers! Okay?

Okay? So who's with me? 6 stories. Any size, but write a story, okay?

Get on your marks...

mbarker

Original Posting Aug. 19, 2017

Writer's Digest, March 1999, on pages 30-33 and page 52, have an article by William J. Reynolds with the title Keeping Them in Suspense. All about how to build a page turner.

Reynolds starts out by posing the challenge that you want your readers to say, "I've gotta know." That's the essence of suspense. And to keep them turning pages, you want suspense. Compelling characters, plausible plot, intriguing subplots, richly evoked settings, appealing writing… Yes, you want those too. But suspense is what gives fiction that kick.

Now, he suggests you start by setting up three different sizes of suspense, just like soft drinks: small, medium, and large. Watch out for supersize? Anyway, most stories include all three sizes in different places. Maybe start with some small suspense, I wonder what is really going on. Then add some mortal danger, and get to medium-sized suspense. And build to large-sized suspense, who is this masked man? And, you might have a supersize twist.

Next, Reynolds suggests you plan a roller coaster ride. Waves of suspense! Start slow, build to a peak, drop, build again, drop, and so forth. Give your readers a bit of a breather, some release, interim resolutions.

But where does suspense come from? Well, what is the obvious source? Plot. But sometimes suspense grows out of the characters, too. Their actions and reactions, their motivations. "So suspenseful elements in the plot generate suspenseful episodes that grow out of the characters' personalities." And how the characters respond or react drives forward the plot, generating new suspenseful episodes to which our characters must react." Even the place – setting – may contribute suspense. Earthquakes, bandits, weather, all of these things can add suspense.

And, you need to keep track of your pace. Your style of writing, the viewpoint, the words and the way you use them, all can build suspense. Long, slow passages turn into short, telegraphic bursts.

And the last page – well, the resolution of your story – is a key part of the suspense. Watch out for inadvertently leaving your reader hanging on the edge of a cliff, you do want to resolve events satisfactorily. Not necessarily everything. And you do want the end to come quickly after the climactic shock. A few loose ends is not a problem. Give us a satisfactory conclusion, logical, perfectly in keeping with everything that's gone before. Then don't blunt it.

"Most important, we finally found out what we've gotta know."

Stop.

Practice? Take that work in progress, and go over it, looking at the suspense. Do you have some questions that the reader has just gotta know about right from the start? Do they build, and get resolved, and build again? If you've got some sections where there's no suspense, add a dash. And make sure that when we get that resolution, we don't spend too long hanging around trying to tie up every little loose end. Mostly...

WRITE!
tink

mbarker.livejournal.com

Original Posting Oct. 30, 2015

First of all, the Mad Geniis (One genius, many geniis, right?) have been busy this week contemplating Nanowrimo. It is right around the corner, starting November 1, but if you are interested, take a look at their reflections on the issue, and then drop by nanowrimo.org and give it a shot. All you've got to lose is your sleep...

Now, over here

http://madgeniusclub.com/2015/10/28/swallowing-a-fly-2-how-to-plot/

The lady with the pointy boots provides us with a lesson on how not to lose the plot in the muddle, based around one of those odd old time songs that we all know, about an old lady who swallowed a fly (I know not why... Ezaferalderay?) That is the inciting incident! And from there... Well, she swallowed a spider to catch the fly, then... Yes, she swallows a whole string of interesting things, getting in more and more trouble. And that is what your plot needs to do to the main character. One attempt after another to solve things, but it just gets worse and worse!

Until, naturally, the climax. Which you might have been slowly building towards, with foreshadowing and clues and hints buried in the logical chain of disasters, or perhaps you prefer the sudden drop into deepest darkness, followed by a mirror moment when the character takes stock and decides to do something about it, and... We get a sudden turnaround, a breakthrough, and stand-up-and-cheer, he's back off the ropes and fighting!

Or something like that.

The key, of course, is that the little old lady swallows a logical, reasonable chain. She doesn't decide to swallow a bowl full of flowers. Nope, spider, cat, dog... Was there an elephant on there?

So, go check your chain of events. Does it follow right along, getting the character in deeper and deeper?

Good!

And by the way, if you are doing nanowrimo, just let the words flow. Remember the little old lady who swallowed a fly, and keep writing... Maybe she'll die?

Current Mood: flying

mbarker.livejournal.com

Original Posting Sept. 18, 2015

You mean a story can be short-sheeted? Oh, wait, no... these are templates for drawing up short stories! Okay...

Over here

http://madgeniusclub.com/2015/09/09/short-story-cheat-sheets/

Sarah explains why she dallied with short stories once up on a time (you should read all about it!) and includes the Cheat Sheet. Here it is, in case you missed it:

Title

1. Setting (this includes time and future history if needed) It sets the stage for the conflict.

2. Story Characters

3. Problem or goal

4. Complications

5. Turning point/black moment (often also called mirror moment, when your character realizes he’s been pursuing the wrong goal or the right goal in entirely the wrong way.)

6. Resolution

She also tossed in a couple examples, from story plans that she's not planning to use. You might find those useful if you're wondering just what a story plan using this cheat sheet might look like.

So... the assignment for us, I guess, is to take that Cheat Sheet and try outlining a short story (or four or five!). Then, of course, write it!

Current Mood: soggy

mbarker.livejournal.com

Original posting 12 May 2011

Out of the pile of old articles, let's pull another one! Writer's Digest, October 1989 (do you remember that time in October when we were young... imagine me crooning, if you like :-). Pages 26 to 29 have an article with the title, "Hot to Plot! A plotting 'system' that works" by Mary Kittredge. The secrets of superb stories, how to build plot skeletons, and grow stories from them... sounds pretty exciting, doesn't it?

OK. So let's get down to business. Mary suggests starting with a story idea. Almost any one. For her example, she uses a mystery about an attic that drips blood. That's it. Just because it's a place to start. Pick something that sounds interesting to you.

The first thing that Mary suggests to start building our plot is to think up a main character. The main character needs three things: something that they need or want, a strong point, and a fatal flaw. So they want something, they have a desire or goal. They've got some personality trait, something that gives them the potential to win. And, they've got a problem -- a personality trait that could lead to them failing.

Next, put the character in a fairly stable situation and introduce the story problem. This is what the character has to solve to get what they want.

In trying to solve the problem, the character only makes things worse. As they try things and get some insights from their strong point, they learn about the fatal flaw.

And then, with a final climactic effort, they overcome the fatal flaw using their strong point to beat the story problem.

Problem, struggle, climax... that's the story. The trick of course is developing it. And by setting up the strong point and the fatal flaw, we're setting up the plot.

Next, Mary works her way through this process. Who is the character with blood dripping from the attic? A housewife, whose husband vanished recently, leading the police to think that perhaps she did it. Her strong point? Well, how about a love of nature. And her weakness? Fear of authority sounds good.

What's the story problem? A murder suspect with blood dripping from the attic has a story problem. The police are sure to come knocking on the door. So... a housewife calls a friend for help. But somehow, the police here about it instead, and turn up to investigate! Whoops, things just got worse.

Now, when the police go upstairs to look -- there's the body of the dead husband!

This is the Black Moment, when things look just as bad as possible. In this case, the police are sure they've got their suspect. So the character has to figure it out.

Take the strong point and develop an event that naturally uses the strong point and shows the character their fatal flaw. In this case, since she loves nature, maybe she's got a birdfeeder. And watching the police walk by the birdfeeder, she sees the birds get scared. And realizes that fear can kill. Then she realizes that it's her own fear of authority that will kill her, if she doesn't overcome it. Now, she thinks about it. And realizes that the only way that the police could know that her attic was dripping blood is that the friend told them. And the friend must be the murderer. But how can she prove it?

Ha ha. How can she use her strong point to beat this problem? Well, given that she knows her attic inside and out since she uses it to store herbs and so forth (remember that love of nature?), maybe she can explain to the police about the different temperatures in the attic -- and why would anybody put a body in the warmest spot?

So one key to growing a story with this system is developing the character's fatal flaw, which they need to recognize and then overcome. The other key is figuring out a scene or event that shows the character recognizing the fatal flaw. Make it an event that grows out of the strong point.

That's all there is to it. And the fun part is that it's not nearly as mechanical as you might think.

"Fiction is life by design. And fictional design, like other kinds of design, comes from design elements -- from the plot elements we have been discussing." This particular plot shows the good character winning. So the strong point is more powerful than the fatal flaw.

You can read the article to find out what happens if the fatal flaw of stronger, or if outside forces just smash the character, but I wouldn't recommend those. Mary also discusses some bad character versions.

In summary, get an idea. Match it with a main character who wants something. Set up a fatal flaw and strong point. Let the character do things to try to solve the problem, but fail, making everything worse, until things are as bad as possible. Take an event that uses the character's strong point and forces the character to look hard at their fatal flaw. Let the character decide to beat their fatal flaw, and the story problem, with one enormous effort based on the strong point.

"A 'hot-shot' plot is one whose parts are present and working because you put them there. So -- put them there. Do it again... and again, until plotting comes to you as naturally as breathing. Before you know it, you'll be building more than plots. You'll be writing the stories that go with them."

Oh, wow! All that from blood dripping from the attic.

Current Mood: fiddling

mbarker.livejournal.com

Original posting 4 Jan 2010

Writer's Digest, March 2004, page 42 to 49, has a bonus section with the title, "Novel Writing Boot Camp," by Bob Mayer. I'm probably not going to summarize all of the bits and pieces, but let's pick out some of the odds and ends.

Pages 44 and 45 describe narrative structure. Bob focuses on five elements: inciting incident, complications, crisis, climax, and resolution. That's the basic blueprint for the story.

The inciting incident is the hook. It's dynamic, something happens that upsets the balance and kicks your protagonist into action. The rest of the novel is the protagonist responding to the inciting incident. Inciting incidents don't have to be bad -- positive events can certainly make protagonists react, too. What happens when Joe wins the lottery?

Complications pile on complications. The growth of complications -- suspense and conflict -- is what fills in the middle. Make sure that it keeps the readers interested.

The crisis forces the protagonist to make a choice. It should not be obvious to the reader which way they're going to go. The crisis is usually the darkest time for the protagonist.

The climax? With the choice made, the balance is restored or a new balance achieved. The protagonist needs to be involved -- an active part of finishing the job.

The resolution is where you wrap up plots and subplots. Make sure that the reader knows what happened, and has a sense of closure.

Plot. This is the sequence of events -- what happens in the novel. Usually, looking at the climax and making the events drive towards that goal helps keep the story focused. But beware of coincidence, and of plots where the author's fingerprints are too obvious. The plot should have internal logic -- it should make sense.

Where to begin. "There are actually two beginnings to a novel: the first words the writer puts down to start the manuscript, and the first words the reader sees as she opens the completed book." Bob points out that since you're probably going to rewrite the beginning extensively, it's not worth worrying too much about where to start. Just get started and plan to redo the beginning. When you do get around to picking the starting line, think about the purpose of the beginning. You need to get people started reading. The beginning needs to hook the readers, introduce the story theme or problem, and introduce the main characters. Don't overwhelm the readers by putting too much into the first chapter. Leave some for later.

The meat of the story. Characters are the most important. Know their motivations -- just like actors, you can't write a part unless you know their motivation. Setting it is also important. Make sure you know where and when things are happening. Point of view -- there are lots of possibilities, but the key is to make sure that the reader knows what is going on and doesn't get confused.

Ending. Characters, locales, points of view, the plot lines -- it all comes together at the end. This is the resolution of the problem that you introduced at the very beginning.

Inciting incident, complications, crisis, climax, resolution. A sequence of events that takes us through all of that. A beginning that grabs the readers. Characters with their motivations, setting, and a firm hand with the point of view. Finally, an ending that ties it all up and makes the reader sigh with the emotional release.

Write!

Current Mood: flailing

mbarker.livejournal.com

Original Posting 26 Dec. 2009

The other evening, I stumbled over a short session on TV with an artist working with two students. This particular artist apparently is of the manga comic persuasion. He was helping the students develop four panel comics. What I found intriguing was the broad descriptions of each of the panels that he gave while they were drawing.

Basically, he said that the first panel needs to show something happening -- the setting and a problem. So one of the students drew someone in their bed with the sun shining through the windows -- the person is stretching, throwing the covers back, groaning it's morning! The other student drew a washing machine that was leaking and the kids looking at the leak.

Then, he said, the second panel shows the first reaction of the characters, with the problem getting worse. The first student had their character getting a small milk carton out and not being able to open it. Frustration! The other student showed one of their characters climbing into the washer, headfirst, to find out where that leak was coming from.

The third panel is catastrophe, with the problem getting the upper hand and the stakes going up. The first student had their character yelling and violently trying to pull the carton open. The second student had the upside down character madly spinning around in the washer gone crazy.

The fourth panel is the punchline, with some kind of resolution or release. The first student had their character taking a chainsaw to that stubborn milk carton. The teacher pointed out that there should be a small geyser of milk to let us know that the chainsaw did the job. The second student had the character hanging on a clothesline in the sunshine, drying out.

What I thought was fun about this is the way that it parallels a short story. That initial hook, some action, in media res, and a hint at the setting to get us started. Act one, if you will. Followed by complications and frustrations as things get worse. That's act two all the way. And then the climax, the resolution as the character does something incredible. Act three.

The other thing that was interesting to me was the problems that these two students used for their comics. The frustration of getting up, and a  leaking washing machine. Neither one is earth shattering great issues, and yet the comics were fun. In some ways, I think using these kind of little everyday problems that we can all relate to is really better than the huge crises.

Anyway, something to think about. Four panel comics as a pattern or template for stories.

Current Mood: stubmling

mbarker.livejournal.com

Original posting 3 August 2009

I think there are clearly still some pieces missing in Jim Butcher's postings about writing at http://jimbutcher.livejournal.com/ but the next big piece he describes is the climax. This is where you answer the story question. You've tied the tension up, established the stakes, got the reader sympathizing with the protagonist -- now you've got to finish it off. Butcher suggests thinking about those lines of dominoes -- the beginning of your story dumps dominoes all over the place, the middle sets them up in a line, and the climax... that's where they all get knocked down again, click click click crash!

He also lists the following points about a climax:

isolation. Fairly often the protagonist stands alone at this point.
confrontation. The protagonist is facing the antagonist.
dark moment. This is often where the confrontation and conflicts have failed, so it looks bad for the protagonist. He's on the ropes, or even down on the canvas.
choice. The protagonist chooses at this point and it's hard. Giving up is easy. Getting up and facing that guy that has already beat him twice...
dramatic reversal. You don't have to do this. However, in many cases the nature of the story or something about the protagonist's character causes an unexpected change. Make sure this has been foreshadowed.
resolution. The climax usually causes a return to balance, to normal life. There are changes, but this is the "and they lived happily ever after..." point. There's often a demonstration, something that shows that the protagonist has won and is going on.

OK. So in our quest, the protagonist has been looking for the Maltese Falcon, and is running into trouble. The bad guys look like they're going to get there first, they're going to win the auction, or whatever. And then...

This is where the magical or supernatural element gets to help. The protagonist pulls the card out of his wallet and calls the FBI, who drag the bad guys away... or whatever. Something happens, and the protagonist wins.

Remember, we're writing a quest story. First ten stories or the end of August marks the end of the contest. So get those words down. Only... four weeks to go? 28 days more or less depending on time zones and whatnot.

tink

The Contest!

In a Nutshell: Write a Quest Story. Submit it to the list. YEAH!

At lengthy...

1. Write a story. Here is the topic:

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.

In Checklist Format:
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

When? Write NOW. But the quota is -- first ten stories posted makes a contest! Or the end of August (when we will start preparing for the big Halloween Contest, right?)

How long? How many? As long as you need, and as many as...

Crits? Yes, please critique/comment on the stories.

And yes, when we have a pile of stories and crits, we shall vote and pick winners!

So, get on your keyboards, pencils, or other writing implements, and write!

Current Mood: crash

mbarker.livejournal.com

Original posting 13 February 2009

All right! Let's try mixing a dilemma with some little questions, shall we?

Pick a number from one to six, okay? Roll that die . . .

You got your number now? Here's what you have picked:

You agree to buy a friend's piano. Later, you discover that the agreed price is too high. Considering that your friend has told other buyers that it is sold, do you try to renegotiate?
Your neighbor's teenager has another wild all-night party. His parents return from out-of-town and asked how things were. Do you say what goes on?
The person you have been living with hints at suicide if you carry out your intention to leave. Do you leave as intended?
You have an essay due in a French language course. Your typist is French. Do you write it in English and asked her to translate it?
You suspect the cleaning woman is sipping your booze when you're out. Do you mention it to her?
You are visiting an unmarried, elderly aunt. On the table is her will. When she is out of the room, do you glance at it?

There you go. Six little problems from the game A Question of Scruples.

Okay? Now the questions. Take your problem and consider:

Who will this hurt? Pick out your protagonist/point of view based on who has the most trouble in this situation.
What can go wrong? Aha, that's the conflicts! Make a list.
What's the larger issue? Go ahead, think about the big scope of your story.
Who pays? Who loses what? There's the climax.

Grind it out. And you might want to make a little matrix -- secrets or conflicts and characters, to help you see what all is going to happen here.

Current Mood: puzzled
Current Music: I Told You So, Keith Urban

mbarker.livejournal.com

Original posting 9 January 2009

Turning Ideas into Stories

Writer's Digest, September 2005, Fiction Essentials column by Nancy Kress has the title, "From Idea to Story." The focus is on how to go from the germ of an idea to a more rounded or complex story. How do you turn things like:

a Russian submarine captain decides to defect to the United States
an aristocratic lady has an adulterous love affair
scientists clone dinosaurs from DNA preserved in amber

into books like The Hunt for Red October, Anna Karenina, or Jurassic Park? Obviously, take one idea, add characters, plot, outcome -- stir well, and there's your story, right? Well, that does sort of assume that you know how to develop characters, plot, and outcome. But at least these four questions will help you put some meat on the bones.

Who will this hurt? Answering this question helps you decide who will be the protagonist and the point of view characters. After all, there are always lots of people who could be involved in your story. How do you decide who to focus on? "Pick someone who stands to be really hurt." Someone with an emotional stake. Someone who may be crushed by the story events.
What can go wrong? "Fiction is about things gone awry." Now that you know who your key characters are, list possible things that can go wrong. Think disasters, thinks surprises, think antagonism. List everything you can think of, and then think about what happens next and what goes wrong with that! Somebody got killed? Okay, what can go wrong with the investigation?
What larger issue is at stake? By picking main characters who will be hurt, you also have an idea about what's at stake for that character. Now back up and ask what's at stake in the larger picture. Think about theme or moral point. Think about big scope, giving your story more depth.
Who pays? In fiction, in particular, someone has to pay the price. Who is it going to be? And what is that price going to be? Usually characters are caught on the teeth of a dilemma, and the solution often requires that they give up something even if they win. "The basic rule is inviolate: somebody loses, and somebody pays." It's up to you to decide who and what.

So take that germ of an idea, and use these four questions to help turn that idea into a story. Who gets hurt -- there's your characters. What can go wrong -- that's a plot! What larger issue is at stake -- there's the theme to go with the plot. And who pays -- there's your outcome.

Go ahead, thrash those ideas against the questions, and see what you come up aswith.

Current Mood: questioning
Current Music: Meet in the Middle, Diamond Rio

mbarker.livejournal.com

Original posting 8 September 2008

Chapter 20: Climactic Scenes

It must be time for another thrilling chapter from Make a Scene by Jordan Rosenfeld. Are you ready?

"The climax is the high point of all the action and drama in your narrative -- where the events that began with the significant situation come to a roiling, intense head." The events in the climax are the hammer for character change, and set up the ending of the story. The climactic scene is the most intense, dramatic, powerful scene. Normally there is only one. And once the climax is over, there shouldn't be much left to tie up and finish. This is really where the whole story comes together.

Successful climactic scenes include:

opposing forces collide. The protagonist and antagonist meet and clash.
the climactic event directly related to the significant situation
a central conflict. The protagonist confronts something or someone, and changes or is changed
the stakes should be as high as possible -- life and death, relationships destroyed, kingdoms won or lost
a swift pace, but some room for emotional content

The climax is a point of no return. There's no turning back, the characters and the plot are changed permanently by what happens in the climactic struggle.

Setting up the climax. A climactic scene usually doesn't surprise the reader. It's often a relief, because finally the growing tension and suspense, the emotional drama, all of the threads are going to feed into the collision. Consequences, stress, conflicts -- this is where they are all headed, and readers expect that a climactic scene will tie things up.

So the climactic scene needs to open showing the reader that action and drama are about to unfold. Normally the scene before ends with suspense, tension, and a foreshadowing of conflict about to break out.

The climactic event. Openings of climactic scenes as usually get quickly to the action. Climactic scenes build quickly and steadily, like action scenes. Don't get stuck in exposition -- make the climactic scene march right along, with specific actions, dialogue, setting details that build atmosphere, and emotional content.

"The goal of the `event is to bring significant situation and the resulting plot consequences to a head so that there's some kind of transformation in your protagonist's life or struggle. The climax is the moment where the protagonist is tested, tried, and permanently altered by whatever happens."

Post climactic event. When you finish the climactic scene, there's not much left to do. Don't add new plot information or create suspense. You may need to sort through what happened and show how the protagonist has changed, but you want to do this quickly.

Rosenfeld's checklist for climactic scenes:

Does your climactic scene use as many elements as possible to build a well-rounded, complex event: action, dialogue, setting details, emotional content, dramatic tension?
Is there one climactic scene for each protagonist? the fewer the better.
Is the climax event directly related to the significant situation?
Does the climax change your protagonist permanently in some way? Is it a point of no return?
Are the stakes high in the climax?
Is the climactic scene at the high point of the action and drama? Are the scenes that follow slower, more reflective, and less action?

That's what Rosenfeld has to say about the climactic scene. So this is the one scene in the plot that all the threads are aimed at, where the protagonist faces the real test, problem, conflict -- and either makes or breaks?

We're getting close to the end of the list of scenes. But in the meantime, consider taking a novel that you really enjoyed, and analyzing the climactic scene. How was it set up? Sometimes the foreshadowing for a climactic scene seems to thread all the way through the novel, with various bits and pieces pointing towards the inevitable meeting. But check the scene just before, and look at what was done to hint that here it comes! And then take the scene itself apart. How much lead in does it have, and what happens to the pace in the scene? Think of the old mysteries -- when the guy in the big chair starts laying out the pieces, he rattles and thumps and makes everyone jump, but it goes pretty darn fast. And there are twists and turns as he explains that while everyone thought the butler did it, in reality -- the maid did it, wearing the butler's shoes! And then look at where the climax sits in the whole story, and what comes afterwards.

Then consider the climax for your story. Is it really a peak for the story? How can you make sure that the reader knows it is coming, how do you push them into it and drag them remorselessly through it, and how do you avoid spending too much time afterwards tying up all those odds and ends?

'saright? Write!

"The great thing about human language is that it prevents us from sticking to the matter at hand." Lewis Thomas

Current Mood: pinhead

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mbarker - TECH: Truby’s 22 Steps, 19-22
mbarker - EXERCISE: Turn That Bit Player Into A Major Actor!
mbarker - TECH: Write the Ending first!
mbarker - TECH: Shape and Sharpen Your Fiction (Moldy Oldie!)
mbarker - TECH: Character Arcs (part 14) (700 words!)
mbarker - EXERCISE: Build a story?
mbarker - TECH: Super Structure: Final Battle (part 19) (400 words)
mbarker - TECH: Super Structure: Doorway of No Return #2 (part 15) (500 words)
mbarker - TECH: Show and Tell (Moldy Oldie) (500 words)
mbarker - TECH: Getting Ready for 6x6? (800 words)
mbarker - TECH: Keeping Them in Suspense (moldy oldie)
mbarker.livejournal.com - TECH: Swallowing a fly (aka a novel plotting method)
mbarker.livejournal.com - TECH: Short Story Cheat Sheets?
mbarker.livejournal.com - TECH: Hot to Plot! (moldy oldie!)
mbarker.livejournal.com - TECH: The story, the whole story, and nothing but the story (Novel Writing Bootcamp #5)
mbarker.livejournal.com - FILL: A Four Panel Tale
mbarker.livejournal.com - CONTEST: Tying off the Loose Ends
mbarker.livejournal.com - EXERCISE: Problems and Questions!
mbarker.livejournal.com - TECH: Harvesting Ideas?
mbarker.livejournal.com - TECH: Make A Scene #20: Climactic Scenes

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