writercises | Entries tagged with resolution

Original Posting 2022/01/01

Happy New Year!

Yep, it's that time again. Celebrations, lots of fun, and... maybe a little pause to consider what you want to accomplish this year. I'm seeing several writers regroup, making lists of things they want to tackle this year, and thought maybe you might like to do that...

I mean, one of the things about New Year's resolutions is that they are goals you set for yourself, and you get to decide how public or private you want to keep them. But it is a good turning point to sit back and consider...

Do you want to join a writing group? There are online versions around. Critiques, writing prompts, and other helps to keep you going. (Psst? Take a look at https://moreoddsthanends.home.blog/ if you want to join in a weekly challenge!)

Or maybe you just want to set yourself a goal of writing at a certain time or place regularly? Lots of people find that discipline useful.

Maybe take a book, or some other guideline, and work your way through the approach they suggest? Hero's Journey, Save the Cat!, there is a lot of guidance out there, take your pick. But set yourself a goal, and work on it!

For that matter, take the plunge and plan on posting something here on Writers from time to time! Weekly, monthly, whatever works for you. As I used to suggest, either a post about technique (aka tech!) or a submission (sub!) are good ways to participate.

Heck, close your eyes, and let your dreams take wing. What kinds of things could you see yourself doing, what do you wish you were doing, what do you really want to try? I'm sure there are many ways to go, and you can make your own this year!

Anyway, might be a good time to sit back, and think about what you want to achieve this year. Then think about how to do it, what are the steps, the habits, all that to get there. And, of course, decide to start. One step, just to get started....

Write!

mbarker

Original Posting 2021/3/12

Writer's Digest, December 1991, pages 30-33, had an article by David L. Carroll talking about style. He starts off by suggesting that of course, any professional's lifelong aim is to learn to write as well as you possibly can. At the same time, there are some shortcuts and tricks of the trade that can be useful. Then he provides descriptions of 14 of these "tricks." Here they are!

1. After making a strategic or dramatic point, move away from your subject for a moment, then return with sudden force. In other words, introduce the topic, then relax a moment with some other idea, and then come back to the original subject in a way that ties the two together.

2. Three ways to keep your reader emotionally involved: 1. Present a mystery, then unravel it in stages. 2. Create a situation of jeopardy than resolve it. 3. Identify a problem that readers are personally experiencing, then help them overcome it.

3. Use action to make a significant point. Show, don't tell. Dynamic imagery and motion!

4. Use a series of short sentences to build tension. Usually at a moment of tense action, short sentences with strong verbs adds intensity and builds drama.

5. Be careful using the dash. It's powerful, but don't overdo it.

6. Vary the lengths of your sentences and paragraphs. Mix it up.

7. When you're stuck for the right way to say it, try… Sometimes you need to use a grammatical device such as asking a question, giving a command, a quotation, a different subject, different punctuation, a joke, get personal with the reader, examples, emotions, an anecdote, a list, facts,…

8. Shift emotional directions in the middle of a sentence. "Sudden emotional changes can be stimulating to readers if done properly."

9. Introduce a string of short, descriptive words and phrases to make an emphatic point. Short sentences with strong adjectives and images might do the trick.

10. Avoid unnecessary connectives. Watch out for those transition words.

11. Don't weaken your prose with too many unnecessary adverbial qualifiers.

12. Use intentional redundancy on occasion. Sometimes, repeat yourself.

13. Make your sentences rise to a climax; let them reveal their most significant information at the end.

14. Use grace notes. Little asides and action that add humor or emotional color can make your story better.

There you go. Some little tricks you might consider while writing, or while revising.

mbarker

Original Posting 2020/12/24

Writer's Digest, October 1992, pages 29-30, had an article by William M. Ross called The Power of Plot Irony. The subtitle suggests that "this technique can instill your story plots with drama, depth – and unexpected consequences."

He starts out by reminding us that the traditional good plot "has a problem/resolution structure: a character faces a problem, struggles with it over the course of the story, and then solves it at the end with a striking action." Good definition, but how do you make the struggle, the story, compelling? Well, plot irony "can give your story the kind of unexpected plot turns that keep readers turning pages."

Next, he describes a story by Max Brand called "Wine on the Desert" as an example plot irony. An outlaw wanted for murder, fleeing the sheriff, visits his old friend Tony who has a vineyard irrigated by vats of rainwater. Tony is friendly, but the outlaw shoots holes in the vats to keep the sheriff from having the water he needs to follow him. Then he orders Tony to fill his canteen with water. The outlaw grabs the canteen and heads into the desert.

So far, a man on the run, friendship betrayed, rugged setting, lots of action. But… Where's the irony? Well, as the outlaw finds out deep in the desert, Tony filled the canteen with wine, not water. That's the irony.

Now, he explains that plot irony is not achieved by a single incident, but by a pattern of incidents in a specific configuration. You need three interlocking events. First, someone misperceives a situation. Second, he acts on the basis of this misperception. Third, as a result of the action, he experiences unanticipated consequences, either positive or negative.

Since this is usually revealed at the end of the story, often say they like the final twist. What they really mean is they like the ironic pattern which is revealed at the end.

In the story about wine, the outlaw mistakenly believes that his friend Tony filled his canteen with water. He acts on the misperception by running further into the desert. He suffers unanticipated consequences at the end. Separately, these incidents are not ironic, but together they are.

Next, Ross takes a look at a story by O. Henry, The Furnished Room, which he says fails! The misperception is not really wrong, which means that the ending doesn't quite work. So, make sure that your character has a serious misperception. Next, O. Henry doesn't really tie the three incidents together. Specifically, there's really no unintended consequences. So make sure that your protagonist's misperception causes the action and the unanticipated consequences. Finally, O. Henry didn't characterize his characters very well. So even if you're going to use plot irony, don't neglect characterization.

Next, Ross looks at Jack Finney's Of Missing Persons and assures us that in this story, the characterization supports the well constructed irony. The ironic events tie together. The misperception is a major one. And the character traits match the perceptions and the actions.

Finally, Ross walks us through his own construction of a play using plot irony. He started with two brothers, and a situation. Jeopardy, one of the brothers is very invested in his business. But, he starts embezzling money. The other brother threatens him. The first brother sees his other brother as a threat. (A mistaken perception?) So, he lures him out and shoots him. (The action due to the misperception!). Now, a detective lays out all of his evidence, and the first brother pulls out the gun again, explains what happened, and tries to kill the detective. However, the detective had already emptied the bullets from the gun. Then the detective reveals that the dead brother had collected money to help out his brother! That's the irony, the revelation of the misperception.

So, now it's your turn. Have a character misperceive a situation. Then have them act on that misperception. And finally, let them experience unanticipated consequences of the action, either positive or negative. To make it plausible, make sure your characters have the traits that they need so that the perceptions and the actions feel real.

There you go. A dash of irony for your stories!

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 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.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 30 Dec 2009

Go right over here http://madgeniusclub.blogspot.com/2009/11/plot-is-king-to-catch-spirit-of-thing.html
and you can read the original Sarah Hoyt posting. Or...

Here's the headings:

Title:
Character:
Problem:
Goal:
Action:
Mirror Moment:
Resolution:

In the text around this, Sarah suggests that the three key elements are character, problem, and resolution. You might also want to think about setting and the plot -- what your character tries to do to get to the resolution.

That mirror moment thing? Basically that's a point where the character realizes that the goal he's been aiming at isn't what he really wants. It's the sudden realization that what we say we want and what we actually want aren't quite the same.

Anyway, I thought some of you might enjoy trying out yet another worksheet. It's a way to help organize your thinking. And no, you don't have to do it this way.

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The Place For My Writers Notes

Entries tagged with resolution

FILL: Happy New Year! And what are you going to do this year?

TECH: Voila Style! (moldy oldie)

TECH: The Power Of Plot Irony (Moldie Oldie)

TECH: Shape and Sharpen Your Fiction (Moldy Oldie!)

TECH: Super Structure: Final Battle (part 19) (400 words)

TECH: The story, the whole story, and nothing but the story (Novel Writing Bootcamp #5)

TECH: Quickie Worksheet For Short Stories?

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