tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49482985924990853642024-03-11T03:44:06.690-04:00How To Write FictionA newbie author shares tips for writing better short stories and novelsMichael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-86966994089623869302015-11-30T19:30:00.000-05:002019-08-27T20:31:14.919-04:00Writing Like Douglas Adams and P.G. WodehouseOne of my favorite authors is the late Douglas Adams, who wrote (among many other things) <i>The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</i>, <i>Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, </i>and <i>Last Chance to See.</i> These books have in common the late author's great sense of humor and his ability to turn a phrase. The book <i>Steal Like an Artist</i> by Austin Kleon suggests that while learning to write, you should take the time to trace your artistic "family tree"... That is, pick the authors whose work most touches you, and find out all you can about them. Also find three people whose work inspired <i>them</i>, and study those people and their work as well. <br />
<br />
I spent some time reading about Adams, then began looking into the authors that he found inspiring. One of these is the late P.G. Wodehouse, an English writer of the late 1800s and 1900s. Wodehouse led a fairly interesting life, being brought up by his aunts, spending time in France (during the German occupation in World War II), and finally in the United States (because there were those who believed him to have been a Nazi collaborator - though no evidence was ever discovered). Wodehouse may best be known for his character Jeeves, an intelligent and insightful butler. <br />
<br />
As you read both the work of Wodehouse and Adams, a similarity in the way they construct humorous lines is evident. Below are some lines from Wodehouse's <i>Psmith in the City</i> that I found particularly good:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>...a pattering of rain made itself heard upon the windows."</li>
<li>"He was as wholly on the move as Psmith was statuesque."</li>
<li>"Bob looked slightly thoughtful. Mr. Jackson seemed thoroughly worried."</li>
<li>"...banks have a habit of swallowing their victims rather abruptly."</li>
<li>"Psmith's attitude toward the slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune was to regard them with a bland smile, as if they were part of an entertainment got up for his express benefit."</li>
<li>"She wiped a pair of steaming hands on her apron, and regarded Mike with an eye which would have been markedly expressionless in a boiled fish."</li>
<li>"He was a man who had, I should say, discovered that alcohol was a food long before the doctors found it out."</li>
<li>"Sunday supper, unless done on a large and informal scale, is probably the most depressing meal in existence."</li>
<li>"It was his view that a boy should not be exhibited publicly until he reached an age when he might be in the running for some sort of colours at a public school."</li>
<li>"Mike began to realize that, till now, he had never known what boredom meant. There had been moments in his life which had been less interesting than other moments, but nothing to touch this for agony."</li>
</ul>
<br />
Compare these with some lines from Douglas Adams:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>"A computer chatted to itself in alarm as it noticed an airlock open and close itself for no apparent reason."</li>
<li>"The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don't."</li>
<li>"It was Arthur's accepted role to lie squelching in the mud making occasional demands to see his lawyer, his mother or a good book; it was Mr. Prosser's accepted role to tackle Arthur with the occasional new ploy such as the For the Public Good talk,..."</li>
<li>"She gave Arthur a pleasant smile which settled on him like a ton of bricks and then turned her attention to the ship's controls again."</li>
<li>"It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on Earth has ever produced the expression 'as pretty as an airport.'"</li>
<li>"Zaphod's left head sobered up, leaving his right to sink further into the obscurity of drink."</li>
<li>"In the end, it was the Sunday afternoons he couldn't cope with..."</li>
<li>"The best conversation I had was over forty million years ago... And that was with a coffee machine."</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<div>
While Wodehouse and Adams both produced some very enjoyable Prose, Adams seemed to be able to come up with funny lines more frequently and consistently. I decided to study both authors to get a better handle on how they do this. What is it about lines like the above that makes them entertaining?</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Inanimate objects embodying emotions or motivations, like the rain making itself heard, banks "swallowing" people, or a computer talking to itself.</li>
<li>Absurd but accurate comparisons, such as the hovering spaceship compared with a brick (which can't hover) or a person running to a statue.</li>
<li>Parallel sentence construction, with the second sentence being the punchline for the first (as in the "Bob looked thoughtful" while "Jackson looked worried").</li>
<li>A character having no emotional reaction, or an opposite emotional response than expected, to something terrible going on around him, as in Psmith finding misfortune entertaining or Ford Prefect not sharing Arthur's concern for his house being knocked down.</li>
<li>A situation described to an extreme, as in the woman looking at Mike with an "eye that would have been markedly expressionless" in a dead (and boiled) fish or "no language on Earth" having the expression "as pretty as an airport".</li>
<li>Characters experiencing extreme emotional reactions to relatively common (and not particularly emotional) things, like Mike feeling as though he had no idea what boredom really meant or how agonizing it could be, or a character being unable to cope with Sunday afternoons.</li>
</ul>
<div>
I decided to try my hand at producing lines that might be at home in a book by Adams or Wodehouse, assuming that either of them was alive and writing today. Here's what I came up with:</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>As a computer administrator, Jeff spent his days rearranging millions of imaginary ones and zeroes into patterns that made his coworkers happy. The ones and zeroes themselves didn't particularly like their new ordering, as some of them had grown rather fond of the bits they'd been close to before. In retaliation, they crashed his system.</li>
<li>Katie liked the way Nate kissed her. It energized her in a way that sticking her tongue in a wall socket couldn't.</li>
<li>Sheila bolted out the door, confident the hat would still be on sale at the mall. Frank was confident they'd never be able to make the minimum credit card payment this month.</li>
<li>"What are you staring at?" Jack said to the teddy bear on the shelf. The bear considered telling him, but remembered that stuffed animals aren't supposed to talk. Besides, Jack was in no state to hear the truth anyway.</li>
<li>"Do you smell something, Percy? Something acrid?" Percy turned toward him, his eyes bursting wide open. "Yes, you idiot! Your jacket's on fire." Barry turned back to his book, "That's probably it, then."</li>
<li>Time slowed to a crawl, so much so that when it was lunchtime here in New York, it had gotten to be lunchtime in London, too.</li>
<li>Light bulbs have a sense about them. They know the moment you need them most, and it's in that moment they get so excited that when electricity is applied to them their filament explodes in delight. The key to making them last, Tom found, was to think of himself reading the tax code just before he flipped the switch. The bulb in his desk lamp was now twenty-two years old.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
Not bad for a first practice attempt, I think.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm not suggesting that this technique alone is enough to generate a short story or novel as good as those produced by Wodehouse or Adams, but combining this with solid characters and an imaginative plot just might do it.</div>
Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-28568457226015638072015-08-10T19:30:00.000-04:002015-08-10T19:30:00.714-04:00Review: Super Structure by James Scott Bell<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0910355193/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0910355193&linkCode=as2&tag=mikesalsbusbl-20&linkId=QPQAS7SHTJ7FQNZ3" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0910355193&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=mikesalsbusbl-20" /></a>James Scott Bell is a popular and successful author, with many novels under his belt. When he has something to say about writing, I'm generally going to listen. I recently purchased his book <i>Super Structure: The Key to Unleashing the Power of Story</i> by Mr. Bell and have been reading it over the last few days. This review will share what I learned from the book as well as my comments about the book itself. It's important to note that there is much more in the book than I'm sharing here.<br />
<br />
There are plenty of people out there, as Bell notes in his introduction, who view any mention of structure as though it implies a kind of "cheating" or "cookie cutter" approach. I disagree. A story structure like Bell proposes in this book could be misused and treated as a rigid template to which you positively must adhere. If that's how you view it, you're doing it wrong. A structure is nothing more than a recommendation that says "Successful stories tend to do these things in approximately this way. Consider doing these things, but ultimately do what serves your story best."<br />
<br />
Bell proposes a three-act structure with 14 different "signposts" that your story may pass on the way to its end. The most critical of these are:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Act I</li>
<ul>
<li>Disturbance</li>
<li>Doorway of No Return #1</li>
</ul>
<li>Act II</li>
<ul>
<li>Mirror Moment</li>
<li>Doorway of No Return #2</li>
</ul>
<li>Act III</li>
<ul>
<li>Final Battle</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
You can produce a good story with just that minimal amount of structure. To take the story to the next level, you'll want to look at the full set of signposts:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b>The Disturbance:</b> (This usually happens early in Act I.) A change in how things are that affects the Lead character. It may be something that's missing from the character's life, a conflict that didn't exist before, some kind of trouble that's coming the Lead's way, etc. It shakes up the status quo for the Lead.</li>
<li><b>The Care Package: </b> This is a relationship the Lead has with someone else, which causes the lead to show concern (through word or deed) for that person's well-being.</li>
<li><b>The Argument Against Transformation:</b> This is when the Lead sees that some kind of a change is needed (e.g., quit her job) but refuses to make it.</li>
<li><b>Trouble is Brewing:</b> This is like a foreshadowing, or a hint of the trouble to come. It reminds the reader that something bigger and worse is headed the Lead's way. It often comes from something the "villain" is doing (even if the villain's not in the scene in question).</li>
<li><b>Doorway of No Return #1:</b> This forces the Lead to confront physical, psychological, or professional "death" of some kind. Once the Lead does something here, he or she can't go back to the way things were before. The door slams shut.</li>
<li><b>Kick in the Shins: </b>(This and the following typically occur in Act II.) After the Lead passes through the Doorway of No Return #1, the character must face a real obstacle. This obstacle should leave the reader feeling that things are getting worse for the character, and that even worse things may be on the horizon.</li>
<li><b>The Mirror Moment:</b> There are two kinds of these. The first is the Lead wondering "What have I become? What do I have to do to change?" The second kind is the Lead thinking "I can't possibly win. I'm going to die." This moment tells you the core of your story.</li>
<li><b>Pet the Dog:</b> In the middle of trouble, the Lead takes time out to help someone or something weaker. This moment shows that the lead has a heart and listens to it. Ideally, taking this moment exposes the Lead to more danger or handicaps the Lead in some way.</li>
<li><b>Doorway of No Return #2:</b> The Lead passes through another metaphorical doorway that makes the final battle inevitable. This is a major crisis or setback for the Lead. It may lead to some kind of discovery or clue that's useful later. If so, the Lead should get this information if they've done something to obtain it.</li>
<li><b>Mounting Forces:</b> (This tends to happen at the start of Act III.) The villain sees the final battle coming and begins gathering resources and strength to fight it. This should make the situation look worse for the Lead.</li>
<li><b>Lights Out:</b> At this point, all seems lost for the Lead. The Lead believes that winning is probably impossible.</li>
<li><b>The Q Factor:</b> Named after the James Bond character, this is when something setup in Act I comes back to help the character out (like the gadgets Q gave Bond before he left on the mission). It might be an inspiration ("you can do it"), an instruction given earlier ("remember that his vision is weaker on the left"), or something the Lead has that has been forgotten.</li>
<li><b>Final Battle: </b>This may occur within the Lead's mind and heart, outside (a fight or physical struggle), or both. It's what the story has been leading up to. If the Mirror Moment is a "What do I have to do?" type, the Final Battle is the Lead actually doing that thing. If the Mirror Moment is a "I can't win" type, the Final Battle is probably physical.</li>
<li><b>Transformation:</b> Here we see that the Lead has changed or grown stronger as a result of the events of the novel, and is no longer the same person.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
Bell provides much more detail about these signpost events, including examples from popular books and movies, in the book. I'm not going to do that here. The examples he provides are detailed enough that you can use them without being familiar with the works involved, although there is a very good chance you'll be familiar with some of them (if not all). Bell also explains for each signpost above why it works, how plotters and pantsers can use the signpost, and ways to brainstorm ideas for these.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Apart from the structure advice, the biggest take-away for me from the book was Bell's suggestion that you will want to brainstorm lists of possibilities for many of the signposts above. Often, the ideas that pop into our head first are the least original and most cliched. The more ideas we come up with, the more likely we'll hit on something original that really helps the story. For example, you might brainstorm all the possible Q Factors that might help the Lead out during the Lights Out moment. The more you come up with, the more likely you'll hit on something that surprises the reader. You'll also want to brainstorm possible opening lines and possible ending scenes for the same reason.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
At the current Kindle price of $2.99 at the time of this writing, <i>Super Structure</i> provides a lot of good writing information and advice on story structure. If you're struggling with story structure, it's an inexpensive way to learn more about it. I expect to refer to my notes from the book for some time.</div>
Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-43518430712008248462015-08-03T19:30:00.000-04:002015-08-03T19:30:00.150-04:00Review: Character Prompts by Writing.com and 21x20 MediaThe <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.writing.characterprompts&hl=en">Character Prompts</a> Android app by Writing.com (21x20 Media) is designed to give you a randomly-generated character suitable for use in a short story or novel. The tool generates a new character by choosing randomly from the following characteristics:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Role in the story</li>
<li>First name</li>
<li>Last name</li>
<li>Age</li>
<li>Current residence (city, state, and country)</li>
<li>Career and income level</li>
<li>Height</li>
<li>Weight</li>
<li>Eye color</li>
<li>Hair color</li>
<li>Face shape</li>
<li>Skin color</li>
<li>Distinguishing feature</li>
<li>Nationality</li>
<li>Bad habit</li>
<li>Style (clothing style maybe?)</li>
<li>Trait</li>
<li>Hobby</li>
<li>Favorite saying</li>
<li>Twist (something odd about the character)</li>
<li>A question (for you) to answer about the character</li>
</ul>
<br />
When the app is first launched, it displays a splash screen like the following:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqsOZsWXx1lkYwdVO6o0SrJQJaNFO16S2SzBcDUSO_lGoB-j6dsG-yiqrXAMouMskr2JJhTYaFAIqtV1yDH2IWN_CijLWxKf_4O209q5lzP3R66iMQqapbztDdI76ZnGpggNCEEvcnMzFJ/s1600/2015-07-05+21.59.27.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqsOZsWXx1lkYwdVO6o0SrJQJaNFO16S2SzBcDUSO_lGoB-j6dsG-yiqrXAMouMskr2JJhTYaFAIqtV1yDH2IWN_CijLWxKf_4O209q5lzP3R66iMQqapbztDdI76ZnGpggNCEEvcnMzFJ/s640/2015-07-05+21.59.27.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
As indicated on the screen, you can shake your phone or tablet to generate a character, or you can swipe a finger across the screen. When you do, you'll see the basic characteristics of your randomly-created character:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRgF2Q8Qj6ZHYSRdiGaPFiKVJHZ82Xy5bjPF0_ZE0TxL3CGxNnsR5ZbllnyT7WT7KqcZ_EPMiIMt0HpRyTrjRBNI07MgmI8k5EDBdTHZvBSi0CsYXKZ5O3EhXiwZ0kL5ckcCeaMCrGxWNR/s1600/2015-07-05+21.59.38.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRgF2Q8Qj6ZHYSRdiGaPFiKVJHZ82Xy5bjPF0_ZE0TxL3CGxNnsR5ZbllnyT7WT7KqcZ_EPMiIMt0HpRyTrjRBNI07MgmI8k5EDBdTHZvBSi0CsYXKZ5O3EhXiwZ0kL5ckcCeaMCrGxWNR/s640/2015-07-05+21.59.38.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
This screen displays the character's role in the story, first name, last name, age, residence, and career/income information.<br />
<br />
Tapping the "Physical" button will give you physical information about the character:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJNLbjAhl03ADis68496i0XxJIfyv07pY0EjByOPbKBBWhyC17-5BNEkWGp1LZrrEmznQjTRzErjaeYLzZ61dEiPPNmdOxEOGk2g9_jvfsLbGG2Brzi0_160hpWNViVzxwSW084w-uegR/s1600/2015-07-05+21.59.58.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJNLbjAhl03ADis68496i0XxJIfyv07pY0EjByOPbKBBWhyC17-5BNEkWGp1LZrrEmznQjTRzErjaeYLzZ61dEiPPNmdOxEOGk2g9_jvfsLbGG2Brzi0_160hpWNViVzxwSW084w-uegR/s640/2015-07-05+21.59.58.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
This information includes the character's height, weight, eye color, hair color, face shape, skin color, distinguishing feature, and nationality.<br />
<br />
Tapping the "Info" button gives more details about the character:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjDgPxwkx22t9AMOvPyuedOmgA6JrDZu8QoHZkvbiHVlLc2szXJTPPT_zxEDKwE8KEmq05uyw3G4MWZZKjZDX6KKE9jvkPrUryGMKyf16M2h2LeBx9S-SO_XwmGzMfNbz3yDXwg1SIge2/s1600/2015-07-05+22.00.03.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjDgPxwkx22t9AMOvPyuedOmgA6JrDZu8QoHZkvbiHVlLc2szXJTPPT_zxEDKwE8KEmq05uyw3G4MWZZKjZDX6KKE9jvkPrUryGMKyf16M2h2LeBx9S-SO_XwmGzMfNbz3yDXwg1SIge2/s640/2015-07-05+22.00.03.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
This gives us the character's bad habit, hobby, favorite saying, and two less-well-explained characteristics called "Style" and "Trait." I suspect that the Style trait refers to clothing style, since these are some of the random values I saw in a few runs: Vintage, 80s, School Girl, and Masculine. Traits include things like Worldly, Passionate, Chaste, Cowardly, and Noble.<br />
<br />
The "Twists" button gives us a unique personality twist or characteristic of this character:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgumSLuJpXc4i9InS91SdetiN9cQ_AaFxx2MYbefeYwhRtJ5QbbshSm_ZEr6q7aBGYrVwq_RweU2em5nFwr-499Z76rw43pqwYy_1dTvfZQpvKX1SalPhajlKHCe8uPkUcuiU0wn1GJjY/s1600/2015-07-05+22.00.08.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgumSLuJpXc4i9InS91SdetiN9cQ_AaFxx2MYbefeYwhRtJ5QbbshSm_ZEr6q7aBGYrVwq_RweU2em5nFwr-499Z76rw43pqwYy_1dTvfZQpvKX1SalPhajlKHCe8uPkUcuiU0wn1GJjY/s640/2015-07-05+22.00.08.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
Other twists I saw in a few trial runs of the app included:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Has chronic pain</li>
<li>Is highly allergic to strong perfume</li>
<li>Suffers from vertigo</li>
<li>Is highly allergic to mold</li>
<li>Suffers from migraines</li>
<li>Diagnosed with prostate cancer</li>
</ul>
<div>
Finally, the last button ("Questions") gives you a question to answer about the character:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7mRYDAaH-XfYtsJ676w82V3PF_z6fkU91PFg0OQGWt6VATspw6CbghFV82JR3BeZmbTeUpxDhNfwDA4NciThJiaOSREHz3tm-JS00RXYm8yUCqZwxlzNNluHi1-53Z8zhtwdWGXPIE96/s1600/2015-07-05+22.00.12.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7mRYDAaH-XfYtsJ676w82V3PF_z6fkU91PFg0OQGWt6VATspw6CbghFV82JR3BeZmbTeUpxDhNfwDA4NciThJiaOSREHz3tm-JS00RXYm8yUCqZwxlzNNluHi1-53Z8zhtwdWGXPIE96/s640/2015-07-05+22.00.12.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Presumably, you could use these questions (which will change if you swipe the screen over them) to get to know your character a little better. A few of the questions asked by the program were:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>If your character could try something new, what would it be?</li>
<li>Does the character prefer apple juice, orange juice, or berry juice?</li>
<li>How would the character spend an hour of free time?</li>
<li>What is the character's favorite movie?</li>
<li>What is the character's favorite food?</li>
<li>What is the character most proud of?</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
On any of the pages of character information, swiping your finger across it will generate an entirely new page of character traits. This can be a little annoying if, for instance, the tool has generated a character who lives in India but has an African sounding name, and you'd like it to give you a more Indian-sounding name for them. Swipe across the Basic information page and it will generate a new role, name, age, residence, etc. It would be much better if you could tap on just the element you'd like to re-do and have only that element change.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When you've generated a character you like or want to keep, you can tap the button in the upper-right which looks like a black circle with a white star inside and a plus sign written on it. When you do this, that character's information is saved in the "Fav's" list that you can access in the button on the lower left corner of the window.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You'll notice three other buttons at the top of the window. The first would appear to be a settings button that looks like a gear. When I tap this on my Nexus 6, I get a black screen like this:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNT0278X0dTfjJOsEG_mXig_-eEHfovMp67dYqSa_uLGpEeKOwXY0PsPiih96ksUIwXGMhkmp1ttPGE9OqMnRwJ8fkSArmzj_CEubcH5anNudWUbvVCGI-hz7OtMZX7SatQAzEGXLCdWq/s1600/2015-07-05+22.00.50.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNT0278X0dTfjJOsEG_mXig_-eEHfovMp67dYqSa_uLGpEeKOwXY0PsPiih96ksUIwXGMhkmp1ttPGE9OqMnRwJ8fkSArmzj_CEubcH5anNudWUbvVCGI-hz7OtMZX7SatQAzEGXLCdWq/s640/2015-07-05+22.00.50.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you tap the button that looks like a piece of loose leaf notebook paper, you'll get a text window that you can use to edit saved information, such as the question I saved earlier:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNRkNscmI3LLd3HcjyPTg-SI53Y_nH-xFoZWa3HDnanxVqL_gNGTvFIsADYb3YUcF8wbHHQdm-h3KC3djItFi8o2t6P1vuhBm-Lzy3tiN8aQVviuCyiPORbsHFxvcNOKDFNp4Bv26MMAO/s1600/2015-07-05+23.29.02.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNRkNscmI3LLd3HcjyPTg-SI53Y_nH-xFoZWa3HDnanxVqL_gNGTvFIsADYb3YUcF8wbHHQdm-h3KC3djItFi8o2t6P1vuhBm-Lzy3tiN8aQVviuCyiPORbsHFxvcNOKDFNp4Bv26MMAO/s640/2015-07-05+23.29.02.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here you could write the answer to the question for your character and email it to yourself for use in another document or application.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Tapping the "?" button (presumably help) on my phone generated another black screen:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPOEFA3Bzgj7USjbogb_Qqt6NaMB2vW1aKuSwz0GVsyDIXN3QM-MDW4912NHZn0DDYHdXhs6dBQiA0be992txXbcpOcrgFyiyjTYK9vW5tj6RYcSVrZhjJdI9wYWxFwA9Clrn3rIE6VYuR/s1600/2015-07-05+23.29.12.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPOEFA3Bzgj7USjbogb_Qqt6NaMB2vW1aKuSwz0GVsyDIXN3QM-MDW4912NHZn0DDYHdXhs6dBQiA0be992txXbcpOcrgFyiyjTYK9vW5tj6RYcSVrZhjJdI9wYWxFwA9Clrn3rIE6VYuR/s640/2015-07-05+23.29.12.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I assume that on some phones this might provide information about the software or suggestions on how to get the most out of it. The big black block, though, isn't so much helpful as it is confusing.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Conclusion</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
This is a $2.99 application (at the time of this writing), so you'll have to decide if it's worth the money to you. Having played around with it for a little while, though, it doesn't do anything for me. I can imagine it being useful in generating characters for a writing practice, but it's a bit too random at that to suit me. It gave me a 65-year-old character who makes $370,000 a year collecting recyclables, is 4'11" tall, weighs 243 pounds, and who dresses like a school girl. I can see a character like this fitting into a comedy or crazy flash-fiction story, but have a hard time seeing him fitting into many serious stories.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-77572987824327719432015-07-27T19:30:00.001-04:002015-07-27T19:30:00.523-04:00Review: Story Plot Generator by ARC Apps<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andromo.dev17163.app225586&hl=en">Story Plot Generator</a> is designed to help creative writers come up with story ideas by providing genre-appropriate locations, plot complications, details, and a main character.<br />
<br />
When initially launched, it displays the following story genres:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8YQAe2VxnrA0FPwkzWAVy7c__rG8RmcGmu1uvoGSkrtNGDk4m82cFFi2ghv4YJebsw8pHfQV0odazqKvaipC9zXKjLxV1XE1Y-o48T80DEsUKym3P4f1fxYYvE3rKxknigtexO9co5TY/s1600/2015-07-05+22.43.02.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8YQAe2VxnrA0FPwkzWAVy7c__rG8RmcGmu1uvoGSkrtNGDk4m82cFFi2ghv4YJebsw8pHfQV0odazqKvaipC9zXKjLxV1XE1Y-o48T80DEsUKym3P4f1fxYYvE3rKxknigtexO9co5TY/s640/2015-07-05+22.43.02.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
The complete list includes:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Action/Thriller</li>
<li>Misfortune/Drama</li>
<li>SciFi/Space</li>
<li>Murder Scene</li>
<li>Fantasy/Magic</li>
<li>Horror/Suspense</li>
<li>Romance</li>
<li>Superheroes</li>
<li>Apocalypse</li>
</ul>
<div>
When you tap on one of the genres, the app displays prompts for a story that match up to the genre you selected. For example, </div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-iX7YGG3w0WtpOyoOIIKCeNlcfgTe_7la9elCNAB0mWoV11cqzaXE4Anj-PEft_rY3rH_pqvea9gXKsKkzjJM_Cy7jjXR-bnCDYmbsKITcTa4RXDYwuWvKjC23aVrYNnbKAHHpYdSK4U/s1600/2015-07-05+21.46.52.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-iX7YGG3w0WtpOyoOIIKCeNlcfgTe_7la9elCNAB0mWoV11cqzaXE4Anj-PEft_rY3rH_pqvea9gXKsKkzjJM_Cy7jjXR-bnCDYmbsKITcTa4RXDYwuWvKjC23aVrYNnbKAHHpYdSK4U/s640/2015-07-05+21.46.52.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
The prompt suggests writing a story about a character who has assumed someone else's identity and is traveling on a colony ship toward a new home. Humans on this colony ship spend a large percentage of their day inside a virtual reality program. Our character's access to essential resources is dwindling.<br />
<br />
If you don't like one or more elements of this random story plot, you can tap on the green bar above that element to have the program generate another, while leaving the rest alone. You can also tap the "refresh" button at the top to get a completely new plot idea.<br />
<br />
You'll notice the bottom button, which will email you the information displayed on this screen, to make it easier to write a story from the prompt.<br />
<br />
According to the developers, Story Plot Generator can create up to a million randomly generated story plots for you to use. I've not tested that theory out, but I have noticed that it seems to offer quite a few options.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andromo.dev17163.app225586&hl=en">The app is currently available free of charge from the Google Play store</a> so there's no real risk in checking it out for yourself on your Android tablet or phone.<br />
<br />
I've usually been able to come up with story ideas on my own without much trouble, so I'm not sure how much value this app will have for me. Where I think it could be useful is in generating ideas for fiction writing practice, where I might be trying to practice story openings, plotting, or some other aspect of fiction writing. I'd use the app to generate a random situation and then try to come up with a good opening or plot outline for the story.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Below are a few more screenshots of story ideas to give you a more complete picture of what the app can do.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqFEaTYr6bw-U5tdj3dvFf5MOYbrPLJfs4AKhnElJeIfUL8qa0i5F5jzrZnKNhcVz7GFaDYDl1Q-mrqNaB3GWQXdUg0VZipbGzy5Im8uk0kGeb2ZCxmQuCILLTHHDCrPY2k3m9xAfEWb9/s1600/2015-07-05+21.47.01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqFEaTYr6bw-U5tdj3dvFf5MOYbrPLJfs4AKhnElJeIfUL8qa0i5F5jzrZnKNhcVz7GFaDYDl1Q-mrqNaB3GWQXdUg0VZipbGzy5Im8uk0kGeb2ZCxmQuCILLTHHDCrPY2k3m9xAfEWb9/s640/2015-07-05+21.47.01.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPhoqvUll5rWLZVBhIewr2S2ZjMV2qEBdmaRX_sj4wzrAhyKXEYzuRrOErXrb4cah0oHUa1VsbneMNU6aBoixZphi0XZMVYbS5MwJrInWes2bF9aZBdevYd7bXd37gcGD-yAYUfXWA1ym/s1600/2015-07-05+21.47.11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPhoqvUll5rWLZVBhIewr2S2ZjMV2qEBdmaRX_sj4wzrAhyKXEYzuRrOErXrb4cah0oHUa1VsbneMNU6aBoixZphi0XZMVYbS5MwJrInWes2bF9aZBdevYd7bXd37gcGD-yAYUfXWA1ym/s640/2015-07-05+21.47.11.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2X3TUv7Hnp_xca1336P_nfWXGwd3onDeZbBtZ52NOtjS1lomX1D_GPowra1-hEpQyQ933BF8wTbZ61SNJDeCthaT0wVAmc6qH6Wej5yR2V7e8khpQ5jmXYxMLqhiJwd3C8ZHXUqOIoFCJ/s1600/2015-07-05+21.47.28.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2X3TUv7Hnp_xca1336P_nfWXGwd3onDeZbBtZ52NOtjS1lomX1D_GPowra1-hEpQyQ933BF8wTbZ61SNJDeCthaT0wVAmc6qH6Wej5yR2V7e8khpQ5jmXYxMLqhiJwd3C8ZHXUqOIoFCJ/s640/2015-07-05+21.47.28.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic0Z1wZ4gO-imbf-xw8em6IyGOFfxSUnmvp7YqSGxSmmotn_c5d3IPyeFgFgaOrC_O2L7E37DaYZcz2adskqllBQg5Zd8dmiIliGU_B1TNLtFr4OWBJ9HKH6tAkdbiE0DOtimN2EgMoyDh/s1600/2015-07-05+21.47.38.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic0Z1wZ4gO-imbf-xw8em6IyGOFfxSUnmvp7YqSGxSmmotn_c5d3IPyeFgFgaOrC_O2L7E37DaYZcz2adskqllBQg5Zd8dmiIliGU_B1TNLtFr4OWBJ9HKH6tAkdbiE0DOtimN2EgMoyDh/s640/2015-07-05+21.47.38.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfHt1alBMdr-NYHl6LLPB9crzLcijs4FscEjzqmrRh25tgdo6KkEbKl7To4RqlH_qanxy24kYOr4k2TD7ArIszxjzkYC-IF5_ZXm9_8W61d0J7TceoIo1w4gHjDQ0HLS3Z4xOU-T9wdx0/s1600/2015-07-05+21.47.45.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfHt1alBMdr-NYHl6LLPB9crzLcijs4FscEjzqmrRh25tgdo6KkEbKl7To4RqlH_qanxy24kYOr4k2TD7ArIszxjzkYC-IF5_ZXm9_8W61d0J7TceoIo1w4gHjDQ0HLS3Z4xOU-T9wdx0/s640/2015-07-05+21.47.45.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI44Iz7J0CjJd5T9qdwS2XR3ur4eGxo83M-h2ePiSqoQsFRRHNja2hPeRMrKE-hSnrDBR5EBFDPCBfth4r-7xncEpo9N244111TMecUXgcGtaRr9xYDHun4XWKjz9dKCCKtgvsCAqO9lCJ/s1600/2015-07-05+21.47.54.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI44Iz7J0CjJd5T9qdwS2XR3ur4eGxo83M-h2ePiSqoQsFRRHNja2hPeRMrKE-hSnrDBR5EBFDPCBfth4r-7xncEpo9N244111TMecUXgcGtaRr9xYDHun4XWKjz9dKCCKtgvsCAqO9lCJ/s640/2015-07-05+21.47.54.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloics6zUNKV28iGF701Z2ij5yOmNb6kXQIgSwpii7rIHKQP68dU8XfXLPnxsDVedRuBI2u6jUkF4In350eB9Rak2DGW9QSc7YKrSPyuOUeSHzaNO8-ACpPIzv6-ehMkf50zgINg3qsFym/s1600/2015-07-05+21.48.02.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloics6zUNKV28iGF701Z2ij5yOmNb6kXQIgSwpii7rIHKQP68dU8XfXLPnxsDVedRuBI2u6jUkF4In350eB9Rak2DGW9QSc7YKrSPyuOUeSHzaNO8-ACpPIzv6-ehMkf50zgINg3qsFym/s640/2015-07-05+21.48.02.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-85524758642711955902015-07-20T19:30:00.000-04:002015-07-20T19:30:00.366-04:00How to Write a Good Story Opening, Part 3In the <a href="http://www.howtowritefiction.info/2015/07/how-to-write-good-story-opening-part-1.html">first part</a> of this series, we looked at what makes a good opening. In the <a href="http://www.howtowritefiction.info/2015/07/how-to-write-good-story-opening-part-2.html">second part</a>, we talked about how to learn to write opening sentences by studying good examples you encounter. In this installment, we'll look at how to review and strengthen your story opening and suggest some books you can read to learn even more.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Revising Your Opening</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You need a strong
opening to ensure that agents, editors, and readers will you’re your story a
fair chance. Once you’ve written your opening, the following suggestions will
help you tighten up the prose and improve it:</span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Using the word processor's find function, locate or
highlight the following words to see if they signify the problems
indicated here (I created a Microsoft Word macro that highlights these in my work):<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<ul type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">words
the end in “ly”</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> (these are often adverbs and
adjectives which signify the need for stronger nouns and verbs, or can be
eliminated entirely)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">words
that end in “ing”, and “ion”</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
(these often appear as the ending syllable in long words like “intoxication”
which would be better to write as “drunk”)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">of </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Phrases
like "he stormed out of the room" can be rewritten as "he
stormed from the room" in order to make it clearer and more concise)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">that </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Change
"She thought that he might have a problem" to "She thought
he might have a problem" or "She feared he had a problem")<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">said </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Eliminating
this word as much as possible will strengthen your fiction. Avoid using
euphemisms like "articulated", "interjected",
etc.,too.)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">was/were</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> ("Fred
was making a martini." isn't as strong as "Fred mixed a
martini.")<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(When
used in a phrase like "She was struck by a bus" it slows down
the action versus "A bus hit her.")<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">his/her </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(when
used in phrases like "his car was fast" you can make it strong
with a phrase like "he had a fast car")<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">very </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(often
this implies that the following word or words should be replaced with something
stronger, for instance "the book was very old" might be
rewritten to "the book was ancient" or "she picked the
book up carefully, afraid it would crumble to dust in her hands")<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">about </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(when
used in a phrase like "there were about ten people here" it's
vague, and you're better off using an exact count unless there's no way
your character would know)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And/But </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(sentences
that start with these words sound pompous, and unless they're part of a
character's speech pattern, they should be eliminated)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">like </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(this
will draw your attention to similes that can be removed or replaced with
clearer language)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">f<b>elt, feel, hear, heard, smell, saw, taste, touch</b> (These
words can filter the reader's sensory experience through a character, distancing
the reader from it. Instead of "she felt the rough wooden
surface" you can say "The wooden surface was rough" to
eliminate the filter and bring the sensory experience closer to the
reader.)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">as</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> (When
used in phrases like "nutty as a fruitcake" ask yourself if
there is a better word or phrase you can use that doesn't include
"as" -- like "eccentric" or "insane")<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you're unsure about any facts in your opening,
research them.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Look for cliches and eliminate them unless they're part
of a character's unique speech pattern.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Make a list of all the adjectives and adverbs in your opening.
Consider whether these can be eliminated, or whether they signify
the need for a stronger noun or verb. If the adjective or adverb is
needed, is there a more unusual or stronger one you can use?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Look for any unnecessary words or phrases.
Eliminate them or replace them with stronger and more-descriptive
words.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Look for any long sentences and see if you can break
them apart or simplify them.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Look for any redundant phrases or words and replace or
eliminate them.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Look for long dialogue exchanges without any other text
breaking them up (i.e., no breaks in the dialogue like "Margaret
walked over and opened the window" or "He took another bite of
spaghetti.). This is sometimes referred to as a "white room
problem".<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Make sure your dialogue reflects the character speaking
it. We wouldn't expect a poorly educated man from a rural area to
say "Yes, I suspect to find an appropriate solution presently."
He'd more likely say "Yep, I'll figure it out.")<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Examine the length of your sentences and ensure that it
varies, mixing shorter and longer sentences within the same paragraph
where appropriate.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Make sure you're showing the characters' thoughts,
actions, and reactions to story events.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Read the work aloud and be alert for anything that is
hard to speak or that doesn't sound right when you say it.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Have someone else you trust read the text and get their
feedback.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Your opening should now be much stronger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Reading List</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">There is a lot more to
learn about story openings than I've covered in this series. Below are some
of the resources I recommend if you are ready to dig in deeper:</span></div>
<br />
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582974578/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1582974578&linkCode=as2&tag=mikesalsbusbl-20&linkId=3URTVFK2UUWGOU5Y">Hooked: Write Fiction That Grabs Readers at Page One & Never Lets Them Go</a></span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> by
Les Edgerton<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/068485743X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=068485743X&linkCode=as2&tag=mikesalsbusbl-20&linkId=6ZSEPCT6IE62OLEZ">The First Five Pages</a></span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> by Noah Lukeman<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0966818407/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0966818407&linkCode=as2&tag=mikesalsbusbl-20&linkId=UT7K7BWXP6G5CYP6">The 10% Solution: Self-editing for the Modern Writer</a></span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> by Ken Rand<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1599632195/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1599632195&linkCode=as2&tag=mikesalsbusbl-20&linkId=NGJFQ5X5WINVJZTH">Beginnings, Middles and Ends</a></span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> by Nancy Kress<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0910355193/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0910355193&linkCode=as2&tag=mikesalsbusbl-20&linkId=XJIT5OKGQ5RC5NDK">Super Structure: The Key to Unleashing the Power of Story</a></b></i> by James Scott Bell</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">The above links to go the Amazon.com web page where you can buy the books listed.</span></span></div>
</div>
<ul>
</ul>
Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-38339400502605058072015-07-13T19:30:00.000-04:002015-07-13T19:30:00.426-04:00How to Write a Good Story Opening, Part 2<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In <a href="http://www.howtowritefiction.info/2015/07/how-to-write-good-story-opening-part-1.html"><span style="color: blue;">last week's post</span></a>, we looked at what makes a good opening.
This week, we'll look at how you can inspire yourself to write good
openings and even how to practice so you get better at writing them (while also
creating a weapon against writer's block).</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Inspiration
by Example</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Advertising copywriters often keep
what they refer to as a "swipe file." This is a collection of
the most effective headlines, phrases, and copy they've encountered.
These samples become models they can follow to write their own copy.
I believe fiction writers should accumulate swipe files of their own,
especially for opening lines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Here are some examples from my file:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on
earth has ever produced the expression "As pretty as an
airport." -- Douglas Adams, <i>The Long Dark Tea-Time of the
Soul</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I woke up in bed with a man and a cat. The man was
a stranger; the cat was not. -- Robert A. Heinlein, <i>To Sail Beyond
the Sunset</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"I've watched through his eyes, I've listened
through his ears, and tell you he's the one. Or at least as close as we're
going to get." "That's what you said about the brother." --
Orson Scott Card, <i>Ender's Game</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Millicent Mannings Hollander could not stop looking at
evil.-- James Scott Bell, <i>Deadlock</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Though Robin Ellacott's twenty-five years of life had
seen their moments of drama and incident, she had never before woken up in
the certain knowledge that she would remember the coming day for as long
as she lived. -- Robert Galbraith, <i>The Cuckoo's Calling</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She'd drunk way too much. She was an idiot. Why
had she, Delsey Freestone, a reasonably intelligent twenty-five-year-old
supposed adult, swan-dived into those last two margaritas? -- Catherine
Coulter, <i>Bomb Shell</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the hottest day of July, trolling in dead-calm
waters near Key West, a tourist named James Mayberry reeled up a human
arm. His wife flew to the bow of the boat and tossed her breakfast
burritos. -- Carl Hiassen, <i>Bad Monkey</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the day the world received its first phone call from
heaven, Tess Rafferty was unwrapping a box of tea bags. -- Mitch
Albom, <i>The First Phone Call from Heaven</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Black ice coated earth frozen hard by night
temperatures that had dropped below freezing, a thin skein of slickness that
challenged the grip of his toughened-rawhide boot soles. Yet the Gray Man
stepped with grace and ease across the treacherous smoothness, not
oblivious to the danger so much as accustomed to it. -- Terry
Brooks, <i>Bearers of the Black Staff</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The building was on fire, and it wasn't my fault. --
Jim Butcher, <i>Blood Rites</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Shortly before being knocked unconscious and bound to a
chair, before being injected with an unknown substance against his will,
and before discovering that the world was <i>deeply</i> mysterious
in ways he'd never before imagined, Dylan O'Connor left his motel room and
walked across the highway to a brightly lighted franchise to buy
cheeseburgers, French fries, pocket pies with apple filling, and a vanilla
milkshake. -- Dean Koontz, <i>By the Light of the Moon</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The scene and smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating
at three in the morning. Then the soul-erosion produced by high-gambling
- a compost of greed and fear and nervous tension - becomes unbearable and
the senses awake and revolt from it. -- Ian Fleming, <i>Casino Royale</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The event that came to be known as The Pulse began at
3:03am, eastern standard time, on the afternoon of October 1. The term was
a misnomer, of course, but within ten hours of the event, most of the
scientists capable of pointing this out were either dead or insane. --
Stephen King, <i>Cell</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For some time now they had been suspicious of him.
Spies had monitored his movements, reporting to the priests, and in the
tribal councils his advice against going to war with those beyond the bend
had been ignored. -- James A. Michener, <i>Chesapeake</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How do you use a collection like
this? Treat each one as an example of a technique to learn. Read the
example and ask "What makes this line memorable, and how did the author do
it?" When you understand that, try writing a similar sentence using <i>your</i> characters,
settings, and plot points. (You should <i>not</i> plagiarize
the author's work, however. The point is to learn the technique, not
steal the words.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For example, consider the opening
line from Larry Niven's <i>Ringworld</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the nighttime heart of Beirut, in one of a row of
general-address transfer booths, Louis Wu flicked into reality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Niven took an event that is seemingly
impossible to us (a person "flicking into reality") and made it seem like
an ordinary event in the world of the story (by referencing "a row of general-address
transfer booths" which presumably exist for the purpose). We are
left wondering who Louis Wu is, how he accomplished what he's just done, why
he's in Beirut, and what exactly those booths are. This will keep us reading
for at least a little while longer.
(Anne Rice’s <i>Interview with the
Vampire</i> is practically a textbook for repeatedly hooking a reader.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To achieve the same effect, I need
to take something from my story world that would seem impossible or unusual to
a modern reader and make it appear to be part of my characters' ordinary world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Here's how I used Niven's technique,
without stealing his setting, characters, or story plot:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Alice Monroe, like everyone else on the streets around her, was
running home as hard as she could. In eight minutes, the Night Watch
robots would begin vaporizing anyone breaking curfew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I've taken the unusual idea (to
someone in our world) of robots violently enforcing a curfew and made it completely
ordinary to my character (by showing she's aware of it and knows when it will
occur). I also show that it's common knowledge in the story world by showing
others running home also. A reader should wonder why there's such a
curfew, why there are robots enforcing it, why vaporization is considered an
acceptable punishment, how far Alice has to go to be home, and so on. It
should keep them reading. I haven't stolen anything from Niven's work.
I'm not showing people popping into existence, not setting my story in
Beirut at night, etc. All I've taken from Niven is the technique he used.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Opening
Practice</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One of the best pieces of writing
advice I've encountered came from a workshop taught by author Brady Allen.
<a href="http://www.howtowritefiction.info/2015/01/writing-practice-opening-lines.html"><span style="color: blue;">I've discussed it before in more detail</span></a> before.
Allen suggested that you set aside time every day, week, and month to
practice openings. The practice has two goals: Improve your skill
at writing openings. Provide you with a source of material to help eliminate
writer's block. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The practice is simple and quick:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Each day, or as often as you can, write at least one opening
line for a potential story.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Once a week, look over all the opening lines you’ve
written. Find one that resonates with you, and turn it into an opening
paragraph.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Once a month, look at those opening paragraphs and
expand one into an opening page or opening scene for a story.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That's it. The next time you
aren't sure what to write, pull out that list of opening lines, paragraphs, and
pages. It's likely that something there will motivate you to write a
story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you find yourself getting stuck trying
to do the practice, have a look at the swipe file mentioned earlier. Try
to write a line that mimics one of the examples without plagiarizing it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Coming Up in Part 3</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In Part 3 of this
series, we'll look at how to revise your opening to improve it and provide some
resources to learn more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-68935228564261479392015-07-06T19:30:00.000-04:002015-07-06T19:30:00.716-04:00How to Write a Good Story Opening, Part 1<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A good writer never
assumes they’ve mastered every aspect of writing. As with any other
activity, someone is better at it than we are. When it comes to story
openings, I still have a lot to learn. For that reason, I continue to
research and practice story openings. Here’s what I've learned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When agents, editors,
and readers pick up your short story or novel, your opening paragraphs will get
the most attention. If you don't hook them quickly, they'll put your
story down and move on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What Makes a Good Story Opening?</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A good story opening
should:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Leave an impression on the reader in the first sentence<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Introduce the main character(s) and build reader
empathy toward them by showing the character's humanity (both their good
qualities and their flaws)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Show the characters in their ordinary world, and
foreshadow a change or disturbance.
This can be done many ways, including:<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<ul type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The character finds that something is more difficult
than expected.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The character learns something new and upsetting.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The character arrives in an unfamiliar place.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The character meets someone who impacts her in some
way.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Something happens in the character’s life, like losing
a job, experiencing a car crash, a fight with a friend or lover, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hint that a disturbance is coming, as in “She couldn’t
shake the feeling that she was seeing Fred for the last time.”<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Raise questions in the mind of the reader to keep them reading<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Give the character an "external goal" they are
motivated to achieve, even if that goal isn't the ultimate goal they'll achieve
during the story<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Show how the goal is important to the character and why
they're motivated to achieve it<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Give enough details on the setting to help the reader
visualize the story world, but no more<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Deliver the minimum amount of backstory necessary for
the reader to appreciate what is going on in the opening<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Change something for the character by the end<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Everything in the opening
should be moving the story toward a moment of change in the character's life.
It can be helpful to ask questions like these as you brainstorm, write,
and review your opening:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why is this character in my opening, and is the character's
presence necessary ?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Where is the opening taking place, and why is this
setting important?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What minimum details do I need to include about the setting
in the opening to ensure that the reader is grounded in it?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What details do I need to share about the characters in
the scene, and is it necessary to share those details right now (or can I
wait until a later scene where they're more relevant)?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why should the reader care about this character and the
character's future?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What questions am I creating in the reader's mind?
Will these keep the reader turning pages?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What emotional stakes are raised in the opening that
reflect the rest of the story? <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What good and bad qualities of the characters are
important to show at this time?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Is there some tense situation or exchange of dialogue that
could happen here? If so, is there
anything I can do to increase the tension?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When you're ready to
revise the opening:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Is all of the backstory relevant to the scene it
appears in?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Are the setting descriptions as concise and relevant as
possible?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Is any of the dialogue "pointless chatter" that
can be removed (e.g, “Hi Tom!”)?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Are any of the characters' thoughts acting as
"info dumps"? <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If a character is sharing critical thoughts, introspection,
and past memories, are these interwoven with action?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Are any adjectives or adverbs in the opening overused? <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Are the nouns and verbs as strong as they could be?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It's been said that a
writer should spend proportionally more time on the story’s opening than on
most other parts of the story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Something that can be
helpful is to write and rewrite the opening scene several times. Play
around with different points of view, narrative styles, settings, etc. One
of these may feel more "right" than the others. If that version
of the opening grabs your interest, it will probably do the same for your
readers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Next week, in Part Two,
we'll look at how to study and practice opening sentences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-70196405280687081052015-06-29T00:39:00.001-04:002015-06-29T00:39:30.977-04:00You Can't "Learn" Your Writing Process from Others... But They Can HelpLike many people closing in on age 50, I look back over my life and wonder how things might have been different if I'd followed my passions and interests more than I did. I'd wanted to be a professional writer back in high school. I'd read incredible books by authors like Harlan Ellison, Thomas J. Ryan, Warren Norwood, Isaac Asimov, Alfred Bester, Alan Dean Foster, Dean Wesley Smith, and others. I wanted to write something just as good. Instead, I listened to teachers, parents, family members, friends, and others who pushed me in the direction of something I'd always seen as a hobby - computers. That's served me well financially, and challenged me for most of my life, enough so that I very rarely missed the need to create and write. Lately, the number of true challenges at work has declined, and many of the remaining challenges hold no excitement for me - or are "more of the same" with a different name or flavor. As a result, I've focused more and more on writing.<br />
<br />
It's teaching me a lot about myself. I'm realizing that while I have always been able to learn computer engineering skills by reading about them, tinkering around a bit, finding examples on the Internet, etc., writing is different. It's something you can only learn by doing. You can read how a great writer like Asimov, King, Ellison, or Bester worked, but you can't do things exactly the same way they did. You're not them.<br />
<br />
Take the "plotter vs. pantser" question. Some writers discover a story as they write it. Others need to plot it out to some level of detail before they write a single word. The rest fall somewhere in the middle. The odds are good that if you studied ten different successful writers, you'd find ten different ways of writing a novel. If you tried to painstakingly replicate any one of their methods, you would probably find that it doesn't quite work for you.<br />
<br />
This is what I've been struggling with for a few years now. I tried to write my first two novels with only a vague idea in mind, and failed miserably. The first had severe timeline issues, with events happening out of sequence, characters who needed to be in one place being in another, etc. It was a disaster. The second had no timeline issues, but also had no conflict and no real plot. It was something like following a random stranger around with a camera and finding out his life was pretty bland. For the third, I developed a detailed outline. About half way through, I wandered off the outline and down a tangent that derailed the story (and took the excitement out of it, too). When I got back to the outline, it was more like slogging through a boring business report than writing a story I was excited about. The next three or four were somewhere in the middle. The fastest I completed one was when I'd plotted it down to the scene level and had notes for each scene. Despite that, it was still a bland, boring piece of work. I think that's because I'd plotted the story to such a level of detail that by the time I got to writing it, I felt I'd already done it and was simply re-writing it. That wasn't particularly fun.<br />
<br />
Lately, I'm starting to believe that my own writing process is probably much closer to that of author Dean Wesley Smith than anyone else. In one of Smith's books on writing, which I read recently, he explains his approach on writing. I'm paraphrasing and simplifying it here, but it goes like this...<br />
<br />
Smith begins, as we all do, with an idea, a scene, a character, or something that appeals to him. Then he starts writing. He has no idea where it will go. This helps maintain his own interest in the story, because he's discovering it just like a reader would. He trusts his subconscious to help him tell the story, but occasionally finds that the story has gone down a tangent that grinds it to a halt. When this happens, he scrolls backward through it until he finds the place where it started to go wrong. Then he begins writing again from there. It's not true "pantsing" in the sense that he does back up, throw out material, and move forward. It's not "plotting" because he's discovering the story as he writes it, but he is working on and refining the plot as he goes. It's somewhere in the middle.<br />
<br />
Two weeks ago, I began writing a science-fiction story following my interpretation of Smith's method. It's one of two stories I've started in the last couple of years that excited me as I wrote it. The other was one that I wrote the same way, without really realizing it at the time. I think I'm on to something.<br />
<br />
I also know that my inexperience means that I can't (yet?) use Smith's approach as-is. While I'm getting better at things like including sensory detail, sharing character emotions, describing settings, eliminating "white room" situations, and the like, I am a very long way from having beaten those problems. So I suspect that, for a while, my approach is going to mirror Smith's as I create the initial draft of the story. Once it's created, I will need to go back and fix those problems before I can consider a story truly finished.<br />
<br />
If you are struggling getting the words out, I recommend experimenting with different levels of plotting and pantsing. Look at how your favorite authors work, and try out their processes yourself. If you find that you're writing better, writing more, or enjoying it more, keep using that approach. If you find that it's drudgery or takes the fun out of writing, try something else. Find what works for you, even if it doesn't work for others.<br />
<br />Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-67229271308826807542015-06-01T19:30:00.000-04:002015-06-01T19:30:00.814-04:00Tell, Don't Show, Your Story<div dir="ltr">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LBewl6DlqCF1tSutjzW3FBGV5LU3G6au9Xvb4RZ8-yeRZT3NoF-pcFmrqmz4ewW57aWXaA8JERQVkb4a3pyxLgSzrqXZVziuanckeKVTMzX0u41jjE165rvlAxGcghUhAJjkrJ9-K7Kg/s1600/Tell-Dont-Show-James-Lofquist.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LBewl6DlqCF1tSutjzW3FBGV5LU3G6au9Xvb4RZ8-yeRZT3NoF-pcFmrqmz4ewW57aWXaA8JERQVkb4a3pyxLgSzrqXZVziuanckeKVTMzX0u41jjE165rvlAxGcghUhAJjkrJ9-K7Kg/s320/Tell-Dont-Show-James-Lofquist.png" width="243" /></a></div>
One of the most commonly-heard pieces of advice given to novice fiction writers is "Show, don't tell." We're told to show what's going on, what's important to our characters, what the characters are feeling, etc. <br />
<br />
Naturally, when I encountered James Lofquist's <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B4JF6JG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00B4JF6JG&linkCode=as2&tag=mikesalsbusbl-20&linkId=QQPEOYDH7VZULULV">Tell, Don't Show!</a></i> it caught my attention. How could he suggest doing the exact opposite of virtually every other writing instructor out there? As it turns out, he makes a great point.<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
Lofquist suggests that both plotters and pantsers tend to write their first drafts in great detail, thinking carefully about word choice, dialogue, pacing, etc. This kind of writing can be very time-consuming. Worse, after spending all that time getting words "just right" we'll sometimes end up cutting entire scenes, pages, or chapters because they don't work. Perhaps worst of all, we might never complete that first draft because we spend too much time polishing it as we go.<br />
<br />
He suggests that a better approach is to write the first draft of the story in "telling" mode as much as possible. Use short statements, bulleted lists, etc., to capture what is happening in the scene. If good bits of description or dialogue happen to strike you as you do this, jot them down. If the right details don't come to you, insert placeholder statements like "They have an argument about the budget." The goal is to lay down the entire story as quickly as possible. You now have a "first draft" which is short on details but easy to read through and review.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br />
For example, your first draft might include a scene like this:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Fred comes home late. Jane confronts him.</li>
<li>Fred's been out working a second job to earn money to buy an engagement ring, but doesn't want Jane to know this.</li>
<li>Jane's been cheated on before, and believes Fred's late arrival is a sign that he's having an affair. If that's the case, she wants to end things sooner rather than later.</li>
<li>"If you can't tell me where you've been," Jane says, "I can only assume the worst."</li>
<li>Fred's got to convince her that he's not cheating on her, without spilling the beans about the ring. He decides to make up a white lie that he had a car problem and it took four hours to get the car running. The car's been acting up lately, so it'll be plausible.</li>
</ul>
<div>
The actual scene written from these notes might be several paragraphs long, but the notes can be written down quickly and easily. This shorthand approach allows you to flesh out the entire story relatively quickly, in essence "pantsing" a first draft in minutes or hours.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A big advantage to this approach is that high-level revision is much easier. Imagine that we want to layer in a bit of foreshadowing. We decide to show Jane rifling through Fred's desk to look for love letters or hotel receipts proving an affair. Later in the story, when Jane's thoroughly convinced Fred is having an affair, she'll rifle the desk again and find the receipt for an engagement ring. She'll wonder if the ring is for her or the other woman. Adding that bit of foreshadowing is as easy as dropping in a bullet like "Jane goes through Fred's desk, looking for evidence of an affair. Finds none."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Once you've tightened up this "telling" draft of the story and feel that it's as good as it can be, you're ready to begin writing your "showing" draft. Now you can take the time to write clever dialogue, vivid description, and solid action. Having made a few passes over the "telling" draft, you'll have hopefully weeded out all the scenes that didn't work, peppered the notes with imagery, foreshadowing, etc., and be able to write a much stronger first full draft. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This seems like a good way to get your first draft down on paper and quickly work through the first few passes of revision. I've done something similar in the past before reading this book, but didn't think to use this as a revision tool. I plan to try this with my next few stories and see how it goes.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-40376978539335574472015-05-25T19:30:00.001-04:002015-05-25T19:30:00.393-04:00Raising the Stakes for Your Characters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOuGceqN2coaqWlm6ACzcHott-SzE4Xa2jeh4wFtLtekvppnWRpo0vMag61VmGYAQbs87gboUzDleALK5BgQWYOxLwvodXwxLUVabJTbLQP9Ydyq6modnnYdW6dqEPzLxfbp-xeH3ylql5/s1600/Story-Stakes-by-D-Costa.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOuGceqN2coaqWlm6ACzcHott-SzE4Xa2jeh4wFtLtekvppnWRpo0vMag61VmGYAQbs87gboUzDleALK5BgQWYOxLwvodXwxLUVabJTbLQP9Ydyq6modnnYdW6dqEPzLxfbp-xeH3ylql5/s200/Story-Stakes-by-D-Costa.png" width="133" /></a></div>
Despite having written several novels, I've continued to have problems plotting my stories. The challenges I set for my characters often seem too easy for them, and there are often times where the stakes aren't that high. This has caused characters to walk away from a potential problem (since there was no compelling reason for them to solve it) or to easily overcome the problem because I "let them see it coming" and they prepared successfully for it. <br />
<br />
I've been making a conscious effort lately to learn more about plotting, conflict, tension, and raising the stakes on characters.<br />
<br />
For that reason, I borrowed from Kindle Unlimited the book <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MU9JQOA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00MU9JQOA&linkCode=as2&tag=mikesalsbusbl-20&linkId=IKXTI54RKCPOFR56">Story Stakes: Your #1 Writing Skills Strategy to Transform Readers into Raving Fans & Keep Them Turning the Pages of Your Screenplay or Novel</a></i> by H.R. D'Costa, the author suggests that there are 11 ways you can raise the stakes on your character:<br />
<ol>
<li><b>General Protection:</b> Put your character in a position where their actions protect a group of people, a community, a city, etc. The hero's failure will cause others to suffer, which will spur the character on past a point where they might have given up in the past.</li>
<li><b>Demise (of Someone Close to the Character):</b> Someone important to the character, such as a spouse, parent, sibling, or child, is in danger and will die (or suffer a similarly devastating outcome) if the hero can't save them.</li>
<li><b>Livelihood:</b> If the character doesn't succeed at what he or she has undertaken, they'll be unable to make a living. This usually works best if the hero worked hard to get the job, had to suffer disapproval to get it, it's a rare and coveted job, it's important to "who they are", or losing the job will ruin their chances of getting other jobs. Losing the job should also endanger the hero's ability so support someone important.</li>
<li><b>Freedom:</b> The character's failure will put his freedom, or that of someone he cares about, in jeopardy. This doesn't have to be jail. It can mean being left in an undesirable place they can't leave, being in a relationship that makes them unhappy, etc.</li>
<li><b>Reputation:</b> The character's failure will destroy his own reputation or that of someone important to him. This works best when tied to other stakes, such as livelihood or freedom.</li>
<li><b>Sanity:</b> The character's failure will cause the loss of sanity for himself or someone dear.</li>
<li><b>Access to a Person, Place, or Thing:</b> The character's failure will result in a loss of access to something important, such as child, a sibling, or a loved one.</li>
<li><b>Regret:</b> The character's failure will lose an important opportunity. For example, a character whose actions or decisions cause a problem in the past might like to have a second chance. In the story, they're given a second chance in a similar situation and have the opportunity to get things right this time. </li>
<li><b>Suffering and Sacrifice:</b> Suffering that a character endures to get to her goal is only worth it if they win, otherwise the suffering was in vain. Similarly, if a character sacrifices something important, gives up an easy way out of a bad predicament, or someone close to her makes a sacrifice, this is only worth it if she succeeds. In essence, you're showing the price that the character (and those who helped her) paid for her success. </li>
<li><b>Justice:</b> We see the antagonist do some really terrible things, whether against the protagonist or some other character. If the hero fails, the bad guys get away with their crimes. If the hero wins, justice is served and the bad guys pay for what they've done. How effective the Justice stake is depends on how bad the villain's crime was, and how much time passes before the villain is brought to justice. A really terrible crime committed at the start of the story will lose much of its impact if justice isn't served until the end. It's also important that, relatively speaking, what the hero has to do to bring the villain to justice isn't as bad as the villain's crime.</li>
<li><b>Hero Happiness:</b> The hero's happiness is tied to achieving the story goal. If he wins, he'll be happy. If he loses, he'll feel like his life is over. The key here is that the thing the character wants must be very specific, such that only this particular goal will work. If he wants love, for example, anyone might provide that. But if he wants the love of a particular woman because she has the qualities that he or his life do not have, finding love elsewhere won't do. If the hero's goal is money, it has to be clear that he wants the money because of what it means to him, what it will do for him, and how it will help him than for the money itself. Wanting money to save the family farm, get a child through college, or save the lives of homeless people works. Wanting money so he can quit his job and spend his days drinking on the beach, isn't going to thrill readers.</li>
</ol>
<div>
Later in the book, D'Costa shares ways to alter the emotional impact of the stakes created by the above methods. One of these is to create an object that many characters want (called a "MacGuffin").<br />
<br />
The author also discusses how to build a "Story Stakes Matrix" which helps you to keep raising the stakes, avoid an anticlimactic ending, and improve the appeal of the story to readers. The book concludes with an "action plan" for laying out the plot and the stakes.<br />
<br />
It's definitely worth a read if you experience the same issue I do.</div>
Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-72586118619391481392015-05-22T06:33:00.000-04:002015-05-22T06:33:10.301-04:00Open Source and Free Writing SoftwareThere are some excellent, free tools that writers can use to both create and improve their work. This article will discuss some of these and provide links to sites where the software can be downloaded.<br />
<br />
Note that the appearance of an open source product on the list below is neither an endorsement or recommendation. The purpose of this list is to make it easier for writers to locate and try various free and open source writing tools to see if any of them are suitable for that writer's creative processes. <br />
<br />
<strong>Open Source Word Processing Software</strong><br />
<br />
Many of the following, and some commercial products, are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_word_processors">compared on Wikipedia</a>.<br />
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.abisource.com/">AbiWord</a></strong>: A free word processing program similar to Microsoft Word.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://documenteditor.codeplex.com/">Document.Editor</a></strong>: A multi-tab .NET/Ribbon based word processor for Windows XP, Vista, and 7.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~AUIS/">EZ Word</a></strong>: A free word processor that is part of the "Andrew User Interface System".</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.fengoffice.com/web/opensource/">Feng Office</a></strong>: An open source online office suite package similar to Microsoft Office Live.</li>
<br />
<li><a href="http://fiction.sourceforge.net/"><strong>Fiction</strong></a>: A free word processor for Windows.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.lyx.org/">LyX</a></strong>: A "document processor" which encourages an approach to writing based on the structure of your documents and not simply their appearance. Runs on UNIX, Linux, Mac, and Windows.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.neooffice.org/neojava/en/index.php">NeoOffice</a></strong>: A free office suite for Mac OS X that includes a word processor.<br /></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.openoffice.org/">OpenOffice.org</a></strong><strong>:</strong> This open source application is comparable to Microsoft Office. It includes Writer (which is similar to Word), Calc (similar to Excel), Impress (like PowerPoint), Draw (similar to the drawing tools in Office), and Base (like Access).</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://siag.nu/online-docs/pw/pw.html">Pathetic Writer</a></strong>: An open-source GUI word processor.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.scribus.net/canvas/Scribus">Scribus</a></strong>: An open source page layout and desktop publishing tool.<br /></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.nllgg.nl/Ted/">Ted</a></strong>: A free word processor running under X Windows on Linux.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://wordgrinder.sourceforge.net/">WordGrinder</a></strong>: A "unicode aware character cell word processor that runs in a terminal or Windows console window.<br /></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://sourceforge.net/projects/wordit/">WordIt</a></strong>: A word processor designed to be more reliable than Microsoft Word and smaller than Word or OpenOffice.<br /></li>
</ul>
<strong>Open Source Fiction/Screenwriting Tools:</strong><br />
<br />
While there are plenty of "novel writing" software projects listed on SourceForge (an open source software repository), few have any actual code available to download. Those listed below have actual software available that you can download.<br />
<ul><br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.celtx.com/">Celtx</a></strong>: Described as "the world's first all-in-one media pre-production system", Celtx includes a wide variety of features including autocomplete, scene management, embedded notes, spellchecker, and more.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://sourceforge.net/projects/ostorybook/?source=directory">Storybook</a></strong>: Open source novel writing software which helps the author manage characters, locations, chapters, parts, ideas, background information, task lists, and storyboards. It can also display charts showing the appearance of characters by scene/date, occurrence of locations, etc. (This tool has a number of similarities to my personal tool of choice, <a href="http://mikesalsbury.com/2011/04/scrivener-for-windows-review/">Scrivener</a>.)</li>
<br />
<li><a href="https://launchpad.net/kabikaboo"><strong>Kabikaboo</strong></a>: A tree-based note pad designed to help you plan a book or complex project.</li>
<br />
<li><a href="http://nanowritool.sourceforge.net/"><strong>NaNoWriTool</strong></a>: A text editor specifically geared toward NaNoWriMo, the National Novel Writing Month. It features the ability to edit text files, a real-time word counter that uses the same algorithm as the NaNoWriMo site, and other features.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://writersforge.sourceforge.net/">The Writer's Forge</a></strong>: A suite of free software tools for writers of fiction.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://dramatisper2.sourceforge.net/">Dramatis Personae 2</a></strong>: A Macintosh app designed to track the personalities and information used by authors in writing fiction.<br /></li>
</ul>
<strong>Free Word Processing Tools:</strong><br />
<br />
The following word processing tools are free of charge but are not (to my knowledge) open source:<br />
<ul><br />
<li><a href="http://www.bean-osx.com/Bean.html"><strong>Bean</strong></a>: A small, easy-to-use word prcessor for Mac OS X.</li>
<br />
<li><a href="http://jjafuller.com/dark-room/"><strong>Dark Room</strong></a>: A full-screen, distraction-free writing environment for Windows. The Mac version, Write Room, is a licensed product that must be purchased.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.jarte.com/">Jarte</a></strong>: A word processor for Windows that is based on the WordPad engine.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.sophists.com/Led/LedIt/">LedIt!</a></strong>: A free, cross-platform, multi-lingual unicode word processor with features such as subscript, superscript, full undo, word wrapping, and the ability to be embedded into other apps.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.polyedit.com/free.html">PolyEdit Lite</a></strong>: A free word processor designed to be lightweight, reliable, easy to use, and fast.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://baara.com/q10/">Q10</a></strong>: A full-screen, minimal distraction writing tool.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://xtort.net/freeware/xtort-software/qjot/">QJot</a></strong>: A small USB portable alternative rich text (RTF) editor that is meant to serve as a WordPad replacement.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.salsbury.f2s.com/rd.htm">RoughDraft</a></strong>: A donationware word processor designed for writers (development stopped in 2009).</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.freeoffice.com/en/">SoftMaker FreeOffice</a></strong>: Windows suite that describes itself as "so easy to use that you will wonder why you bothered with Microsoft Word or OpenOffice.org for so long".</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://jsimlo.sk/notepad/">TED Notepad</a></strong>: A freeware Notepad replacement for Windows.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<strong>Other Tools Useful for Writers:</strong><br />
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="http://awesomenamegen.sourceforge.net/">Awesome Name Generator</a></strong>: A simple generator for names for fictional characters.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page">FreeMind</a></strong>: An open source mind-mapping tool written in Java and usable on most platforms.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://graviax.sourceforge.net/">Graviax</a></strong>: A grammar checker for the English language.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.pdfforge.org/">PDF Creator</a></strong>: Open Source PDF creation tools.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://rassistant.sourceforge.net/">Research Assistant</a></strong>: A multi-platform tool for researchers to organize their work.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.gnu.org/software/diction/diction.html">Style and Diction</a></strong>: Two standard UNIX commands. Diction identifies wordy and commonly misused phrases while Style analyzes the surface characteristics of a document such as word length and readability measures.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://wikidpad.sourceforge.net/">WikidPad</a></strong>: A wiki-style notepad to keep ideas and notes in a single place and allow cross-referencing.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://code.google.com/p/writertools/">Writer's Tools for OpenOffice/LibreOffice</a></strong>: This set of utilities is designed to help OpenOffice perform a number of useful functions for writers, including looking up words, translating to other languages, and more.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<strong>Other Free Tools for Novelists and Writers</strong><br />
<ul><br />
<li><strong><a href="http://bibus-biblio.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page">Bibus</a></strong>: A bibliographic database that is helpful for citing sources correctly.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.evernote.com/">EverNote</a></strong>: A cloud-based tool that allows you to capture ideas and information and store it for later use. Items stored in the cloud are accessible via computer, tablet, cell phone, etc.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://litlift.com/">LitLift</a></strong>: An online novel writing application.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.sandbaggers.8m.com/samm.htm">SAMM</a></strong>: Submission tracking for Windows, Mac, and DOS.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.spacejock.com/Sonar3.html">Sonar</a></strong>: Tool to help writers track their manuscript submissions.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.tiddlywiki.com/">TiddlyWiki</a></strong>: A "reusable non-linear personal web notebook"</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.treepad.com/treepadfreeware/">TreePad</a></strong>: An award-winning personal information manager for Windows and Linux/Wine. It can be used to store, edit, search, organize, and browse any type of textual information.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://wordnet.princeton.edu/wordnet/">WordNet</a></strong>: A "large lexical database of English…nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs are grouped into sets of cognitive synonyms, each expressing a distinct concept." Available online and as an application you can run on your computer.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><a href="http://www.wordweb.co.uk/free/">WordWeb</a></strong>: A dictionary and thesaurus.</li>
<br />
<li><a href="http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter5.html"><strong>yWriter</strong></a>: From SpaceJock software, this tool is designed specifically for novelists, by a novelist. It helps break the novel down into chapters and scenes, and provides other useful features like word counts, automatic backups, a storyboard view, drag-and-drop scene/chapter reordering, etc.</li>
</ul>
Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-26223427168082623522015-05-18T19:30:00.001-04:002015-05-18T19:30:00.081-04:00Story Events and Charged Values<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://amzn.to/1G1suQg"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJmU08LeZlJDXnoCtNt8ODg8oyMwQVi7B_fc71No1ravCS1Ky3jTN04v7EBciURBpkvhAWDIJ63X8xGLeqoeLOT8X_TZJNKN8_yvWFEisWJkA_ajXWI7B9HFmkDgJ-YdGlS3cqZoVoXT1/s320/Robert-McKee-Story.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
Over the last few days, I've been listening to the audiobook version of <a href="http://amzn.to/1G1suQg">Robert McKee's <i>Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting</i></a>. Although I have no current plans to write a screenplay, I've been told by many people that this is an excellent resource on story writing in general.<br />
<br />
I find that when I write stories, conflict is one of my biggest problems. When I sit down to brainstorm and plot out a story, I might envision four or five problems that the protagonist will need to deal with during the course of the story. Invariably, when I sit down to write that story, I find that my protagonist has out-thought me. For example, what was supposed to be a character with a broken-down car in a bad part of town suddenly becomes a nervous wait for the tow truck... or worse, the character sees a police station across the street. Many of my stories, as a result, wind up being incredibly dull affairs. I don't know exactly why this is happening to me, but it seems that McKee does.<br />
<br />
In the book, McKee says that any scene you write that isn't a Story Event should be removed. I'm paraphrasing a bit, but he says that for something to be a Story Event we need to see at least one value in the character's life change state (from negative to positive, or positive to negative) through conflict in a way that has a meaningful impact on the character. Usually, a meaningful impact is one that affects the character's inner life (feelings, thoughts, worldview), personal relationships (causes a love relationship of friendship to change), or their fortune in the world. McKee suggests asking yourself for every scene: What value is at stake in my character's life at this moment? How is that value charged (positively or negatively) at the start of the scene? How is it charged at the end? If there is no change in the value, ask "Why is this scene in my story?" If a value hasn't changed, nothing meaningful has happened in the scene. It is a non-event. Over the course of the entire story, you should see a meaningful, absolute, and irreversible change in the character's life.<br />
<br />
McKee suggests that every time your character takes some action toward the story goal, that there is a reaction in the character's situation (specifically, the character's inner life, relationships, or outer world) that is more powerful than the character expected. <br />
<br />
I think it's this "charged value" part of the puzzle I have been missing. For example, in a story I recently worked on, an astronaut learned that the computers controlling her spacecraft had been hacked by agents of a foreign government. They tried to use this as leverage against her government but failed. They turned off all the systems on her spacecraft and left her to die. She was able to figure out a way to reboot the systems and keep the hackers out. In McKee's terms, this is a non-event. No value in the character's life changed. She didn't go from alive to dead, rich to poor, etc. She left the scene in precisely the shape she entered it. The only thing that changed was the computer, from "compromised" to "safe" again. To add a charge to this, I might have made it so that when the computer shutdown, there was a short burst of the rockets that took her off course. When she finally gets the computers working, she learns that the spacecraft is now so far off course it can't reach its destination with the available fuel - and it can't return to Earth either. Her mission and her life are now both at risk. Two emotionally charged values have flipped (mission success to failure, safety to certain death). <br />
<br />
I expect that I'll be sharing more as I work my way through the rest of this book. If you're struggling with your writing as I am, you might want to follow the link above and pick up a copy of the book for yourself.<br />
<br />
<br />Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-883846184265000722015-05-11T19:30:00.000-04:002015-05-11T19:30:00.784-04:00Hooked by Les Edgerton<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0033ZAVV2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0033ZAVV2&linkCode=as2&tag=mikesalsbusbl-20&linkId=YQAUG3JQ4XHGGWOK"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1AqOo8BDfQ-TLeAjJa1iiyxs2QXlMZt3wJLFXcDaHiVeGyaBLJuFDyRWOjNQr6MOrFe1pknlnmKvckQnMNSdipM5A4BHed7IVAaYeVReQuig1rzARF4YYK7O1nUtQbTsZbcd7xszoYjC/s1600/Hooked-By-Les-Edgerton.jpg" height="320" width="224" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">An author I met at the
ConText writing convention suggested that I read Les Edgerton's book <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0033ZAVV2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0033ZAVV2&linkCode=as2&tag=mikesalsbusbl-20&linkId=YQAUG3JQ4XHGGWOK"><span style="color: blue;">Hooked: Write Fiction That Grabs Readers at Page One &
Never Lets Them Go</span></a></i>. Having done that, I want to share what
I learned with you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It should be no surprise
that an improper opening dooms your story. Agents won't be interested in
it. Editors and publishers will reject it. If you get it into a reader’s
hands, they're more likely to put it down than to read it. This advice is
echoed in the words of agents, publishers, and editors quoted at the end of the
book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The best kind opening is
one that shows the protagonist in his or her world, then quickly disrupts it
with the main story-worthy problem. The
opening should provoke the reader’s curiosity and help the reader live through
the experience with the protagonist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A good opening should
include as many of these as possible:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
inciting incident</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> - which creates the
character's initial surface problem and hits at the story worthy problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
story-worthy problem</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> - which is what
the protagonist must solve by the story's end, usually a deeper psychological
problem that your protagonist and reader may not understand until the end of
the story<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
initial surface problem</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> -
a problem that drives the protagonist to take action but isn't usually the
story-worthy problem<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
setup</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> – give just enough
information to know who everyone is, where they are, and show a hint of the
trouble to come<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Backstory </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">– share only the minimum amount necessary. Trust
the reader to "get" what's going on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">6.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
opening line</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> - which should
have more effort expended on it than on any other sentence in the story<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">7.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Language </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">- your most memorable language should appear in
the opening<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">8.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Character
Introduction</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> - introduce characters
by showing their reactions to the inciting incident, which defines their
personalities and gives the reader a first impression. Make sure it's
clear which character is the protagonist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">9.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Setting</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> – give just enough to provide a clear sense
of time and place<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">10.</span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Foreshadowing</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> - a hint of the action and obstacles to come. Not all
stories do this, Edgerton says "but a disproportionate number of the best
do."<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Edgerton offers several techniques
for writing a powerful opening line or scene:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Show
a character who is very different</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
(stronger, meaner, smarter, stranger) than the typical person and you'll
make a reader want to read on to understand that character.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Show
something unusual happening in a common situation</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, like a passenger on a bus doing a dance number down
the aisle for the other passengers.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Give
the reader an unusual image or drop an unexpected word into a sentence</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, like "I looked out to see Charlie washing his
car for the third time today, even though it hadn't left the
driveway."<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Start
with a pleasant or pleasurable scene, and show the character reacting
negatively to it</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, like "It was Tommy's
birthday, and they were going to have a party. All his friends would
be there, and his mom would serve hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, and all
his favorite foods. He couldn't wait for it to be over."<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Use
a metaphor that's original and fits the protagonist in your story</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, like "She teased me, just like a package of
candy hanging in a vending machine by a tiny sliver of the package.
Just a little nudge, and I think she'd have fallen into my
lap."<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Show
us a character whose earliest memories aren't pleasant</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, like "My oldest memory is the time I
accidentally knocked my mom's favorite vase over, and she burned me with
her cigarette."<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Give
the reader a secret that will be revealed or a mystery that will be solved</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, such as "My grandfather pried up the bottom step
leading to the attic and showed me an envelope he'd hidden there.
'This is the combination to my safe,' he said. 'When I die, I want
you to use this and take care of what's inside. Do you understand?'
I nodded."<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Show
us a character with a memorable and descriptive name</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> like "Slugger James" or "Sleepy
Alice".<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Create
a protagonist who embodies some universal fear or experience in a very specific
way</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, like "Nancy stared at
the tumor on her leg, knowing it was spreading cancer throughout her
body."<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Put
the protagonist in the center of a bad situation</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. "Joe had run out of options. He had to
steal the money, and steal it quickly."<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Raise
questions about something we don't experience every day</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, like an unusual disease, an uncommon lifestyle or
career, or an unfamiliar setting (provided this is central to the story).<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Edgerton also warns of the
following “red flag” openings that kill a story’s chances with agents, editors,
and readers:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Opening with a dream: Showing a situation and
then revealing it was all a dream.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Opening with an alarm clock buzzing, someone shaking
the character awake, etc. (as these are often followed by a boring
description of the character's morning ritual, a cliched radio news story,
or the character claiming they're "late" for something)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Being unintentionally funny (sentences with phrases
like "he thought to himself"... when do we ever
"think" to anyone else?)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Too little dialogue (this signals a long passage of
narrative that's likely to be boring)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Starting with dialogue (since the reader won't have
clue who's speaking or in what context they're having the conversation)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">While a good opening isn’t
enough to carry a weak story, a poor opening is enough to destroy the chances
of an otherwise excellent story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">If you’re having trouble
hooking your reader or keeping them interested, I strongly recommend reading or
re-reading the opening chapters of Anne Rice’s <i>Interview with the Vampire</i>.
Rice does an excellent job raising one question in the reader’s mind
after another, and occasionally rewarding the reader with an answer to one of
those questions. This encourages you to
keep reading, because you know you’ll eventually get the answers you’re looking
for. I re-typed Rice’s opening chapters,
which helped me to see and understand how she’d hooked me into the story. You might find that this activity helps you
as well. (Note that I am NOT suggesting
plagiarism, only a way to study her technique.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">There is more in
Edgerton’s book than I’m sharing here. I
recommend checking it out if you have an interest in learning more about story
openings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-23600325541508036512015-05-04T19:30:00.000-04:002015-05-04T19:30:01.884-04:00Brainstorming Story EventsIn a writing book I read recently, the author suggests doing a bunch of list-making before you start to plot out the story. The first list should include every idea you can envision for the story you're about to write. You'll include everything, no matter how ridiculous it seems or how unlikely it is that you'll use it. Doing this will release the "censor" in your brain and allow your subconscious to run wild to generate ideas.<br />
<br />
Next, you take that list and filter it down to the ideas you can imagine actually using in your story. For those items, you brainstorm around them also. Ask yourself questions like: If this really did happen in my story, what might happen to cause it? What might happen as a result of it? What repercussions would it have on the other events I've planned? The idea is to consider all the ways the event might impact your story and all the other possible events it might spark in your imagination.<br />
<br />
When you exhaust your imagination on those events, you start a third list. For this list, you try to imagine every expectation your reader might have for the story you're writing. For a science fiction story I am working on, I tried to compare this story and the universe it's set within to every other science fiction universe I could remember. I asked questions like: What would the reader expect to happen if this story was in the Star Trek universe? What would they expect based on sci-fi television episodes that are similar to this idea? Ignoring science fiction, what expectations might they have about the characters, the situation, etc.? The point of this list is to identify as many of your readers' expectations as you can. You'll use the list two ways. The first use is to consider which of these expectations you intend to deliver on, and which expectations you definitely won't deliver on. The first side of the exercise helps you think about things you need to do in the story to ensure that the reader is comfortable with it. The second side helps you find ways that you can surprise the reader or show them that your story (or story universe) is not the same old thing they're used to. Those surprises are likely to be the things readers will enjoy most in your story.<br />
<br />
Now, when you sit down to plot your story, you'll have lots of possible events to use, you'll know what reader expectations you plan to deliver on, and what you plan to do to surprise the reader.<br />
<br />Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-52885479325295137692015-04-27T19:30:00.000-04:002015-04-27T19:30:01.652-04:00The Unreliable NarratorAn unreliable narrator is a point-of-view character in a story who isn't being completely honest with the reader, and perhaps even with himself or herself. The unreliable narrator in a novel or short story is nearly always the first-person narrator of that story. <br />
<br />
The unreliable narrator may do things like:<br />
<div>
<ul>
<li>Lie to the reader</li>
<li>Leave out important details or facts that are uncomfortable for them to admit</li>
<li>Hold back information that paints the narrator in a bad light</li>
<li>Seem to have ulterior motives for their actions</li>
<li>Behave in ways that seem out of character</li>
<li>Exaggerate or brag about their accomplishments, actions, etc.</li>
<li>Share a distorted view of the world due to mental illness or immaturity</li>
<li>Distorts the facts to enhance the humor of a situation</li>
<li>Seem honest and truthful, but have their lies brought to light by other characters</li>
<li>Tell an inaccurate or incomplete story because they don't have all the facts</li>
</ul>
<div>
It may be evident from the start that the narrator is unreliable. It may come to light during the story. It might not even be shown clearly at all, leaving the reader to wonder if the story is true or not.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Why Would I Need an Unreliable Narrator?</b></div>
<br />
Many stories would not benefit from an unreliable narrator. Some will. As an author, there are a number of reasons why you might choose to employ an unreliable narrator for your story. These include (but are not limited to):<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>You want to establish that the character is untrustworthy.</li>
<li>Facts you want to hide from the reader are facts this character would not want made public.</li>
<li>You're demonstrating the depth of the character's mental problems.</li>
<li>You want to show that the character is boastful, self-absorbed, or narcissistic.</li>
<li>You want to show that the character is uncomfortable discussing a situation honestly.</li>
<li>You're showing the character's cunning.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Using an unreliable narrator will knock the reader off balance. They will wonder as they read your story whether they are learning what's actually happening, if they're being fed a lie, or if there is more going on in the story than they realized at first. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Example: Fred</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Here's an example of how you might use an unreliable narrator to increase the tension in a story...<br />
<br />
Fred says good night to his boss, goes outside, and gets into his car. We see a conversation he has with his wife over the cell phone, in which he tells her how much he loves her and how lucky he is to have her. He talks to his kids and congratulates them on their school work. After he hangs up, he pulls the car into the parking lot of a gun store and goes inside. He tells us that he stops here to unwind every so often.<br />
<br />
The shop clerk calls him by name, and asks if he wants the usual "burglar blaster" ammo and pistol today. He says yes, and pays for time on the shooting range, too. He takes the pistol and ammo to the range and starts firing. When he's done, he's hit 24 out of 25 shots. His "miss" is only an inch from the bullseye. A policeman in the next stall is impressed, and asks if he was in the military or police force. Fred tells him no, that he's just an accountant who's practiced a few times.<br />
<br />
Later in the story, we learn that Fred's family has been killed, victims of an apparent home invasion. The police describe the ammunition used by the killer, and it's the same stuff Fred used at the shooting range. Later, the police learn that Fred has been going there every Wednesday like clockwork for the past six months, not "every so often" as he claimed, and always uses that ammo despite the fact that there are much less expensive varieties that are suitable for target practice.<br />
<br />
The reader is now left to wonder. Is the fact that his family was killed with the very ammunition he likes to practice with just a coincidence? Has Fred been planning to kill them for a while, and using the target practice to prepare? If Fred says he didn't do it, do we believe him?<br />
<br />
By casting some doubt on Fred's honesty, we may be leading the reader on (if Fred really didn't do it, and there's irrefutable evidence - like he was at a televised fundraiser for the mayor at the time) or planting clues that show Fred's guilt (and making it believable because he's lied to us already).<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Conclusion</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
An unreliable narrator isn't necessary in every story you write. Many stories are better served by an honest narrator, or by a narrator who can tell us each character's thoughts and plans. This is just one more tool in your toolbox that can help to produce better stories.<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-33996269598379176642015-04-20T19:30:00.000-04:002015-04-20T19:30:01.829-04:00Ashleywilde Software - Storybase 2.0 - ReviewAshleywilde Software's Storybase is a brainstorming tool for writers. It's designed to help you generate ideas for increasing the conflict in your story. It does this by using a database of "narrative situations" that it proposes in response to information you provide it. I think of the output of Storybase as something like emailing a writer friend to briefly describe your characters and story, and having send you back a bunch of ideas about things that might happen in your story. Just as with ideas generated by a friend or colleague, Storybase will provide some ideas that you look at and think "Yeah, that might be interesting" and some that you read and think "What were they smoking when they came up with <i>that</i> idea?"<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Finding Scenes and Situations for Your Story</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
To demonstrate the software in real-world use, we'll use a hypothetical story. I'll give it the working title "The Rat" and define three main characters. Jack Barnes is the hero or protagonist of our story. He's in love with Melanie Hastings, and so is another man named Tim Garner. Let's say that right now, that's all I really know. I've no idea how I want this to play out, so I fire up Storybase.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KtHKtUgRcuFtOUcCEuJ-fHdtSa-r0w9KvohLVU7HYTRr7VGUDzlqz0eJbiEjKz0cawKCcnKvHi5h1H-L6gh1gM4aBnvi5qqwzqn4XiwVvDminW7hqjK1ME1H9YuxGOedkgnRoMjw8EZd/s1600/2015-02-22+01_33_34-Storybase.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KtHKtUgRcuFtOUcCEuJ-fHdtSa-r0w9KvohLVU7HYTRr7VGUDzlqz0eJbiEjKz0cawKCcnKvHi5h1H-L6gh1gM4aBnvi5qqwzqn4XiwVvDminW7hqjK1ME1H9YuxGOedkgnRoMjw8EZd/s1600/2015-02-22+01_33_34-Storybase.png" height="292" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
In the Something window, I give Storybase those three character names and group them as a set called "The Rat":<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIh_Lb79ioCGzGKgRs9oQUAPsnPxlli8v8zFq1BArN65mtvZc8wYJEDARuJsKlRMX_ijrdIRLel7KH1FoTUp6hHYlR_g0Dr9P8Tt7UI-FZ9for6vD_N2hLDKaOedMtTqBY0nt6Gtxdbo2J/s1600/Storybase-Character-Entry.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIh_Lb79ioCGzGKgRs9oQUAPsnPxlli8v8zFq1BArN65mtvZc8wYJEDARuJsKlRMX_ijrdIRLel7KH1FoTUp6hHYlR_g0Dr9P8Tt7UI-FZ9for6vD_N2hLDKaOedMtTqBY0nt6Gtxdbo2J/s1600/Storybase-Character-Entry.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Now that I've filled in the character set and names, I click the "Mindset" tab to tell Storybase up to three words that describe my protagonist's mindset. Choosing "Any" makes all mindset options available.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-E_0GUtAOZ_-ydtB1l7IPgF6kl7aX-tTyCaN6ED4gx_subT7hXT85DMJijX_5N0kVur5WhsdAbrtMNdOKmdwSbVaIv3xceU8zRHCglSBsLc3ksRAOzEk5rZe8n6gkW-KU794mVEzTk2x0/s1600/Storybase-Character-Mindset.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-E_0GUtAOZ_-ydtB1l7IPgF6kl7aX-tTyCaN6ED4gx_subT7hXT85DMJijX_5N0kVur5WhsdAbrtMNdOKmdwSbVaIv3xceU8zRHCglSBsLc3ksRAOzEk5rZe8n6gkW-KU794mVEzTk2x0/s1600/Storybase-Character-Mindset.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Since it sounds like making Jack Barnes obsessed and insecure might make for an interesting story, I'll select those options:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjTsoOHg9_vEpSBJtKakYN3ERkSshbAyRW9Dc8SSB3E9yegZ6Y3j6SNHh5NNgb0bSyUoCnUdqQrgcVFaF1ccgAZ2Hu1THlRj29xW0A5hTmEB_YvLnBwSZKNtHLfj4eqE2-qLxjhDnie7i/s1600/Storybase-Character-Mindset-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjTsoOHg9_vEpSBJtKakYN3ERkSshbAyRW9Dc8SSB3E9yegZ6Y3j6SNHh5NNgb0bSyUoCnUdqQrgcVFaF1ccgAZ2Hu1THlRj29xW0A5hTmEB_YvLnBwSZKNtHLfj4eqE2-qLxjhDnie7i/s1600/Storybase-Character-Mindset-2.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Next, I'm asked to select the Thrust of the story, or what the conflict is about. I'm thinking that Jack wants to date Melanie, but he's worried that she's more interested in Tim. I'm going to choose "Triangle" as the Thrust:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxDD7Cd6zyTmmKyeWjO3FaoYevUlKeabQ7owX_JepiidjpwYJhPpnaC6833qaQ_C_fBBSfr60IgH3ouqZbc0epy20B37lTL6zl-yC8ABjfQspgxzVG4Cg73mivxbI0w2XRPiESLlR7UdM/s1600/Storybase-Character-Thrust.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxDD7Cd6zyTmmKyeWjO3FaoYevUlKeabQ7owX_JepiidjpwYJhPpnaC6833qaQ_C_fBBSfr60IgH3ouqZbc0epy20B37lTL6zl-yC8ABjfQspgxzVG4Cg73mivxbI0w2XRPiESLlR7UdM/s1600/Storybase-Character-Thrust.png" /></a></div>
<br />
When I click the Conflicts tab, Storybase offers a number of possible story situations that I might consider writing between Jack, Tim, and Melanie:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhB__j4DS5jDQTT83TZp_RGfjKy3L5h2D23jvwr_xFsa8d0fAGMXu0MQgR67XPzTOhye-bgQHLTbG3WIbpoOs5UyWPcA0ZbO1267evADYky51Fhe3IXvehya6P12MZzPg-7aYsIC9p4QL/s1600/Storybase-Character-Conflicts.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhB__j4DS5jDQTT83TZp_RGfjKy3L5h2D23jvwr_xFsa8d0fAGMXu0MQgR67XPzTOhye-bgQHLTbG3WIbpoOs5UyWPcA0ZbO1267evADYky51Fhe3IXvehya6P12MZzPg-7aYsIC9p4QL/s1600/Storybase-Character-Conflicts.png" /></a></div>
<br />
In the lower-right corner, we see that Storybase has found 102 different situations I might choose to write between these three characters. Let's say I select "Knowing something about Tim Garner, Jack Barnes warns Melanie Hastings to stay away." Now I click the "Leads" tab to identify conflicts that might lead into and out of that conflict.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8WPFpdH8w3BM4rwbk5Z-xmWjI7Vypo5AbrwYSLRJdIpMp2oZffNNQywcr4AQdXe48IdqwZo0PmDglX3Yb4DKyb_qVvh7iYFGnKRMJP0nrtjE1X-17JE_raTj3uwMrzow0dju2Dpt4vbk/s1600/Storybase-Leads.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8WPFpdH8w3BM4rwbk5Z-xmWjI7Vypo5AbrwYSLRJdIpMp2oZffNNQywcr4AQdXe48IdqwZo0PmDglX3Yb4DKyb_qVvh7iYFGnKRMJP0nrtjE1X-17JE_raTj3uwMrzow0dju2Dpt4vbk/s1600/Storybase-Leads.png" /></a></div>
<br />
In this window, you see the conflict I chose earlier in the middle box. Above and below it are boxes offering situations that lead into and out of that selected conflict. Storybase offers me 12 ways I can lead into the "Knowing something about Tim Garner" conflict and 9 ways to lead out of it.<br />
<br />
Here are the 12 lead-in situations Storybase suggested:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Jack Barnes is unaware of Melanie Hastings's prior relationship with Tim Garner.</li>
<li>Jack Barnes thinks Tim Garner did something when really it was Melanie Hastings.</li>
<li>Jack Barnes asks Tim Garner to deliver a message to Melanie Hastings.</li>
<li>Jack Barnes regrets introducing Melanie Hastings and Tim Garner.</li>
<li>Jack Barnes believes Tim Garner is hiding something from Melanie Hastings.</li>
<li>Jack Barnes is surprised by what Tim Garner knows.</li>
<li>After a personal setback, Jack Barnes notices Melanie Hastings losing interest.</li>
<li>Jack Barnes is crushed to see Melanie Hastings getting together with Tim Garner.</li>
<li>Jack Barnes feels that Melanie Hastings has a fundamental misconception of Tim Garner.</li>
<li>Jack Barnes learns something about Tim Garner that Melanie Hastings doesn't know.</li>
<li>Jack Barnes explains to Melanie Hastings why a relationship wouldn't be good for either of them.</li>
<li>Jack Barnes admires the sacrifice Melanie Hastings makes for Tim Garner.'</li>
</ul>
<div>
Let's say I've decided that this is an early situation in the story. Jack's decided that he wants to date Melanie, and he is worried that she might be more interested in his friend Tim. Maybe Tim's more handsome and wealthy than Jack is, so Jack's a little threatened. Jack knows that Tim once conned an older woman into giving him the money to start a business that he sold for a million dollars. He thinks if Melanie know about Tim's swindle, she might not like Tim as much. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'll choose the lead-in "Jack Barnes feels that Melanie Hastings has a fundamental misconception of Tim Garner." She thinks Tim's basically a nice, honest, self-made man... when in reality he isn't above lying and cheating to get what he wants. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Now I'll look at the list of lead-out situations Storybase suggested. These include the following (and several others I'm not listing):</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Unforeseen events delay a rendezvous between Jack Barnes and Melanie Hastings.</li>
<li>To achieve an objective, Jack Barnes boldly defies social standards.</li>
<li>Jack Barnes does something that causes Melanie Hastings to laugh hysterically.</li>
<li>Jack Barnes tries to destroy Tim Garner's ability to communicate.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
That third one sounds intriguing. Perhaps once Jack gets together with Melanie, he tells her about how Tim Garner convinced an older woman to give him a bunch of money under false pretenses. When Jack tells her this, thinking it will destroy her image of Tim, she begins laughing at him. She tells him that she knew all about that that, and in fact was in on it with Tim. She played Tim's devoted wife and gave Tim the credibility he needed to pull off the con. This little news is likely to rock Jack's world and shake his image of Melanie!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I double-click the "laugh hysterically" item in the bottom box. Notice that it now moves up to the middle, allowing me to select lead-out events for that one:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnVskdTcKUiMTMf7cyDFk2HkWyGprxsCGeVpnf7GTkxlMjS5CS852Qvt4hpRneIBhqY_DL6K40qaa98-Gw0ewhdzmBmLPOcj95HR69A4esOAl08yuHrmgAPYfNXHUhvxlp4szXpjqVS8-/s1600/Storybase-Leadouts-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnVskdTcKUiMTMf7cyDFk2HkWyGprxsCGeVpnf7GTkxlMjS5CS852Qvt4hpRneIBhqY_DL6K40qaa98-Gw0ewhdzmBmLPOcj95HR69A4esOAl08yuHrmgAPYfNXHUhvxlp4szXpjqVS8-/s1600/Storybase-Leadouts-2.png" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm really only offered two here, "Jack Barnes starts to doubt feelings for Melanie Hastings" and "After looking elsewhere, Jack Barnes begins to appreciate Melanie Hastings." The first one seems more realistic to me, so I'll choose that one.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This is the gist of what Storybase is all about. Using your actual character names, the mindset of your main character, and the thrust of the story, you get a list of suggested scenes or situations that you might want to consider using (or not). It doesn't "give" you a story to write, doesn't force you to write to a particular model or structure, or anything like that. It's like having a friend who can throw lots of "well, what about this..." kind of situations at you when you need them.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Keyword Search</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you don't want to go through all that, the Keyword search tab can help you find situations that match up to that keyword. For example, let's say I ask it to show me situations involving the word "secret":</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIB9y07ZPXc_lpY5MKq644BakIzqshf4GJHXWsnI9GEfVabeB-Mz0nsbXH6NywohFk-HFeEmPJTcr3Pz1wMRf-B3GwmBX2YRqguSKQ0a61s4miGdHRqfpsq2iD84uAsRH_223lLkm1GPYy/s1600/Storybase-Keyword.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIB9y07ZPXc_lpY5MKq644BakIzqshf4GJHXWsnI9GEfVabeB-Mz0nsbXH6NywohFk-HFeEmPJTcr3Pz1wMRf-B3GwmBX2YRqguSKQ0a61s4miGdHRqfpsq2iD84uAsRH_223lLkm1GPYy/s1600/Storybase-Keyword.png" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
I click "OK" to see the list of results:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkPPWYTNpZdCuDMhpbyCKyE84vIkE7cYr7ovu9iGGI8tU3aUB30dMuZbLO-2AgY7kfgw2kTwAceRVgojElR4gRQlukBeC1_skU0YiLIUlpcTElY49D5IuhPuj_ethlKm0O3oIXDBPKTGG/s1600/Storybase-Keyword-Results.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkPPWYTNpZdCuDMhpbyCKyE84vIkE7cYr7ovu9iGGI8tU3aUB30dMuZbLO-2AgY7kfgw2kTwAceRVgojElR4gRQlukBeC1_skU0YiLIUlpcTElY49D5IuhPuj_ethlKm0O3oIXDBPKTGG/s1600/Storybase-Keyword-Results.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Storybase offers me 57 different situations that involve secrets in some way. I can pick and choose the ones that will help me in my particular story.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Tutorial and Help</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Although Storybase isn't a particularly complicated or confusing program to work with, Ashleywilde Software has included help and tutorial functionality within the product. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0eA6SIlzGbEhpkJalwIrl-OCTiuevpmZSuUvenV5J4ltwXhNUx7wTFgaKd_c7QBFLDCzv_OXS4p5VmQB2oojOsxbTTswpOrfyY4AMQlRucuLgMCxgnEc4HTpGWiiKEBX27OMP3Bpp7Xf/s1600/Storybase-Help.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0eA6SIlzGbEhpkJalwIrl-OCTiuevpmZSuUvenV5J4ltwXhNUx7wTFgaKd_c7QBFLDCzv_OXS4p5VmQB2oojOsxbTTswpOrfyY4AMQlRucuLgMCxgnEc4HTpGWiiKEBX27OMP3Bpp7Xf/s1600/Storybase-Help.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Above is not the entire help system. Many of the underlined words are links that can take you to additional information about a particular topic.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Requirements and Installation</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Storybase has very light hardware requirements, which pretty much any PC made in the last several years can meet. You need the Windows operating system (95, 98, 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, or 8.1), a Pentium 166 MHz or higher processor, 64MB or more RAM, 128MB of free hard disk space, a screen resolution of at least 800x600, and a CD-ROM drive. <br />
<br />
Installation is quick and easy. You launch the installer on the CD, click through a wizard-based installation process, and the software is installed. It took me about 1-2 minutes to install.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Conclusion and Recommendations</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I see Storybase fitting into my writing toolkit in a number of ways. If I've got in mind a partial story that I'm trying to flesh out, I think Storybase could help me there. I could easily sit down with it, enter in my character names, then poke around with the Keyword search and Conflicts functions to start identifying situations or scenes I might want to toss my characters into. In this situation, Storybase would help me flesh out the story idea. I'd transfer the ideas it sparked into some other package to do the actual writing. Storybase has a very simple text editing window, but not one that I'd personally want to do more than keep notes in before transferring them to Microsoft Word, Scrivener, or some other tool.<br />
<br />
The best way to get a feel for whether Storybase is a worthwhile purchase for you might be to check out the <a href="http://www.storybase.net/">Storybase.net Beta site</a> that is online as of this writing. That site has a subset of the features of the full Storybase product, and gives you a good way to test it and see if Storybase will help you in your own writing activities. If so, then you can <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007P8H8U/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0007P8H8U&linkCode=as2&tag=mikesalsbusbl-20&linkId=64MD55MHW5XBY3NF">pick up a copy on Amazon.com for $49.95</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-13566071733351464392015-04-13T19:30:00.000-04:002015-04-13T19:30:01.019-04:00Crafting Science-Fiction Story OpeningsAny good story begins with a good opening line. Science-fiction stories are no different. A good opening line in a fictional story will give us:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>One of the story characters</li>
<li>Depict that character in a location or setting</li>
<li>Show the character doing something</li>
<li>Ideally, include interesting wording or imagery</li>
</ul>
<br />
A science-fiction opening should do all of these things, but should also try to:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Show something that is true in your character's world, but not in ours.</li>
<li>Foreshadow the ending in a way that, when a reader re-reads your book, he or she will wonder how they didn't seen the ending coming from that opening.</li>
</ul>
This helps your story two ways. You engage the reader's mind as quickly as possible. By incorporating something untrue in our world but true in the world of your story, the reader begins to wonder about and imagine your story world. This also achieves what Poul Anderson called "the twin pleasures of surprise and rightness". When the reader finishes your story and later re-reads it, the foreshadowing makes them wonder how they didn't see the ending coming.<br />
<br />
You might not be able to achieve all the above goals in your opening sentence, paragraph, or page, but that's the goal to work toward.<br />
<br />
Here are examples of some opening lines that achieve many of these goals:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>"As I approached the front door of The First Bank of Bit o' Heaven, it sensed my presence and swung open with an automatic welcome. I stepped briskly through and stopped. But I was just far enough inside so that the door was unable to close behind me. While it was sliding shut I took the arc pen from my bag - then spun about just as it had closed completely."<br /><br />This opening, from Harry Harrison's <i>A Stainless Steel Rat is Born</i>, shows the main character Jim DiGriz, an intergalactic thief and con-man, in action at a bank. We hear some interesting phrases such as "Bit o' Heaven", "automatic welcome", and "arc pen" that don't fit in our world. We may even wonder what an "automatic welcome" or an "arc pen" is. We may also wonder why the main character uses the arc pen to weld shut the door that might be his escape from the bank he's about to rob. While nothing here hints at the book's ending, this opening does cover almost all of the other criteria.<br /></li>
<li>"The <i>Volante</i>'s engines roared as the ship descended towards Cathua, one of three inhabited planets in the Oxed system. In the flight deck, Hal Spacejock was paying as much attention to the coffee mug balanced amongst the instruments as he was to the approach. He could surivive without watching the landing, but he only had one mug."<br /><br />This opening, from Simon Haynes' Hal Spacejock 3: Just Desserts shows us the main character, shows him on his ship heading somewhere, demonstrates how his world is different from ours (we don't fly spaceships), makes us a little curious as to why he's almost more concerned about his coffee mug than landing his spaceship, and hints that this is going to be a humorous or at least offbeat story. Although not included above, the rest of the opening chapter contains some arguing between Hal and his robot companion Clunk about how badly the ship's business transactions are being handled. This foreshadows the ending, where Hal offers Clunk some of the (generally non-existent) profits from the ship's activities in exchange for him helping to make the ship more profitable.<br /></li>
<li>"Why did I think the bank manager was a super-villain? He didn't particularly look like one. Then again, he wouldn't have been much of a super-villain if he had."<br /><br />The opening of Michael A. Stackpole's "superhero noir" story <i>In Hero Years... I'm Dead"</i> shows the main character, a middle-aged superhero coming back to town after being held captive for years, trying to make sense of a disquieting feeling he has. The sentence places us in a bank, with our hero, who's sizing up this bank manager, and wondering why he reminds the hero of a super-villain. Since there are no super-villains in our world (at least none of the comic book variety), this lets us know that the normal rules don't apply in this universe. Superheroes and villains exist here.</li>
</ul>
<div>
You can probably find many more good examples in your reading.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Crafting an opening like this can be relatively simple, but may require you to go back and revise the opening once you've written the ending. You may want to insert hints as to how the story will end, in order to give readers that "should have seen it coming" thought. You may want to borrow phrases or ideas from later in the book and insert them in the opening to show how the story world differs from the real world of today, and so on.</div>
<br />
<br />
This is one reason that author Brady Allen suggests that authors practice writing opening lines, opening paragraphs, and opening pages. Doing this gives you not only good practice in hitting the points above, but also gives you lots of story prompts you can use when you're looking for something new to write.Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-11554547758145965082015-04-06T19:30:00.001-04:002015-04-06T19:30:00.851-04:00Create a Believable, Likable Character - Part 7<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
In the last post, we saw the debriefing that ended with Paul Garrick taking command of the Prospect and being prompted to Captain. The following scene shows Paul handling his first mission as the Prospect's commanding officer. (Bear in mind that this is only a first draft, without revision, created just to put me into the character's head and world.)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<b>The Mission to Gamma Hydra V</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"Computer, begin recording. Captain Garrick's journal, day twelve of command. I've been given my first assignment. The admiral tells me it's gonna be a cake walk. We go to Gamma Hydra V, send down an away team, gather some rock, soil, water, and air samples, and come back up. The Prospect isn't the first ship to visit the place, and the others found nothing to account for the death of the planet's population. Judging from the artifacts and records that remain, the experts say it looks like there was an invasion. No idea who or what invaded, but they seem to have killed or captured the entire population of the planet within a few hours. We've never seen anything like it. The Alliance wants the samples to make sure that it really was an invasion and not some kind of plague. They found a lot of interesting tech down there that they want to salvage, and they want to make sure it's a safe place for civilians. Never mind that four previous missions came and went without a problem."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The Prospect's comm system beeped to get his attention. "Incoming message from the bridge."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Garrick turned to face the comm panel. "Accept message. Garrick here."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"Captain, this is Commander Morris."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Garrick smiled. "After twenty years, you've earned the right to call me Paul."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Morris relaxed a bit. "We're in orbit over the planet. I'll need your away team selections."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"Sending now." Garrick press the send button on his computer panel.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Morris smiled like a cat who'd caught a big, juicy canary. "You're serious about this?"</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"Damned right. You're my best friend. If I can't trust you to go down there and supervise some rock collecting, you don't deserve to be my second-in-command." Garrick smiled.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
If the smile on Morris' face could have been any wider, it might have formed a circle around his head. "Yes, sir."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"I know your previous commander liked to get his hands dirty, and he liked having someone he could trust back here running things while he was away. I'm not him."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"No, Paul, you sure aren't. Three and a half years on this ship and I've left it exactly three times. And two of those were on Earth."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"Have fun down there, Carl. Just be careful. Good first officers are hard to find."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Garrick checked to make sure his uniform was clean, and made his way to the bridge. The communications officer saluted as he entered.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"Landing party status, Lieutenant?" </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The comms officer nodded slightly. "The party is in a shuttle and making its way down to the surface. They report minimal winds and cloud cover. They should touch down in about 90 seconds."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"Good. Tell them to break out the hazard suits and rebreathers. Let's not take unnecessary risks."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The comms officer delivered the message. The tab in Paul's hand vibrated. A text message from Morris: "Are you serious? You know the atmosphere's breathable, right?"</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
He sent a message back: "If something happened to you before the wedding, Rachel would kill me."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"That's six months away."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"I don't care. Follow the orders, Commander."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"Aye, sir."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Garrick imagined Carl cursing him under his breath. It was his first real mission off the ship and he'd be spending it in a hazardous environment suit... on a world where no Alliance citizen had ever been injured or died. "Yeah, he probably hates me," Garrick thought to himself.<br />
<br />
After the shuttle landed on the planet, the viewscreen showed four point-of-view displays from the landing party's head-mounted cameras. This video was overlayed with sensor readings from the environmental suit headgear and their handheld devices. The sensor data showed nothing out of the ordinary. No radiation, no airborne toxins, and minimal bacteria.<br />
<br />
Commander Morris's voice came through the comm system. "Captain Garrick, Morris here. Are you sure we need these hazard suits? They're slowing us down and the sensors aren't picking up anything harmful."<br />
<br />
Garrick sighed. "Rick, humor me here. Stay in the suits a while longer. I'll let you out if the sensors keep showing nothing."<br />
<br />
"Aye sir," Morris said. "Everyone fan out and grab some soil samples. Get one from the city over there, another from the forest to the east, one from here, and I'll grab one from the lake over to the west."<br />
<br />
The others acknowledged the order and the landing party spread out. Garrick watched their progress, occasionally asking questions about things he saw. Several minutes later, Morris reached the shore of the lake and took out his sample kit.<br />
<br />
"Pretty place," Garrick told Morris.<br />
<br />
"Yeah," Morris said. "I could imagine taking a little boat out there and going fishing."<br />
<br />
Garrick looked at the sensor data. "You might even catch something. I see life signs in the water."<br />
<br />
"It's mostly small stuff. Although I am picking up something a little larger just off the shore." Morris stepped forward toward the water. Suddenly, the camera angle jerked upward and the screen filled with the image of murky water."<br />
<br />
"Garrick to landing party, converge on Commander Morris' position on the double! Paul, are you OK?"<br />
<br />
Paul didn't respond. Garrick's heart raced as he watched the landing party views making their way toward his friend. He could see Paul on his back in the hazard suit. He didn't appear to be moving. It seemed like an eternity before the others reached Paul. Paul's display still showed the murky water but also his declining life signs.<br />
<br />
"Get the Commander back to the shuttle and aboard the Prospect as fast as you can. Garrick to MedBay, Commander Morris has been injured on the planet's surface. It looks like he took a bite to the leg from some kind of alien creature. His life signs are dropping fast."<br />
<br />
Dr. Porter acknowledged the message and took a team to the shuttle bay. Garrick went also.<br />
<br />
Morris looked pale and slightly blue when the medical team pulled him from the shuttle and rushed him toward MedBay. Garrick followed behind, giving the doctors room to do what had to be done while staying as close to his friend as he could.<br />
<br />
"How is he, Doc?" </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
"I'm not gonna lie, Captain. It doesn't look good. There's some kind of toxin running through his system. I haven't seen anything like it. We'll see if we can run his blood through a purifier and try to get the toxin out of him."<br />
<br />
"Do whatever you can."<br />
<br />
"I will," Porter said, and returned to his patient.<br />
<br />
Garrick knew there was nothing more for him to do here, so he returned to the bridge and ordered the landing party back to the planet's surface to complete the mission. He watched the viewscreen but couldn't focus on the activity.<br />
<br />
The comm system chimed. "Captain Garrick, Dr. Porter here."<br />
<br />
"How's Commander Morris."<br />
<br />
"I'm sorry, Captain. We couldn't save him."<br />
<br />
"Understood, Garrick out. Lieutenant Hernandez, you have the bridge. I'll be in my quarters."<br />
<br />
Garrick tried to keep a blank expression on his face as he made his way to his quarters. Thoughts of Paul flooded his mind as he passed through the corridors. He saw the day they met in grade school, the time he pushed Paul to ask Rachel to dance in middle school, and dozens of other little memories from the past forty years. When the door to his quarters slid shut behind him, the tears came. They were a trickle at first, and then a flood.<br />
<br />
* * *<br />
<br />
Garrick opened the comm channel to Martha, Rick's mother and only surviving relative. Martha's face filled the screen, and she smiled.<br />
<br />
"Paul, it's so good to see you! How are--" <br />
<br />
Paul saw her face as she registered the expression on his. Her smile vanished. Her brow knitted together and her lower lip protruded slightly.<br />
<br />
"Martha, it's Rick. He's gone. I'm so sorry. I--" The tears came again before he could finish the sentence. He wanted to tell her that he felt responsible, that he was trying to do Rick a little favor before his tour of duty ended, but it had all gone wrong without warning. He let the tears flow for a few seconds, then took a deep breath and calmed himself as best he could.<br />
<br />
"How did it happen?"<br />
<br />
"He'd been telling me he wanted to get off the ship. They gave us a mission that was supposed to be a cake walk. He just had to go down to a planet, grab soil, air, and water samples, and come back. It's a planet the Alliance has visited a half-dozen times without incident. I even made him wear a hazard suit, which he was mad at me for. I thought it couldn't be any safer. He was scanning some kind of underwater creature when it bit him and poisoned him. The entire medical team worked on him, and did all they could, but we lost him. They say the poison in that creature mixed with some kind of bacteria in the water and made things worse."<br />
<br />
Martha wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. "That's it, then. The end."<br />
<br />
"Yeah, that's what happened."<br />
<br />
"No," Martha said, the tears flowing again. "I mean it's the end of the Morris family line. Rick was supposed to carry it on. He and Rachel were planning to have children as soon as possible after the wedding. I was really looking forward to grandchildren."<br />
<br />
"I know, and I'm so sorry. If I had it to do over again..." He hung his head.<br />
<br />
"It's OK, Paul. I know you did your best for Rick. He'd been telling me for months how much he hated serving under Captain Martin. Martin never let him off the ship, he said. You gave him that chance."<br />
<br />
"I did, but I feel terrible about it."<br />
<br />
"Don't. You didn't kill him, Paul. Remember that. I need to go. I've got to tell Rachel."<br />
<br />
"OK. Please tell her I'm so sorry. If I'd thought there was any chance he'd have been injured down there, I'd never have sent him."<br />
<br />
"I know, Paul. I know. Goodbye." The comm connection closed, and the display went back to showing a dashboard display of the ship's status.<br />
<br />
Paul took out a washcloth and dampened it in the sink. He cleaned his face, checking the mirror to make sure he'd gotten everything. He didn't think the crew should see him cry.<br />
<br />
"You really screwed up, Paul," he said to the image in the mirror. "First mission, and you kill your best friend... and ended his family line. Some friend you are. Some captain... What the hell was Admiral Boxleitner thinking when she put us in charge of the Prospect?"<br />
<br />
He took a deep breath, put down the washcloth, and stepped out into the corridor.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Conclusion</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
I know that the writing world tends to be made up of "plotters" who like to nail down every detail of their stories before they write them, and "pantsers" who define very little ahead of time and discover the story as it's being written. I think the approach here can be beneficial to both types of writers.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Plotters may find that putting the extra time into developing their characters and writing all this backstory detail helps them do a much better job when they write the actual story.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Pantsers may find that the discovery writing done in this part of the process helps them understand the character better before starting to write the "real" story they're imagining. It might save them from a rewrite or two.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Whatever your personal inclination may be, I hope this series has helped you understand character development better for your own writing.</div>
Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-81640350007029759612015-03-30T19:30:00.000-04:002015-03-30T19:30:00.810-04:00Create a Believable, Likable Character - Part 6In the previous five posts, I've laid out how to create a believable character and walked through the creation of a fictional character of my own, Captain Anslo Garrick of the Alliance Space Fleet starship Prospect. In the most-recent post last Monday, I discussed how author Max Drake recommends writing fictional scenes from the pivotal moments of the character's life. These might take the form of actual fictional scenes, or they could be done as interviews with the character. I'll show a little of both here.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The pivotal moments I'll choose to illustrate are:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>A debriefing of Garrick after a somewhat disastrous test flight, where he had to jerry-rig the controls to get the spacecraft back to Earth.</li>
<li>The first mission of the Prospect, which was supposed to be a simple sample-gathering expedition. This mission led to the death of Garrick's best friend Carl Martin.</li>
</ul>
<div>
I identified some other moments in the previous article, but won't be writing those and including them in this post.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Debriefing</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
Something felt different about this debriefing. Paul had crashed test craft before, and he'd been through a debrief for all of them. Usually, a handful of engineers and officers sat behind a table and asked the standard litany of questions. How had the craft performed? Were there indications of a problem before it crashed? How could he have prevented the crash? What changes in the craft might have prevented the problem or made it easier to touch down safely? That sort of thing. The gist of it was that they wanted so know what went wrong, when, and what could be done about it in the future. They were pretty informal, and had a cooperative air about them.<br />
<br />
Not this time. They told Paul to put on his dress uniform, and review his flight recorder data. That was new. He felt more like he was headed to a court martial than a debriefing. Like he was about to see his career go belly up. He swallowed the lump in his throat.<br />
<br />
A woman in a form-fitting blue business suit opened the door.<br />
<br />
"They're ready for you now, Commander Garrick."<br />
<br />
Paul took a deep breath and sighed, quickly checking his uniform for stray dirt or hair, and stepped into the room.<br />
<br />
Admiral Boxleitner pointed at the chair in front of the assembled group. "Have a seat, Commander."<br />
<br />
Paul nodded, his shoes making a clop clop noise on the hard stone floor that echoed through the room. He scanned the faces behind the table. He recognized a few of them as engineers on the project. The others looked familiar, but he couldn't place them. <br />
<br />
"Recorder," Admiral Boxleitner said, brushing the hair away from her forehead, "This debriefing has begun. Admiral Laura Boxleitner facilitating. Computer, take attendance."<br />
<br />
The computer voice noted the name and title of all those present in the room. When the computer got to the people he thought looked familiar, he felt a slight chill. They were all members of the Earth Government Council. They looked familiar because he'd seen them in news reports. What the hell were they doing here at a test flight crash debriefing? <br />
<br />
"Paul, I can see by the look on your face that we're making you a little nervous. Let me put you at ease. You're not on trial here, and no one is accusing you of doing anything wrong," Boxleitner said.<br />
<br />
"Thank you, Admiral. I take it there's no firing squad waiting outside, then?"<br />
<br />
"No," she laughed. "Please tell us about the test flight you just returned from. Computer, append all non-classified records of the test flight to the meeting minutes."<br />
<br />
"Yes, Admiral," Paul said, and began telling the story. <br />
<br />
He'd been assigned to take a small four-man scout ship out alone. There were concerns about the control system, and some worries that recent changes to the low-speed propulsion system might make the craft unstable in an atmosphere. He'd lauched it into FTL mode when suddenly a shower of sparks came from the control panel. The ship jerked out of FTL and threw him to the bulkhead, knocking him unconscious. When he came to, the air was burning hot. He staggered to the instrument panel and saw that the craft was falling into the atmosphere of a planet. The controls were mostly unresponsive, but he did the best he could to set it own softly on the planet's surface. Softly, in this case, meant that the ship took only minimal damage.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, the planet he'd crashed on had a breathable atmosphere. When the hull had cooled down enough that he could touch it, he opened the airlock and stepped outside to survey the damage. The hull seemed intact and the engines looked none the worse for wear. It might even be flown again. He went back inside and tried to activate the communication system, then the distress beacon. Nothing seemed to be working. Was it the malfunction in space? The heat of entry into the planet's atmosphere? The impact of the landing? A combination of all that? He didn't know.<br />
<br />
"Excuse me, Commander. A question for the engineering team. Do we know what happened to the controls on the Scouter?"<br />
<br />
The young engineer cleared his throat. "Yes, Senator Chalmers. One of the power conduits wasn't built to spec. It overloaded under the drain of FTL travel and caused a short-circuit, burning out the entire control surface."<br />
<br />
"Then, there's no way this crash was Commander Garrick's fault?"<br />
<br />
"None, sir. It's amazing he's not still stranded there, sir."<br />
<br />
"Why is that?"<br />
<br />
"Well, I helped design that control system and I don't know if I could have flown the craft the way he did."<br />
<br />
Chalmers turned from the engineer to Garrick. "Commander, how DID you get the craft back?"<br />
<br />
"Well, sir, I know that any aircraft or spacecraft control system is about electrical or optical signals coming from the cockpit controls out to the sensors, control surfaces, and so forth. The computer survived the crash. I used the schematics to get some idea of what wires and fiber-optic lines reached out to what controls. Then I started looking for other controls that sent the same kind of signals."<br />
<br />
The senator raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand."<br />
<br />
"Think of it like this. Imagine you're in your kitchen at home and you go to flip on the lights. The switch breaks off into your hand. You want the lights on, and your miles from an electrician. All that switch really does is connect two wires together. You could put on some rubber gloves, tie those wires together, and the lights would come on."<br />
<br />
"But you can't fly a spaceship by tying wires together, Commander."<br />
<br />
"Exactly. But when I looked around the cockpit, I found other controls that would work. Kind of like swapping out that broken kitchen light switch for the one that turns on the garbage disposal. Same switch, works the same way. All I had to do was wire similar controls to the things I needed in order to fly the ship. I wired the heating controls to the throttle lines, the steering lines to light dimmers, that kind of thing. Eventually, I had enough of the controls working that I could lift off. Once I was in space, I had the computer set a course back for Earth. Then I actually did tie a couple of wires together. A cargo ship spotted me, and the fleet sent a rescue ship."<br />
<br />
The senator's mouth hung open, his face blank. "No further questions."<br />
<br />
The admiral smiled, "Now you see why we need this guy out there, Ben. He's fearless, ingenious, resourceful."<br />
<br />
Chalmers composed himself, and cleared his throat. "Yes, yes."<br />
<br />
"Pardon me, admiral," Paul said, swallowing.<br />
<br />
She turned to face him. "Yes, Commander?"<br />
<br />
"What did you mean when you said you need me 'out there'? Out where?" His forehead wrinkled, and he shifted a bit in the uncomfortable chair.<br />
<br />
She smiled. "I'm glad you asked. The reason Senator Chalmers and the others are here is to assess your fitness for command of the Alliance Starship Prospect. I think you've convinced them that you're the man for the job. We need commanders who can think on their feet, who don't crack under pressure, and do what it takes to survive."<br />
<br />
The Senator and his aides nodded. "I've seen enough, Laura. You're right. I've gotta get back to DC for a meeting int the morning." <br />
<br />
He stood, and his aides did too. He shook the Admiral's hand, then walked around the table and over to Garrick's chair. "Hell of a story, Garrick." <br />
<br />
He shook Paul's hand and left the room, aides following close behind. The admiral turned to the engineers and nodded. One of them opened his mouth, as though he intended to ask a question. The admiral shook her head. He bowed his head slightly, picked up his tab and walked out. Garrick and the admiral were alone. When the door clicked shut, she spoke.<br />
<br />
"You look confused, Paul." She smiled at him, as if to say it wasn't such a big deal.<br />
<br />
"Frankly, admiral--"<br />
<br />
"Laura, while we're alone."<br />
<br />
"Laura, what just happened? I thought I was about to be court-martialed for messing up the controls on that ship."<br />
<br />
She laughed, then her face flushed. "I'm sorry, Paul. I asked you to put on the dress grays because I wanted to be sure you made a good impression on Senator Chalmers. I need his approval to get you the promotion, and to put you in the captain's chair on the Prospect."<br />
<br />
"I was planning to retire in a few months. I've tempted fate too many times."<br />
<br />
The smile vanished. "Retire? No. I've called in too many favors to get you promoted to Captain, and--"<br />
<br />
"Captain?"<br />
<br />
"Yes. By the regs, I can't put you in charge of the Prospect unless you hold the rank of Captain. As of right now, you do." He sat motionless as she walked around the table, took out a silver collar signifying Garrick's new rank of Captain, and replaced his Commander collar.<br />
<br />
"I don't know what to say, Laura. Thank you?"<br />
<br />
She smiled. "Close. Say yes. Tell me you'll do it."<br />
<br />
Her eyes locked onto his and wouldn't let go.<br />
<br />
"But--"<br />
<br />
"No, not 'but'. Tell me yes. Look, Paul, I need you to do this. Whether the rest of the joint chiefs know it, they need you to do it, too. I'll make you a deal. Give me four years on the Prospect. After that, you want out of the fleet, you're out. Hell, I'll throw you a retirement party they'll talk about twenty years from now. I'll even pull strings to get your rank bumped up for the pension."<br />
<br />
Paul's mind began to evaluate the options. If he retired in a few months like he'd planned, he'd probably lose the promotion. He'd also tick off the admiral, so he'd probably spend those months scrubbing latrines with a toothbrush. If he took the promotion and the job, he'd have to postpone his retirement a few years. On the other hand, retiring a couple of ranks higher would put his retirement pension close to his salary now. How bad could it be out there, compared with flying experimental ships that shorted out and crash landed?<br />
<br />
"Alright, Laura. Four years. Don't ask for a fifth. And you'd better make good on that pension."<br />
<br />
She held out her hand. "I will. Congratulations, <i>Captain</i> Garrick. The Prospect is yours. Don't scratch the paint."<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-79395276573176143912015-03-23T11:42:00.000-04:002015-03-23T11:42:00.187-04:00Create a Believable, Likable Character - Part 5<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
In the four previous posts, we've talked about what makes a good character and begun to develop the fictional character Captain Anslo Garrick of the Alliance starship Prospect. Today, we'll develop Garrick's Inner Demons and Conflicts, see if we've got the right elements to have a believable, likable character, and discuss the next steps in developing him.</div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Garrick's Inner Demons and Conflicts</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Already, we've established some of Garrick's inner demons and conflicts:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>He's a risk taker, in a fleet of officers who are being actively discouraged from taking risks.</li>
<li>He's the last of his family line unless he marries and has children.</li>
<li>He's in command of the Prospect, despite a personal wish to retire and settle down. He's questioning Admiral Boxleitner's decision to put him here, and his own decision to accept it.</li>
<li>He's just indirectly caused the death of his best friend.. </li>
<li>He wonders if all those times he survived difficulties as a test pilot has used up all his luck.</li>
<li>The friend who died was also the last of <i>his</i> family line. He doesn't want to be responsible for doing that to anyone else.</li>
<li>Garrick wanted to retire, not explore space. He's questioning whether the benefits of space exploration are worth the cost in lives.</li>
<li>Garrick believes in the Alliance as a concept, and in the Alliance Council leadership, but still has some distrust of politicians and the Earth government.</li>
<li>He's an honest man, in a world where not everyone is honest.</li>
</ul>
<br />
This is probably more than enough emotional and mental baggage for Garrick, so I think we're done there.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Garrick in Terms of Swain's Traits of a Likable Character</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Dwight Swain tells us that in order for readers to identify with (and hopefully like) a character, the character must have some or all of these qualities:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The character is a victim of undeserved misfortune.</li>
<li>The character is in danger of losing something important to him.</li>
<li>The character has a likable manner... a good heart and is well-liked by others.</li>
<li>The character has a sense of humor and the courage to make jokes we wouldn't.</li>
<li>The character is a powerful, strong, capable individual.</li>
</ul>
<div>
How does Anslo Garrick stack up? Let's see:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>He recently lost his brother to an accident, and his best friend to an alien microbe.</li>
<li>He's the last of his family line, and he's in danger of ending it. In the upcoming story, he's in danger of losing his life and that of his crew.</li>
<li>He took time to help his mother get back on her feet and grieved at the loss of his best friend. He cares about the Alliance and wants to do the right thing. He's honest, and other characters seem to like him.</li>
<li>He's capable and strong, having survived many mishaps as a test pilot for the Alliance. During the story, we'll learn that he's an able commander.</li>
</ul>
<div>
The only thing missing is a sense of humor, but this can be illustrated in the story during his interaction with others.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Final Step - Garrick's Voice</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
Max Drake taught me something very valuable last year at the Origins Game Fair in Columbus. He said that once you've assigned a role to your character, laid out his description and backstory, and are satisfied with what you have, the next step is to start seeing the world through that character's eyes. You do this by identifying pivotal moments in the character's life, which happened well before the story you're going to tell. Then, you take the time and effort to write out scenes showing those pivotal moments. These will probably never be used in your story. They're here for you to get to know your character and understand how he thinks.<br />
<br />
Drake said that empathy with the character is key here. You need to be able to cast aside your own beliefs, fears, hang-ups, etc., and adopt the character's. For example, you may be perfectly comfortable with insects. Your character, on the other hand, is deathly afraid of them. She was once accidentally locked in an attic filled with flies, spiders, and ants. So you write that scene and try your very best to imagine being the little girl trapped in an attic with lots of scary bugs. Hopefully, you come away from the experience understanding why she fears insects. (I know, spiders are arachnids and not technically insects... bear with me.)<br />
<br />
When I look over what I know about Garrick to this point, the pivotal moments are some or all of the following:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>He had one very disastrous test flight where he wound up stranded with a broken ship on an alien planet and had to fix it.</li>
<li>On the day he filed for discharge from the fleet, his brother died in an accident on a construction site. He had to spend time with his mother to help her get past it.</li>
<li>Admiral Laura Boxleitner refused to accept his discharge and convinced him to take command of the Prospect.</li>
<li>There is an away mission to a planet where a race of advanced aliens was wiped out, during which Garrick's best friend dies from infection by an alien microbe.</li>
</ul>
<br />
In the next post, I'll show you what I came up with for scenes showing these pivotal moments. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-52514932442740814852015-03-21T11:07:00.000-04:002015-03-21T11:07:13.977-04:00Kindle Worlds and Crossover StoriesWhen I was young, I always wondered what it might be like for Batman and Spiderman to team up. I wondered what would happen if Professor Xavier and the X-Men had to deal with Lex Luthor. Stories like those appeared on comic book stands. Why? There were lots of reasons. Batman was a DC Comics property, and Spiderman was Marvel Comics. DC and Marvel's writers, artists, management, and legal groups had settle on a story they both liked, agree on how to assign the profits and costs, etc. That kind of negotiation takes time and money, which comic publishers weren't swimming in. So crossover stories weren't common.<br />
<br />
Amazon has been working to change that. They recently started a service called "<a href="https://kindleworlds.amazon.com/">Kindle Worlds</a>" which allows a publisher with a popular property to make it possible for others to write stories set in that universe. There are currently about 30 properties in the program. More are coming.<br />
<br />
Since the program is relatively new, only about 30 "worlds" available for you to write in. For each listed world, you'll see the guidelines that writers wanting to publish in that world must adhere to. The "<a href="https://kindleworlds.amazon.com/world/Vonnegut?ref_=kww_home_ug_Vonnegut">World of Kurt Vonnegut</a>" includes the following guidelines as of this writing:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Pornography: We don't accept pornography or offensive depictions of graphic sexual acts.</li>
<li>Offensive Content: We don't accept offensive content, including but not limited to racial slurs, excessively graphic or violent material, or excessive use of foul language.</li>
<li>Illegal and Infringing Content: We take violations of laws and proprietary rights very seriously. It is the authors' responsibility to ensure that their content doesn't violate laws or copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, or other rights.</li>
<li>Poor Customer Experience: We don't accept books that provide a poor customer experience. Examples include poorly formatted books and books with misleading titles, cover art, or product descriptions. We reserve the right to determine whether content provides a poor customer experience.</li>
<li>Excessive Use of Brands: We don't accept the excessive use of brand names or the inclusion of brand names for paid advertising or promotion.</li>
<li>Crossover: No crossovers from other Worlds are permitted, meaning your work may not include elements of any copyright-protected book, movie, or other property outside of the elements of this World.</li>
<li>The World does not include characters, scenes, events, themes or plots that are unique to derivative works such as books, movies and television shows based on Kurt Vonnegut’s novels, novellas, and short stories.</li>
</ol>
<br />
So if you'd always been dreaming of writing a sequel to Cat's Cradle, you have that chance as long as you write well and follow the guidelines above. In this case, though, you can't mix your existing characters with Vonnegut's because of Guideline 6.<br />
<br />
This is an exciting opportunity for readers to see favorite characters shown in new ways, or in crossovers. It's also exciting for writers who have always wanted to write a story in one of their favorite authors' universes.<br />
<br />Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-942293706478181972015-03-16T19:30:00.001-04:002015-03-16T19:30:00.728-04:00Create a Believable, Likable Character - Part 4<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the earlier posts in this series,
we talked about the various things we need to do to create a good character.
In the previous post, we created the fictional character Captain Anslo
Garrick of the Alliance starship Prospect. Today, let’s develop Garrick's
backstory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Captain
Garrick's "Far" Backstory</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Garrick was born on
Earth, in the United States, in Central Ohio. He has a brother named Matthew.
He attended Catholic schools, and his parents were committed to their faith.
Garrick appreciates the education he received but doesn’t share his
parents' religious views. He views religion as an archaic way to get
people to behave the way they should naturally. While he embodies much of
what the church teaches, this isn't because of faith but because he believes it’s
the right way to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">After high school,
Garrick joined the Alliance Academy in Florida. It’s located on the site of
the old Cape Canaveral NASA facility. NASA was absorbed into the Alliance
Space Fleet once the Alliance came into existence. In the Academy, Garrick
became a skilled pilot and leader.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As a member of the
Alliance Space Fleet, Garrick became a test pilot for the earliest Alliance
spacecraft. These ships merged the existing human space flight
technologies with those from other Alliance member races. The designs
didn't always work, and Garrick's life was often in danger. On one
particularly disastrous flight, the spacecraft went far off course and light
years from its intended destination. Part of the control system burnt out
and he was forced to make a rough landing on an uninhabited planet.
Fortunately, Garrick was able to jerry-rig the control system and get the
craft back to Earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tailoring Garrick's Backstory to My Needs</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">While I see how Garrick
got to this point, I need to steer the backstory to the needs of this
particular tale. I want Garrick to fret about the disposition of the
aliens on this spacecraft. Given that they're brutal, savage,
power-hungry creature, he would normally have little resistance to killing them.
I don't want it to be that easy. Despite the threat they pose to
the Alliance, I want him to have a problem with just blowing them away.
How do I do that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">One way is to amp up the
fact that these aliens could be the last of their kind. Suddenly, what
might have been the disposal of a threat becomes an act of genocide. Given
his moral character, Garrick's not going to like that. Still, the aliens’
destructive tendencies might override his compassion. I want to amp up his
insecurities around "the last of their kind" thinking... How will I
do that? I'll litter his very-recent backstory with unhappy moments that
show an end to things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Garrick's "Near" Backstory</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">On his forty-fifth birthday,
Garrick files forms with the ASF to be discharged. On the same day, his
brother Matthew dies in an accident at work. Matthew was in love with a
woman he was planning to marry later in the year. Garrick was to be his
best man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Matthew's death left their
mother severely depressed. Garrick took a leave of absence to care for her.
She now lives in a rest home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He received a video call
from Admiral Laura Boxleitner. The admiral told him she can’t accept his
resignation. She wants him to accept command of the Alliance flagship
Prospect. He told her he appreciated the honor, but he wanted to retire,
settle down, and raise a family. "I'm not getting younger," he
tells her, "and my mom wants grandkids before she dies." He asks
her why she's not promoting his best friend Carl Martin, the first officer of
the Prospect. She says Martin has not signed on for another tour of duty
and will leave the fleet in a few weeks. Garrick didn't know that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In the end, Boxleitner
convinces Garrick to accept a four-year post as captain of the Prospect.
She tells him if he'll just do that, she'll promise him a promotion, so his
pension will be higher. He decides a four-year delay is fine, and running
a starship is probably safer than test-piloting was. He grudgingly
accepts the commission, saying "Four years. Don't ask for a
fifth."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It's important to note that
the Alliance is new and its space fleet consists of only four active ships -
with a fifth in drydock. Because this fleet of four ships is all the
Alliance has (though it can call in ships from member races during a crisis),
the fleet leadership encourages officers to be very careful with their ships.
Losing just one starship means the loss of a quarter of the Alliance
fleet. When fleet command gives orders to a captain, the somewhat-joking
sign-off is "Don't scratch the paint." (This is short-hand for:
"That ship and crew are valuable. Don't take any unnecessary
risks.") Boxleitner says this to Garrick when he accepts the commission.
Garrick chuckles when he hears this. As a test pilot, he's crash
landed or ejected from dozens of spacecraft, doing much more than scratching
the paint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">(I've established something
subtle but important here. The culture in the ASF is that commanders are actively
discouraged from taking risks. If this isn't interrupted, that
"don't take risks" philosophy will permeate the ASF and make it a
fleet of cautious, careful, and fearful officers. This will erode their
ability to protect the Alliance and explore the galaxy. Garrick, a
risk-taker at heart, will realize this is the wrong culture to create.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Garrick’s first mission
as the Prospect’s captain drives home the "last of its kind" motif.
The mission from Admiral Boxleitner was meant to gently introduce Garrick
the ship, crew, and space exploration. They visit an alien world which
once housed an advanced, enlightened, and artistic civilization. Unknown forces destroyed them thousands of
years earlier, but their cities and artworks remain. Garrick's crew must take
soil, air, and water samples for analysis. This had been overlooked by
previous expeditions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Garrick's best friend
Carl Martin is approaching the end of his four-year enlistment term. He was
aboard the Prospect under its previous commander. In two months, Martin reaches
the end of his tour of duty. He wants to return home, marry his fiancée,
and raise a family as Garrick had planned. The previous commander always
lead the landing parties, leaving Carl behind to watch over the ship.
Garrick let Martin lead this expedition as a favor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">On the planet, Martin
loses slips in the mud next to a small pond and falls in. This exposes
him alien bacteria that kills him within a few hours. Garrick is
devastated. He has unintentionally ordered his best friend to his death.
As our story begins, Garrick calls Martin's mother to give her the bad
news. Martin's mother laments that she'll be the last of the family line.
When Garrick disconnects from the call, he will be further distraught at
the realization that his first official decision as captain of the Prospect ended
his best friend’s family line. (This might turn out to be too
heavy-handed in the final story, but we’ve now shown Garrick postpone his dream
of a family, unintentionally destroy his best friend’s family line, and witness
the works of an amazing civilization that was destroyed.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In Part 5 (next Monday),
we'll look at Garrick's inner demons and talk about how I'll go find his voice
and get into his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-60382643685631888972015-03-09T19:30:00.001-04:002015-03-09T19:30:00.950-04:00Create a Believable, Likable Character - Part 3In the first and second installments of this series, we talked about creating a character that is three-dimensional and empathetic to the audience. In this final installment, I am going to describe a story I am developing and one of the characters who will appear in it.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Story</b></div>
<br />
This is a science-fiction story set about 150-200 years from today. Mankind has only a handful of faster-than-light starships, so it's very cautious with them. When an officer takes command of a ship, it's a ritual for the officer's commander to say "Don't scratch the paint."<br />
<br />
Our story focuses on the starship Prospect, which has just encountered what appears to be a derelict alien spacecraft headed for the nearby sun. The spacecraft is an unfamiliar design. It seems to be more or less completely intact. There are no clear life signs.<br />
<br />
Prospect's standing orders are to acquire any alien technology they can without significant risk to ship or crew. They're also ordered to make first contact with new species they encounter. These orders are balanced against the admonition to protect the valuable starship.<br />
<br />
What our captain doesn't know is that this is not a derelict craft. It's a sleeper ship for a race of powerful, intelligent, brutal, sadistic aliens. It traveled from a nearby galaxy. The occupants used it to escape from their own galaxy after a rebellion nearly destroyed their entire race. The alien craft is looking for an inhabited world that it can land on, whereupon it will wake the crew. On the ship, the crew has enough manpower and weaponry to conquer or destroy a planet or star. Worse, they have no compunction against doing that.<br />
<br />
When the captain decides to board this ship, believing it to be a salvage operation, it's treated as a full-on invasion by the alien ship's defense system. For most of the story, the captain and his boarding party are fighting for their lives. Near the end, the captain will be forced to decide the fate of this alien species. Will he let them die? Will he disarm them and find them an uninhabited world to live on? Or will he find another option?<br />
<br />
The rest we'll leave for the actual story.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Basics of the Character</b></div>
<br />
As we discussed before, Max Drake said that you need to figure out WHY you need a character and what ROLE that character will play in the story. Our character is the man in charge of the starship Prospect. He'll be leading the landing party aboard the alien ship, and the fight for the landing party's lives inside the alien ship. When the dust settles, he'll have a choice to make. The ship is very likely to land on a densely populated and peaceful planet in Alliance space. If the captain does nothing, the aliens will emerge from hibernation on that planet and seize control of it. Since it's a spacefaring civilization, the aliens will likely use that to conquer other worlds. If he kills the aliens, he may be committing genocide, since the aliens may no longer exist elsewhere. If he disarms them and maroons them on an uninhabited world, he has no idea how long it will take them to rebuild their society and become a threat to the Alliance. His primary role in the story is to make that difficult call. There is also the fact that this ship contains weapons which are many times more powerful than anything Earth or the Alliance has today. If he takes those, what will the fleet and the Earth do with them? Is this too much power?<br />
<br />
<div>
Responsibility is a theme here. Garrick will simultaneously be responsible for his life, the life of his boarding party, the crew of his ship, and the aliens. He's also responsible for protecting the Prospect from destruction. As the story unfolds, he also has to accept responsibility for the treasures and weaponry aboard this spacecraft.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Duty is another theme. Garrick has a duty to protect his ship and crew, but also to explore, gather technology, and make first contact with alien races. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The value of life (human or alien) is another point. Garrick mourns the loss of crew members who die, and feels a measure of guilt and responsibility for that. He doesn't think killing the aliens is right, given that they could be the last of their kind. He also values the lives of the Alliance citizens too much to risk letting the aliens run loose.</div>
<br />
Using what we've talked about in the previous articles, here is my starting point for Garrick:<br />
<ul>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Name</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> – Captain Anslo Paul Garrick, known simply as Captain Garrick to his crew</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Gender</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> – Male, human, age 45</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Vocation</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> – Former test pilot for the Alliance, promoted to Captain of the Alliance Space Fleet starship Prospect, the flagship of the ASF's (current) fleet of 5 ships</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Direction in Life</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> – Garrick loves the thrill of new experiences, but lately has been thinking about settling down to raise a family in a comfortable, safe place</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Story Goal</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> – Board an alien spaceship that seems to be derelict or abandoned, make first contact with any aliens aboard, or salvage the ship or any useful technology on it</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Tags</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> – risk-taker, physically fit, empathetic, introspective, honest, considerate</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Backstory</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">, </span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Character Arc, </b><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Inner demons and inner conflicts, </b><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Worldview</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> – These are going to require some detail work, so we'll discuss them in a moment.</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Role in the Story </b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">– Garrick's role in the story is to serve as the protagonist who keeps things moving along, but he's also the one who is forced to make some difficult decisions. What should he do with the aliens he finds on this ship? What should he do with the weaponry they have aboard, which is far more lethal than the Alliance has?</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-indent: -23.9999980926514px;">
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
For this story to be its best, the captain's backstory, inner demons, and character arc all need to mesh together in order for his final decision to have the right impact on the reader - and on him. Let's examine Garrick's worldview first.</div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;">
<b>Captain Garrick's Worldview</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">
I envision the Alliance universe of which this story is part to have a 3-segment arc of its own. The first segment or "era" shows mankind starting approximately where we are today, discovering the ability to travel faster than light into outer space. During the first era, our technology doesn't work so well, we're still susceptible to most of our human shortcomings (like greed, prejudice, and deceit). During the second era, we've faced enough threats in space that we've begun overcoming all that. We see all humans as one species, and stopped squabbling over religion, race, social status, etc.</div>
<div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">
This story is set near the end of the first era and the start of the second. Mankind has recently established the Alliance for Sentient Lifeforms (ASL) and convinced several alien species to join it. We've worked with the member races to design the most-powerful ships we're capable of, to serve as the defense and exploration fleet for the Alliance. Only 5 of these ships have been built so far. The Prospect, our home for this particular story, is the first of these. Three others are also out there exploring the galaxy, and the fifth is still in the dock being prepped for launch. </div>
<div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">
Living in the time between an unenlightened mankind filled with greed, racism, deceit, and power-hungry people and a more-enlightened time when we have overcome these things, Garrick has a healthy distrust of his fellow man. Most humans, and indeed most of his crew, respect and cooperate with one another. Greed, power plays, dishonesty, and the like are uncommon but not unheard-of. Garrick sees humanity as a single entity, and doesn't think of divisions within it along national boundaries, religious viewpoints, etc., but knows that not everyone shares that view. He genuinely believes in what the Alliance stands for, and is working to make it a reality.</div>
<div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">
In Garrick's universe, there is a single Earth government populated by people who are generally acting in the best interests of humankind. These occasional "lapses" by the politicians in charge of the Alliance make Garrick a bit skeptical that he can completely trust the current Earth government. He's a little more trusting of the Alliance Council than the Earth government at this point, because he's seen nothing but honorable behavior from the council's membership. </div>
</div>
<div style="text-indent: -23.9999980926514px;">
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<br />
In next Monday's post, we'll create Garrick's backstory.</div>
</div>
Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-76737885729680768702015-03-02T19:30:00.001-05:002015-03-02T19:30:00.638-05:00Create a Believable, Likable Character - Part 2<div class="MsoNormal">
In Part 1, we discussed what makes a character realistic,
likable, and empathetic for readers. <br />
<br />
We
need to understand their role in the story and why they in it. Then, we need to give them certain qualities
which help make them empathetic and likable.
We also need to ensure they embody flaws we can see and sympathize
with. That’s a tall order.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dwight Swain claimed in <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0806139188/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0806139188&linkCode=as2&tag=mikesalsbusbl-20&linkId=R4GNWBYXOSK7NBKH">Creating Characters</a></i> that a character needed a minimum number of
qualities. In <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004J35J8W/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004J35J8W&linkCode=as2&tag=mikesalsbusbl-20&linkId=NHYJXR4ZLIWPUHCD">Story Engineering</a></i>, Larry Brooks discusses what he believes are the
key variables that create a solid, three-dimensional story character. Synthesizing what I’ve learned from several
writers, including these, we need:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Name</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> –
The character must have a name.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Ideally,
the names of the characters in the story won’t sound alike or be hard for the
reader to “sound out” when seen on the page.</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Gender</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
– In many stories, this may be irrelevant.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">In a patriarchal society, a female character may not have the rights,
privileges, and freedoms she would in another society.</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Vocation</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
– This might be a job, or simply be a position in a family, group, or
community.</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Direction
in Life</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> – This is a need for one or more of the following:</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">(1) adventure, (2) security or safety, (3)
recognition or fame, (4) response from others (respect, love, or friendship),
or (5) power.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">This direction colors the
character’s actions in the story.</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Goal</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> –
This is the character’s specific goal within the story.</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Tags</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> –
Brooks calls these “affectations and personality” while Swain calls them “adjectives
of manner.”</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">These are words and phrases that
other characters in the story, and the reader, would use to describe this
character.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">It could include words like:
sloppy, disorganized, easily frightened, tall, thin, or shaky.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">It could include habits, tics, or
quirks.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">It might include clothing choices,
furniture choices, etc.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">The reader (and
the other characters) may not know </span><i style="text-indent: -0.25in;">why</i><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
these things are as they are, and the character may or may not be aware of
them.</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Backstory</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
– Brooks and Drake both stress the importance of knowing what events in the
past shaped the character into what they are.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Identify the events that shaped the character into who they are
today.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Write scenes or stories about
those events, so you can see the events as your character saw them, and
experience it with them.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">This will help
you understand the character.</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Character
Arc</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> – What will the character learn (or change) during the story, solving
the problems they encounter along the way?</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Inner
demons and inner conflicts</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> – What inner issue holds the character
back?</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Did a traumatic event in their
backstory make them afraid of fire?</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Are
they afraid to commit to a partner?</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Worldview</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
– Swain referred to this as “character plus hang-up.”</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">It combines the backstory with the inner demons,
and becomes the character’s adopted belief system or moral compass.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">For example, they may believe all politicians
are crooks because they witnessed local city council members taking bribes.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Role in
the Story </b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">– What role does the character play in the story?</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
In next Monday’s post, I’ll walk through an example of this
for a story I’m working on. I’ll
describe the story, explain the example character’s role in it, and start “filling
in the blanks” above.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948298592499085364.post-30203561572351322762015-02-23T19:30:00.001-05:002015-02-23T19:30:00.343-05:00Create a Believable, Likable Character - Part 1<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I told you I’ve mastered character creation, I’d be lying. I often wonder what will make my characters
come to life on the page for my readers.
After studying characterization from Dwight Swan, Larry Brooks, Michael
A. Stackpole, Max Drake, and others I’ve forgotten, I’m still wrapping my head
around the concept. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What I’ll discuss here can be applied to villains, henchmen,
and “bit part” characters. It might be
overkill in some cases, but that’s your choice to make as the writer. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Max Drake taught me that it’s usually better to start by
figuring <i>why</i> you need a character and
the role that character will play in your story. Consider this before you develop the character. If they serve no purpose in the story, or serve a purpose that an existing character could easily handle, this new character isn't needed. For the characters we do need, we want them to be three-dimensional and (usually) likable for the reader.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In <i>Story Engineering</i>,
Larry Brooks tells us a three-dimensional character combines:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><b>Outer Affectations</b>
– These are things other characters can see.
This might include their clothing, their habits and rituals, their
quirks, and so forth. We don’t know <i>why</i> the character is this way, only what
we see.</li>
<li><b>Inner Reasoning</b> –
The reasons why the outer affectations are what they are. Perhaps the character is afraid of water
because her big brother tried to drown her as a child. Note that the character may not even be aware of
the reasoning for what they do, but the author should be.</li>
<li><b>Behavior Under
Pressure</b> – What does the character do when their back is to the wall? Will she jump in the lake to save her best
friend, or will fear keep her safe and dry on the shore</li>
</ul>
For Dwight Swain, a likable character embodies one or more of
the following qualities:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>The character is a
victim of undeserved misfortune</b>, such as having their home destroyed by a
tornado. It’s important that the
misfortune isn’t something they caused or could have foreseen, as this could
make them look stupid, self-destructive, or evil.</li>
<li><b>The character is in danger
of losing something important to them.</b>
This doesn’t have to mean physical danger. Going broke is a danger even though it won’t
kill you.</li>
<li><b>The character has a
likable manner</b>, a good heart, and is well-liked by other characters in the
story. </li>
<li><b>The character has a
sense of humor</b>, and the courage to make jokes we wouldn’t be able to make
in the same situation. (Note that this
doesn’t mean the character makes inappropriate jokes that offend others, but rather
they might poke a finger in the bad guy’s oversized belly and call him a “dough
boy”.)</li>
<li><b>The character is a
powerful, strong, capable individual.</b>
The character defends what they believe in, gets back up when knocked
down, and behaves competently.</li>
</ul>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you think about popular fictional characters, you’ll see these
in play. Consider the Indiana Jones
character from the movies:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>He suffered undeserved misfortune. His mother died when he was young and his
father didn’t give him all the attention he wanted.</li>
<li>He’s often in danger of losing something important to him,
whether it’s a woman he loves, his father’s life, or his own life.</li>
<li>He has a likable manner, a good heart, and is well-liked by
most of the other characters.</li>
<li>He has a sense of humor.
He plays tricks on others, cracks jokes, and laughs at appropriate
times.</li>
<li>He is powerful, strong, and capable. He doesn’t back down from the many huge
challenges in the movies.</li>
</ul>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s important to note, however, that this doesn’t mean our
character shouldn’t have flaws. No one
is perfect. Despite his courage and heroism,
Indiana Jones feared snakes and wasn’t always a nice guy. Those flaws helped us see him as a real
person.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In next Monday's post, I’ll discuss how we create a character with the qualities described here.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Michael Salsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424370346585784411noreply@blogger.com0