Hi Martha,
Here’s a question that I’m almost too embarrassed to ask.
My SceneTracker is strong from Chapter 1 Scene 1 through Chapter 3 Scene 7.
I have the big scene for Chapter 5 Scene 15.
It’s the empty 7 scenes between that is making me anxious and doubt myself. I could develop characters in each scene and provide their POVs but I feel like I should know the flow and what will happen next “because she did this ….”
Does this happen to others?
And what would be the best way to prime the muse to have the characters tell me the rest of the story?
Do your characters “talk” to you? I’ve heard writers say this.
What do you honestly think?
Writing in North Carolina
Dear Writing in North Carolina,
One technique would be to leave the scenes empty for now and forge ahead.
If you believe that the Climax — the final big scene before the Resolution at the End — determines what comes before, the sooner you reach the Climax the better.
Sounds like creating Dramatic Action filled with conflict, tension, suspense and curiosity is intuitive for you and Character Emotional Development less so. Why do I say that? You wrote first that “I could develop characters in each scene” and followed with your gut feeling: “I feel like I should know the flow and what will happen next “because she did this ….”
Stay in your strength while keeping the goal of writing your first draft all the way through. The important thing is whatever keeps you writing.
My characters seem to take up residency in every aspect of my life for as long as it takes me to finish a project, which can be a long time. I usually know the end before I begin. I take it draft by draft by draft, knowing each draft will deepen my vision of the project as I sink deeper into the story and spend more and more time with my characters.
Look to research to help dream up and develop scenes. Once you know:
1) what the character wants
2) what stands in her way
3( What she stands to lose
4) The character’s flaw
Find inspiration and ideas in researching the unusual world you’ll develop in the Middle, any major historical, political, spiritual, scientific events during the time period including contemporary.
I’ll put the word out for input from other writers.
Good luck.
Sincerely,
Martha
Interesting topic. 😀
My critique partner tells me only to have scenes that are crucial to the plot, scenes that move the plot forward, otherwise it is fluff and bogs the story down.
I am writing my current ms by having the characters tell me what happens next. It has worked. I kept asking myself what the characters were thinking after I had written a scene and what they would do next? I researched their personalities and wrote down their traits.
GMC – Goal, Motivation, and Conflict are the elements that bring the story to the dark moment and the resolution. The worst thing that could happen should happen and then the characters should find growth so they can move past it to a HEA – Happy Ever After.
Hugs, JJ
I do what you suggest, Martha. I make a list of antagonists both internal and external. Generating the list always fires up ideas. Referring to the list keeps the fire hot.
Martha knows I use the concepts laid out in her book loosely then put my own spin on things. Here’s what works for me:
…I keep a fragment file where I keep ideas, conversations I’ve overheard, plot points, ANYTHING that might inspire me down the road.
…If I get stuck (and we all do) I go out and do my errands paying very careful attention to everything around me. It could be something as simple (and crazy) as the name on a Walgreen’s clerk’s nametag, but I always race home to get back into my story.
…I think Martha said this, so I’ll reinforce it, just keep writing. Sometimes you have to skip around in the story. I do it all the time.
…When all else fails, I read a few paragraphs or pages from a book I love. It’s like working out, once you start, you get motivated, inspired and start to feel really good. Good writing always makes me want to create great writing of my own.
So get to it, girl. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Just write the damn book!!!!!
Mary Kennedy Eastham
Author: The Shadow of a Dog I Can’t Forget
Works-in-Progress: The Possibilities of Love (Short Story Connection, Night Surfing (My first novel)
Fun to hear from you, Mary! Thanks for your ideas and your inspiring tone. Helpful motivation.
Congratulations on the poem and the wonderful organization you’re involved with. Thanks for sending the info. How was the Oregon book party????
fondly,
martha
Oops, meant to comment to you, too, nature nut and livetowrite.
Nature nut: your critique partner is so right.
I’m determined someday to write a book the way you have chosen to — entirely character-driven based on the dramatic action rather than juggling history, character, and action all at the same time. I can imagine how deeply you connect to the character. And, the characters must be thrilled to be given free rein……
livetowrite: great suggestion!
Perhaps, the following questions will help in your inspirational writing…
What impact do you want to have on your audience in this particular writing? If it’s a “call to action,” what action do you want them to take? If it’s introspection, where do you want them to look? If it’s to stimulate, what do you want to stimulate? You get the idea.
What has been showing up in your life that has a message for you? How can you share this message?
What do you really want your audience to know?
I hope this helps get you going…
For inspiration about a scene–I think about an episode in real life that moved me, or scene in a movie, or TV show, sometimes even a book I’ve read.
Whats important is that I feel or have felt the emotion in the scene. I have to be right there with the characters so readers will be too!
I’ve read a lot of writers blogs. Never commented until now. I just had to tell you how helpful I find this. Keep up the good work
I write poetry and some short stories from my life’s experiences..so character development is not something I have tried a lot of..but self doubt is something all writers seem to have at one time or another..(or everyday like me..::))))
I usually consult close friends for a review..which usually means I was fretting over nothing but in some cases I got some good points and feedback
My suggestion goes along with a couple things which have already been said: figure out what your character wants, etc. But I’m going to throw a monkey wrench into things. Once you’ve figured out what your character wants most, think of the worst possible thing that could happen to her which will keep her from her goal. Then have that thing happen to her.
Readers don’t want to be led through the character’s life in order to get to the big climax. They want to be dragged, yanked, picked up and thrown through the plot along with the character. They may love your character, but they want things to be difficult, hard, even tragic. Not because they’re cruel, but because they want the character to win in the end. The victory is that much sweeter when it’s too hard to win.
So, torture your babies. That’s what your reader wants. 😉
Best of luck!
VG
PS – Please note that I’m a popular fiction writer. Folks who are of a literary fiction bent may have variable mileage 😉
Hi Robert,
Know all about the self-doubt. It’s what makes writing all the more difficult with that critic nattering in our heads — or ego, I guess it could also be called.
Venessa, I love what you wrote: “The victory is that much sweeter when it’s too hard to win.” This is perfect!
I find myself warning writers, especially women writers, not to fall too in love with their characters or they’ll never put them in peril.
Those things handed us on a silver platter can never compare to that which we fight have to fight for.
Well put……
I plot first. Listen to my characters as I write what I plotted. Re-plot. Then listen again. The back and forth process seems to help me. I guess it’s like you say, using both sides of the brain.
You did a great job in answering, I don’t have anything to offer, the best advice for getting stuck is to keep going, and that is what you ultimately let eveyone know. Love you, you are a genius!
As requested, I’ll give my two cents:
Characterization has never been one of my strengths, though I feel like some of my more recent characters are starting to become actual people who can drive my scenes more than they used to. But, I don’t have conversations with them.
My method of plotting tends to be making as tight an outline as possible at the beginning, complete with fun scenes and plot twists and everything else I want to include in the book – this isn’t always easy, as there are some sections that are hard to fit together, and it usually takes me a good week to get it down.
Then, when I start writing, I always see things that I didn’t before and end up changing the plot in very significant ways. One example with my current project: two central characters were introduced much earlier on than planned.
It’s hard to offer specific advice without knowing more about your project, but do you know anything that needs to happen between chapter 3 and 5? Do you have any things you’d like to include that would work well there? I would start with that and see where it took me.
Alternately, you could just start writing and see how it ends up. You might get some ideas in the process, and you can always revise later.
-Thorn / Novelish.com
I’m a prime example as one of those women writers who fall in love with her characters and can’t bear to put them in peril. Yet, I realize now its a very slow read, indeed. Gotta take the gloves off and get to work creating dark moments. I dare say this is going to be a lot harder on me than on my character.
A writer can become too occupied with analyzing the story from a distance and lose track of characters or only identify with one character. This can hurt the overall characterization of antagonists and secondary characters.
I think we should put on different hats. Just as a great actor gets into character, we need to relax (meditate, soak in the bath, whatever) and use that strong imagination to literally envision ourselves as the character.
If you do this as your villain, you’ll know exactly how to attack the hero in the most vicious and severe ways (leading to a more interesting story).
Scenes can be structured into 3 parts in order to eliminate filler.
1. Problem
2. Conflict
3. Resolution
Conflict tests your character. Resolution molds them by their actions. This is where character development comes from (heroes make personal sacrifices and villains make selfish decisions).
If you’re stuck (or bored) and want to spark your imagination, check out Dreamlines at http://www.solaas.com.ar/dreamlines/
Type in a few keywords related to your scene and watch the magic.
P.S. Martha, I left you a message at BC, regarding your technical blog question.
I am so grateful to each of you for commenting.
I’m learning from each and every one of you and I am confident other writers benefit from all these thoughts, insights, and advice, too.
Thanks to each of you for taking the time…….
Hey, surprisingly good stuff here. Nice job.
Interesting writing analysis, Martha. Unfortunately, I have no idea what any of it means. I never took a writing course in my life. A fertile imagination, and an ability to infuse dialoge is all that I’ve really got. An agent one told me, “you punch the words onto the pages and you leave very little fat.” I have no idea what she meant either. Ha!
Hi Joseph,
Sounds like you’re on the right track!