One of the most fascinating aspects of being a plot coach for writers is learning about other writers’ writing process.
Usually, I find that writers have a preference for communicating their projects through one plotline initially over the other three plotlines — character emotional development, dramatic action, and thematic significance.
Most writers divide into one of two groups — developing characters versus developing action. However, every so often I find a writer who approaches a story through the thematic significance or deeper meaning of the piece. Recently, I worked with a writer who not only excelled in thematic significance, she was drowning in it.
Sara, I’ll call her, is a memoirist. Throughout the plot phone consultation, Sara’s fears of not being able to do what she had set out to do constantly interrupted the flow. Her self-doubts about her abilities and worthiness were doing to her what they do to all of us — stall, cripple, and damage the writing process more than any lack in actual writing abilities.
To protect herself from her fears, Sara stayed in her head. She seemed incapable of bringing the story down into her body. As difficult as it was to get her to consider the dramatic action needed in her story, she was oblivious to developing the characters. Sara had spent years intellectualizing her memoir. She had never written a word.
Sara had strong beliefs she was determined to bring forward, points to prove, judgments to render. When given the chance to stay in the intellectual, Sara’s voice grew strident. I sensed she had to force herself to bite back true anger. Yet, her bitterness was the very emotion preventing her from actually ever writing her story. To get around her anger about the unfairness of the establishment, I kept asking her to consider the protagonist’s (her) transformation and what actions got her there.
We finished the consultation after more than three hours with a good plot planner in place. However, I worry about whether or not she’ll ever get beyond her self-doubts and anger to actually get out of her head and write the story. I hope so. The story has merit. We’ll see….
*FYI: For a technique to determine what parts of your life to include and which to cut in your memoir, go to http://www.blockbusterplots.com and click on Memoir Writers.)
**FYI: Sure, lots of natural-born storytellers excel at all three approaches to writing at once. But, for the rest of us, a firm understanding of our strengths and weaknesses can help us achieve balance in creating our stories.
I have a test for writers to determine whether they are a character-driven writer versus a dramatic action-driven writer on http://www.blockbusterplots.com/test.html
OR
Ask yourself if you prefer to develop the character and break down at coming up with conflict, tension, and suspenseful dramatic action? Or, are you great at creating breakneck excitement on the page, but come up short when it comes to character?
OR
Do you live through your mind and like to intellectualize about life? You could be best at developing thematic significance.
Are you active and live through movement and your body? You could be best at developing dramatic action.
Are you spiritually driven — this does not mean religious, but spiritual? You could be best at character emotional development.
Maybe talking about her story is enough for her. I know lots of people who talk a good story. Few who are still and quiet enough to actually call themselves writers.
Writers write. Right? Everyone else talks about writing.
This post of yours gave me just what a needed: a kick in the pants to get back to my writing.
Thanks.
Hey, can you give us a better pointer to that test you have on your website–I want to see if YOU can answer the question of what I plot first.
I usually start seeing fun scenes–in my WIP, two kids will be acting in a performance of Hamlet, so I’m going to have a LOT of fun with the sword fight. And, natch, there has to be SOMETHING with the skull. And I have a scene where I know the other hero (sidekick) gets to tell off a truly obnoxious character. Then, as I start thinking more about character and theme, I sort of start attaching those to the scenes I’ve visualized and adding more–like I now know that telling-off scene is going to resonate with the whole theme of the book.
It’s kind of a mish-mash. Which is why I want to take your test!
It’s so hard to separate yourself from the book–I feel for “Sara.” I think writing for kids has helped me step a bit further away from my own “crud.” Or I’m only dealing with my past crud, and that’s long enough ago that I get to put some power behind my characters, so they don’t have to put up with the things I did. Maybe. 🙂
I, too, get stuck in my fear of what I write not measuring up, that no one will care to read it, that it will have no merit.
How does one get beyond that?
I could use some tips on that.
Thank you.
Gotta drive right through the fear.
We all have doubts.
The question becomes, will we let our fears silence our voice?
Good luck
I LOVE this blog.
Thanks 🙂
Thanks to each of you for commenting on the blog. I love hearing from you. Visiting writers benefit from your input.
Becky, I did change the link to the character-driven versus action-driven writer’s test in the body of my post. FYI: http://www.blockbusterplots.com/test.html
Great good luck with your writing……
Thanks again.
Sincerely,
Martha Alderson
Great post. My husband told me years ago I would never become a good writer until I let go of the emotional pain that was driving me. I did let it go and now I’m writing. 😀
My current mainstream ms is character driven, an experiment, and I’m going to places I’ve never been with my characters and enjoying the ride. This has given my ms more depth and more complex characters.
I used to outline the plot until my heroine said no to her marriage proposal at the end of the book. My eyes popped. LOL
Thanks for posting on my blog, and I have also favorited yours. 😀
I looove talking about the writing craft!
Hugs, JJ
Never thought about what kind of writer I am. This is a lot to mull over. I’ll take the test and see for myself.
No wonder I have so much trouble making something happen on the page — I’m charcter driven, for sure.
all this makes my head spin
what about just writing the story?
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