McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
My writing needs help
meg_evonne:
--- Quote from: Shecky on December 18, 2009, 11:52:13 AM ---One rule of thumb that works in a lot of problematic situations is this: when you're having a problem, turn the problem around. In this case, what that means is that if you're having problems with the ending, START with the ending and work BACK from there. Take the character(s) you've already created and visualize some great victory, loss or combination thereof. Then build a couple of intermediate endpoints: how did the character(s) GET there? Lather, rinse, repeat. In the end, smooth out all these connections with text.
Hell, that's how I did at least half of my grad-school papers.
--- End quote ---
This always blows my mind, when I hear that people are able to write backwards. Not that I haven't done that once in awhile, but I never know how I did it afterward. My mind just can't get around that idea. I use the fishbowl I guess. Everything goes into it, ideas for the ending, interactions between characters, conflicting character traits, even blank holes for characters that aren't evolved yet, but you know they need to be there. Stir, don't shake and out it comes... :-)
When I want to sound serious, I call it a collection of the cosmos and you throw frisbees into it--but basically it's a fishbowl. If you end up with too short of a story, you don't have enough stuff mixing around in the creative goop of creation. Toss in more spices. And keep adding in spices until it burns the tongue.
Blaze:
Even as a kid I could never find that brevity which is the soul of wit.
Kris_W:
--- Quote from: meg_evonne on December 19, 2009, 04:05:47 AM ---This always blows my mind, when I hear that people are able to write backwards.
*snip*
--- End quote ---
One of the ways I 'write backwards' is to -
First - Look at the character as a finished product - the hero, the ultimate whozitt.
Second - Then I look for the individual strengths the character has.
Third - One by one, write up how the character acquired each individual strength.
Fourth - Put in chronological order, fixing clearly impossible stuff.
Five - Fiddle around a bit more, to find the character's low and high points then amplifying them.
Six - Put the edited, finished manuscript in a bottom drawer for a year because by now I can't stand it.
You can skip that last step.
Kali:
--- Quote from: Kris_W on December 19, 2009, 06:08:47 AM ---Six - Put the edited, finished manuscript in a bottom drawer for a year because by now I can't stand it.
You can skip that last step.
--- End quote ---
I have so many stories that are at this step...
RobJN:
--- Quote from: Blaze on December 19, 2009, 04:09:01 AM ---Even as a kid I could never find that brevity which is the soul of wit.
--- End quote ---
You learn that in Journalism classes.
My lit teacher hated my papers because they were so short. Yet I'd made my points, supported them, and wrapped it all up in a nice, cuddly conclusion.
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