Time to Write

Stuck on the story of your novel or screenplay? Play possible futures.

If you have the start of a story but things have ground to a halt and you're not sure where to take your protagonist next, try playing a game I call Possible Futures. 

Think of three very different paths your protagonist might take. Project each one forward one or two big steps.

For instance, let's see I've set up a story opening in which Ian, my protagonist, is a widower nearing retirement age. He hasn't managed to save much money and his pension plan just collapsed. I have a sympathetic character and a situation to which (unfortunately) a lot of people can relate. But where to go with the story?

Scenario One: When he's approached by a younger friend who says there's a way Ian could earn $50,000 for one week of work, Ian knows it  has to be something fishy. But he needs the money and decides it would be foolish not to at least hear what it's all about.

Scenario Two: Looking for an inexpensive way to have an evening out leads him to a senior citizens' social club where he turns out to be one of the very few men among a lot of widows. One quickly falls for him. She's rich and nice and would love to marry him. It would mean a comfortable retirement. He likes her but he doesn't really love her…does that still matter?

Scenario Three: Desperate for money, Ian signs up to be a subject of medical trials. When one of them goes terribly wrong due to negligence by the pharmaceuticals company, he has only one year to live. They offer him ten million dollars to shut up. He can have a dream life and money to leave to the grandchildren of his struggling son and daughter in law,  but it will mean being complicit in the coverup of the company's practices which may go on to hurt others.  

You can use the same strategy further along in the story. Let's say that you decided that Ian should go ahead and marry the widow--after all he does like her and has no intention of cheating her; he will be a good companion. But then…then we can think of three more options for what happens next:

1. She dies and he realises the rich thing was all an act. She had nothing but debts for which he is now responsible.

2. He meets another woman, and this time it IS love. But now he's spoken for…

3. He does marry her but the more he begins to actually love her the more suspicious she gets that he was after her money.

If you pay attention you'll get the sense that one of the options you generate is more right for you or your understanding of the character than the others. 

(There are some writers who have tips for you on how to create great characters and plots. Who are they? Well, they include Dostoyevsky, Dumas, and Dickens. Also Calvino, Carver, and Cather. Their advice and how to apply it to your project are in my newest book, Your Creative Writing Masterclass. It's published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller.)

 

 

The Before and After quick method for plotting

Trying to get the basics of your story worked out? In a previous post I mentioned that for detective stories it can be useful to work backward from the murder or other crime.

Another approach that works for stories in general is to take one major dramatic moment that you know you want to have in the story and work both forward and backward from it.

If you have several scenes or moments like that in mind, they can become the cornerstones of your story.

Usually these are scenes of major conflict. Those happen when things have built up, so when you work backward you can think about what are the elements that led to the confrontation.

Such conflict always has consequences, too, and those will determine the scenes that come afterward.

The first outline you generate using this method may be too linear and predictable but they will be the raw materials for a more sophisticated version. You can decide which of these scenes to show, which just to suggest and which to hide from the audience or reader. Sometimes it also makes sense to mix up the time frame; for instance, you can start with a dramatic moment and then go back and show what led up to it.

However, before you can play around with the order, it really helps to have the events in mind in chronological order and that’s where the “before and after” method is a big help.

 (for advince on plotting from some of the world's greatest writers, including Mark Twain, Anton Chekhov and many more, see my lastest book, "Your Creative Writing Masterclass." It's published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller.)

 

The writer's fear of revealing too much (& ep. 5 of Sherman Writes a Book)

Are you blocked because you fear revealing too much about yourself in your works of fiction? First enjoy the 5th episode of "Sherman Writes a Book," in which he has a similar fear(it's under two minutes long), then see the tips below for beating this kind of writer's block. (To see Sherman's story from the start, go scroll down to May 1 and then watch them in order.)

 

THE FEAR OF REVEALING TOO MUCH

Sometimes writers develop a block because they suddenly fear that their book or script will reveal too much about themselves. What if everybody realizes (or just assumes) that all of the protagonist's embarrassing stuff actually is the truth about the author?

First, it's true that the best fiction often reflects some aspect of the author. It's almost impossible to write anything that doesn't have some part of you in it. Of course that's not the same as saying what happens to him or her has happened to you. After all, very few writers of mystery and crime novels have actually killed anyone, yet the best are able to get inside the mind of a killer enough to do justice to that character. If they can't do that, the book won't be very good.

You have deniability! Every author is allowed to say, 'I could imagine doing such a thing, that' doesn't mean I've done it' (even if they have). 

Also, let's face it, if you have a passion for writing, that means there's something about your life and/or your thoughts and feelings that you want to convey. As for which parts of your book reflect those, you can keep your readers guessing. 

You also have the power of opt out of interviews and other forms of self-exposure. It didn't hurt the sales of "Catcher in the Rye" that J. D. Salinger was reclusive. In a recent interview, Stephen King revealed that he regretted doing a series of American Express ads that showed his face because from then on everybody knew what he looked like. 

In short, remember that people will think whatever they want to think...but they spend far less time thinking about you then you think they do.

(There's great advice from the best writers about writer's block and a myriad of other topics in my newest book, "Your Creative Writing Masterclass," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller. Not just advice from me but from the all-time best writers like Mark Twain, Jane Austen, Anton Chekhov and many more. When you get the book, you get them as your mentors.)

Overcoming writer's block (including ep. 3 of Sherman Writes a Book)

Sherman's saga began on May 1, so you may want to start there and work your way forward. Each video is under two minutes long. Below the video we look at another kind of writer's block and how to overcome it.

 

 

THE 'WHAT IF THEY RECOGNIZE THEMSELVES' BLOCK

If you're writing something that is based even loosely on real people, you may wonder whether they, like Sherman's mother, might wonder whether you're writing about them. If you have portrayed them in a less than flattering light, will they hate you? Sue you? 

Here are some tips on how to avoid that:

* Change lots of details so it's not easy to recognize your models for the characters. You can change gender, age, physical description, the setting, profession, hobbies, relationships, etc. 

* Go for hybrids. In other words, mix together the characteristics of several people so that the combination is not that much like any of them. This also gives you deniability. You can say, honestly, "No, that character was not based on you."

* Remember that actually people generally don't know themselves well enough to recognize what you've used, especially their bad traits. Lots of successful authors have commented on that. 

And if you're worried that a totally ficitonal character might accidentally be similar to a real person who coud turn around and sue you, here are a couple of tips:

* If you create somebody really hateful, give them either a common name or an obscure name. The Bill Smiths of the world are used to encountering hundreds of other Bill Smiths and they won't automatically think that an evil character with that name is modelled on them.

If you give the character a very obscure name, check Facebook and Google that name to see if anybody actually is called that. Be especially careful that you haven't give this evil character any characteristics that you spot for someone with a similar name. For instance, if your character is a sadistic dentist named Hieronymous Skitch, and you find there's a real dentist named Hieronymous Skatch, change the name totally.

Frankly, usually fears about this issue usually are overblown. Use a bit of common sense and you'll be fine.

(Want more good writing advice? Not just from me but from Charles Dickens, Anton Chekhov, and Jane Austen? It's in my newest book, "Your Creative Writing Masterclass," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from your favorite bookseller.)

 

Overcoming writer's block (including ep. 2 of Sherman Writes a Book)

Here's episode 2 of "Sherman Writes a Book," the saga that started yesterday. Today Sherman decides to get professional help... (the video is less than 2 min. long).

 

A WRITING BLOCK MAY BE JUST A PLOT BLOCK.

Sometimes when writers get stuck they worry that's it, they'll never write again. Not true. Over the next few posts we'll look at a variety of ways you can get past that block and get your writing flowing again. Today let's look at one kind of block: THE PLOT BLOCK

* Are you stuck on one part of the story? Do you get the sense that if you could solve that issue you'd be able to continue on with the rest of it? If so, you have a plot block. It may feel like you've written yourself into a corner. You don't want to give up, but you don't know the way forward.

If that's your block, here are three practical things to do:

* Take at least 48 hours away from the project. If you find yourself thinking about it, change the subject. Go to see a movie or two, or read a good book, take a long walk or a swim, get plenty of sleep.

* Then state, in general terms, the outcome you need. Take a step back from the solutions that aren't working and see the bigger picture. For instance, let's say that I have my protagonist tied up by the bad guys, it looks like there's no way for him to get away. Maybe I've been racking my brain trying to come up with some clever way for him to get free of his bonds. Now I'd step back and say what's the bigger definition of what needs to happen? He needs to get away.

* Brainstorm as many ways as you can that somebody can get away from a dangerous situation. Don't judge, just list as many as you can. These could include: fly away, get rescued, talk his way out, play dead, etc. 

* After a break, go through your entire list. Cross off the ones you know you don't want ("somebody rescues him = deus ex machina, not good). For the ones that are left, brainstorm how they could work. For instance, talk his way out. What does he have that the bad guys could want badly enough to let him go--under supervision, of course--to get it? Or what could he do to make them think he's actually on their side? Or how could they benefit by using him in some way rather than killing him now? 

* When you have a promising solution you may have to go back to an earlier part of the story to plant some additional information that pays off in this scene, and you may also need to make adjustments to what comes after this scene. 

The key thing to remember: when stuck on a story point, step back and look at the bigger picture. 

(You know who had terrific advice about plotting as well as characterization, description, setting? The great authors like Dickens, Twain, Austen, and the other 100 or so I quote in my book, "Your Creative Writing Masterclass." It's published by Nicholas Brealey and available now from Amazon or via your other favorite bookseller.)

Ask these questions to get to know your character

How much do you know about the characters you are writing about? Below is a series of questions that life coaches sometimes use to find out how much clients know about their partners. It can be useful to do some daydreaming about how you'd answer these for your protagonist or other character:

What do you think their …

• favorite movie 
• favorite band or singer, or type of music
• favorite actor, actress
• favorite season
• favorite TV show
• their hero
• favorite time of day
• favorite activity
• the quality they admire most in others
• favorite activity
• best memory 
• who they are closest to in their family
• their best friend
• favorite color
• worst habit
• best habit
• the hardest issue for them to deal with
• the one word that best describes them
• if they were a car what car would they be?
• the thing they would most like to have (object)
• the thing they would most like to have that is not a material object 
• how do they communicate their feelings
• who do they love?
• how do they show or express their love

Don't force answers, just notice what pops into your mind. If you draw a blank on one, just move on to the next.

It can be helpful to jot these down and compare the lists of your protagonist and antagonist. Sometimes you can intensify conflict by making them more different, but it also works to make them more similar except on one important dimension (which would vary depending on the story you want to tell). 

For example, in a romance it could be interesting (although familiar) for the woman to have to choose between the "bad boy" and the "really nice but kind of boring" guy, but it could also work (and be less of a cliche) for the rivals to be similar. She is more attracted to one...but he has a totally different take on some subject important to her--for instance, religion, and the one to whom she's less attracted is totally in synch with her on that topic. 

(For advice from some of the best writers current and classic, like Twain, Fitzgerald, Austen, and 100 more, get my book, "Your Creative Writing Masterclass," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon and other booksellers.)

 

A master cartoonist's approach to his work--useful for writers, too

In the video below, top cartoonist/graphic novelist Daniel Clowes tells the New York Times about his art. It's interesting how much overlap there is with writing a traditional novel or a screenplay. The video is 4 minutes long. 

You can learn from the top writers of all time. Find their advice about writing in my newest book, "Your Creative Writing Masterclass,' published by Nicholas Brealey and available now from Amazon or your other favorite book seller. Why not help your local independent book store stay alive--order it from them. 

What writers can learn from a top cartoonist about creating characters

Comic strip writers have to create characters who are easily understood but with enough dimension to sustain hundreds of short storylines. So maybe the rest of us could learn something from one of the best.

I think the best comic strip since "Calvin and Hobbes" is "Cul de Sac." In the video below, the writer and artist Richard Thompson talks about how he created the characters for that strip.

PS: Unfortunately, Thompson has Parkinson's. Recently several of his cartoonist friends took over the strip and gave their interpretation of his characters while he underwent treatment.

What do you really need in order to tell a story?

This one-minute film using minimal visual elements is a nice demonstration of how you can get across story ideas simply.  Watch the video and, if you like, pick one of the topics (trust, love, etc.) and see how few words you can use to get it across. For instance, for love it might be:

She said, "I'm not hungry, you eat mine." (She was hungry.)

It's a good exercise for limbering up your writing brain. Share yours in the comments section if you like.

Tiny Story from Sebas & Clim on Vimeo.

(Want advice on how to write stories, from the great writers like Twain, Chekhov, Austen, Hemingway and more? Get my new book, "Your Creative Writing Masterclass," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon and other book sellers now.)

 

The amazing, distressing, ultimately triumphant story of a book's journey to film

When your unpublished manuscript is about to be made into a movie, surely publishers will snap it up, right?

 

Not necessarily. On the Huffington Post, Rex Pickett, author of Sideways, tells the entertaining if, for him, harrowing, story of the progress of his novel. It starts:

 

“In my last blog I left you with the following: my Sideways novel had been turned down by the publishing industry through my indefatigable Curtis Brown, LTD agent, on a second round of submissions -- even, shockingly, after Alexander Payne had optioned it and it was major entertainment daily news that Artisan Ent. had greenlit it as a $10 million film.”

I can’t resist quoting one of the first rejection letters Pickett got from a senior editor at a major publishing house: “Sideways is nothing more than a glorified screenplay, and if it was made into a film it would stink to high heaven with the rot of Pickett's writing.”

Unfortunately for Pickett, Payne then decided to do another film, About Schmidt, first. After that, Payne and his writing partner adapted the book and Pickett’s new agent submitted the novel again, to 20 top publishers (bringing the submission total to 100). Instead of the hoped-for bidding war, they got 20 rejections.

The agent persisted and they got an offer: $5000 from St. Martin’s Press…who immediately told Pickett he should hire a line editor to go over the manuscript…

I won’t continue, you really should read Pickett’s fuller version of his adventure, but if there ever as evidence that William Goldman’s line, “Nobody knows anything,” applies to book publishing as much as it does to film production, this is it!

As Pickett points out, the novel was faithfully adapted into a film and won every single screenwriting award that a writer could win, including the Oscar, and is now enshrined in the WGA Theater as one of the 101 Greatest Scripts of All Time.” 

You can read the full story starting here. It continues here.

(Interested in writing screenplays? See my other blog, www.ScreenwritingSuccess.com)