Unleaded – Fuel for Writers

I have a problem with description, for some reason I’m like a blind woman when it comes to the first draft of my story. In my writing group they call it “White Room Syndrome”. Everyone is standing in a white room talking to one another. That’s bad, but since I am aware of it I’ve found a way to address it. Pictures! I do a Google image search for whatever it is I am looking for and go to town! Yup, I pick someone or someplace, just any photo that is close to what I am writing about and I’ve got my description. That way the little details, like moles or scars…broken windows or dented doors…the wrinkle between the brows…the broken walkway… is there in vivid lurid description. So, what do you do to help with description? Let us know! And thanks for reading!

Today’s episode is Logic versus Emotion. What I’m talking about is what motivates a character. A lot of times when I’m crafting a story I look for logical reasons for characters to do things. The hero thinks, “I must save the beautiful girl who-I-think-I-love from the evil zombie space dinosaurs as she has the map that leads to the treasure.” But what about the hero’s maiden aunt who just might happen to be with him? That logic won’t work for her if she thinks the girl is a, “Cheap floozie who got herself into that situation by being stupid, and I’m comfortable enough I don’t need any buried treasure.” There is some emotional motivation in those viewpoints; the hero thinks he loves the girl and the maiden aunt thinks the girl is a tart, but it is logic that is stronger. I’m just now starting to explore the potential of emotional motivations that may be an additional tool to propel characters into action when logic may say “no.”

Audio Files: Coming Soon

One of my greatest strengths as a writer and greatest weaknesses, is dialogue. Within my local writing group, everyone knows that Day is the one who can write “real” dialogue or Day has some great funny lines for characters in her comedies. That is the strength side. But dialogue isn’t just characters talking or telling us what is going on. Dialogue should move the story forward, that is clear, but it is more than that. I had an epiphany recently. Dialogue, good dialogue actually does TWO things – It moves the plot forward, but also tells us about the speaker. What that means, is that every line of dialogue should express character. If another character in your writing project could say the same line or joke, then it isn’t good dialogue. And it isn’t just comedy. It’s the same for drama or romance or even horror . Every line spoken should throw a light on the personality of a character. And then suddenly, your dialogue isn’t just people talking anymore.

Audio File: Coming Soon

Tension is what keeps the reader going. Sometimes it is suspense, sometimes it is conflict but what it is really is keeping the stakes high enough that we can pull the reader along from page 1 to page 201. Most stories begin with high tension and drama, and many end with it, but it is that ambiguous middle ground where the difficulty often arises and the reader’s attention strays. One of the suggestions for keeping the tension high through the middle of your novel is to raise the stakes. If a character misses out on lunch because they were late we don’t care, if they become lunch if they are late then it is much more interesting. That extra ‘oomph’ will keep us on the edge of our seats.

Now if it was as easy to do, as it is to talk about.

 

 Tension - It does a body (and story) good [1:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (7)

Today’s episode comes from Jane Espenson, who is currently under a development deal with NBC/Universal television while working as Co-Executive Producer on Battlestar Galactica. She says, “During the Super-Tuesday coverage, I heard a pundit ask another pundit to stop talking about the greatest wishes of each campaign and instead give us a little insight into their greatest fears.” What a great idea! It is usually obvious in a script what a character wants, but one way to potentially add depth and offer a more intimate perspective is to show us what a character DOESN’T want. As the villains in far too many films have said, “Fear is a powerful motivator.”

 

 Character Insights - Fear [1:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (2)