This quarter, in my “Time to Write” craft class, we’ve been working on stakes—what makes your story matter, matter to the characters and to the reader, and matter increasingly as it goes on? Characters, questions, withholding, revelations and more revelations. Language, detail, voice. All of it contributes. Traditionally stakes are connected to motivations. What drives the characters to action and why does it matter? The answers to these questions when you are outside the story can be easily falsified. I say to myself, “Oh, he’s not going to tell her that key piece of information because he’s protecting her.” But when the scenes are fleshed out, that kind of deliberate withholding can spell trouble for the logic of the story if it’s not believably and powerfully motivated. It’s called “author convenience,” that kind of illogic we can get so attached to in our own stories. I’m writing a heavily plotted book right now, but I’m trying to stay really open to the truth of my characters’ motivations. If he decides to go ahead and tell her, early on, rather than her having to track own and uncover the information–so be it. There can be more mysteries and more revelations below his confessions. By allowing myself this commitment to the characters’ truth over the convenience of my plotting, I’ve found deeper, truer motivations on the one hand, and alternative dramatic actions and motivations (a better, more motivated reason he might have for withholding the information from her) on the other.
In focusing on stakes this quarter, I’ve also noticed how clearly stakes and motivation are reflected in just one thing: action. What the character does and does next and keeps doing also shows me what s/he wants and how much. Nothing else is convincing, really–not resolution, interior decision or conviction or thought. Not memory. Not dialog. We believe what people do, in the end, not what they say or wish or believe. And when we ourselves are highly motivated–we act. (More on this next week.)
Do you face challenges of motivation and logic in your storytelling? What do you struggle with? What have you learned?
Let us know and comment below!
We’ve decided to give BWW a Creative Winter Spotlight. What does this mean?
If you want start this year DOING what you’ve been dreaming of doing, and doing it better than you could have imagined, read on . . .
We all know what works best to help us find the time and inspiration to write:
- real deadlines,
- waiting readers,
- assured guidance and
- live, in-the-moment community support.
That’s what this winter’s spotlight classes are all about.
And because the holidays often involve travel and irregular schedules, I’ve set things up to accommodate your plans. For winter salon, you can be any place at any time and access the 24/7 forums, submit for your deadlines and get immediate feedback. For the story boot camps, you commit to one week of concentrated, daily support, inspiring exercises to guide you through a complete chapter or story, at-your-desk community and writing-in-action. A surefire way to reach your New Year’s writing goals–complete chapters, stories, articles.
Winter Salon: Real Life Deadlines and Readers
- Submit up to 1000 words every 3 week for four sessions, from any place.
- Deadlines run Nov. 11 – January 28.
Writing Book Camp: Finish a Whole Chapter or Story in a Week
- January 4 – 8, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. PT (1:30 – 3:30 pm ET, 7:30 – 9:30 am Hawaii)
No excuses, tons of support, great results. Get where you want to go this at the beginning of the year–together.
Again–these are intimate classes with hands-on support and limited enrollment, so please hit reply to email me any questions and be ready to enroll when it goes live next week.
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