Week 8: Desire and Escalation–Keeping It Going

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As you write, keep in mind that the story is building not only on your page but also in your prospective reader’s mind. And the term building is key here. Things need to escalate, to add up to something more, to get worse before they get better or better before they get worse but never to stay the same.

Having a plan helps. If you find yourself straying from the plan, be sure you are not going around in circles or staying in the same place. Remember that staying in the same place includes anything where the stakes have not changed or the events are not causally related (cause and effect).

Staying close to your characters and their increasing investment in the outcome of their actions helps even more. Desire will fuel escalation, and the more your characters care, the less they will be able to bail out when the going gets tough. The more likely they will be to do something unexpected, daring, risky.

Daydreaming between writing sessions helps: about what ELSE might happen, what might add to the confusion, swell the hope, weigh on the conscience or in other ways keep the stakes rising, the action rising, the story shooting toward the bright, fierce point of its end?

Tapping into the energy of the storyteller helps. You are around a campfire. Who is your audience, your ideal audience? See them leaning in, eager for your every word. They care about your characters; they want to know what happens next.

Reviewing (without getting stuck in it or starting to revise) what you’ve already written will help you jump in where you are and take things further, rather than rehearsing what’s already happened one more time.

Sometimes silly changes in your approach can help: go to a different cafe to write; switch from typing to long-hand or visa-vera; write in a group; write from a different POV. Find a way to change things up so you get a fresh angle on what you are doing.

Finally, giving yourself lots of creative support so that you feel adventurous, curious, willing to be surprised will keep the broth bubbling as you brew. Enjoy!

Assignment: Post two things you are committed to doing this week that you know inspire you and two things that you are going to try from the lecture or other BWW writers’ ideas and inspirations. Let us know how it goes after you do them all.

Happy Writing!

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