Danika D. Potts's Blog, page 3

What I Did Wrong: Writing “The Dusk Harbinger”

Fuuuuuu……

Oliver asked me to write down what I learned writing this particular book. I had no idea where to start. Much like Rabbit in the Road, writing The Dusk Harbinger was basically an exercise- how quickly can I learn from constant failure? How many different failures can I learn from? How many of them do I have to repeat before I learn?

I feel like I spent the last four years in a cycle of effing up everything, and turning out great words in the process. Even sitting on this side of it, on the “the end” side, I’m in awe of how many failures are stacked together and it’s still done. A year late, but it’s done. It amazes me how much can go wrong and we can still produce work of which we’re proud. So here’s what I learned the hard way, and what I hope you learn the easy way.

EFF UP #1:

TOO MUCH TIME        

Writing the book took four years. We started without a clear timeline, or even a very clear intent, and so it noodled on for a lot longer than it should have. Without some time pressure or goal setting, this book could have ended up in a drawer, gathering dust and gathering words indefinitely. Eff no. In addition, it would sit for months at a time while life got in the way (cheap excuse #1), so jumping back into producing words was painful at best. I think I once described it as feeling as though writing each word was the equivalent of pulling a tooth. Letting it idle and run out of steam was a HUGE error. It made it all but impossible to keep track of timelines, placement, characters. It was especially difficult on those helping us work on the book. Our testers were brought in way too early; we thought we’d be done this time last year. Instead, they hung on through all the bullshit. That was unfair to them, and I wouldn’t do it again.

EFF UP #2

NO PREPARED INSPIRATION MATERIAL

When life wasn’t in the way and I actually sat and put words down, I often felt “away” from my story world and uninspired (cheap excuse #2). I wasn’t, I was just having trouble picking up the thread again. This book was considerably more complex than the first, and there were a lot more threads. I needed a “mood enforcer”, an association built between an external prompt and the feeling of my story world. Most of you probably already have this, but I didn’t realize what I needed was a playlist. About a year ago, Oliver put together a list of tracks that felt like the world of the Dusk Harbinger to him. I built the association as thoroughly as I could, and jammed out to the list whenever it was time to make words happen. Even now, when I hear songs from the list, I start getting ideas about Kathan, Sadah and Piotr. I should have had it years ago, but I didn’t know what a great tool it could be.

EFF UP #3

NO RESPECT

I don’t mean for me. I mean for the PROCESS. Holy shitcakes. I had no understanding of the endurance contest this would be- at times I could only plan to outlast the project, rather than actually master it. I didn’t realize what a drain it would be, just how tired of the world I could let myself become. Life gets in the way, it always does, (see cheap excuses above) and ideas are still coming at me, trying to seduce me away from Dusk… it was amazing how hard it was sometimes to simply stay the course. I lost faith so many times. I was lucky to have my co-author to kick me in the ass and keep me on track. I don’t think I could have stuck with it without him. Also- no respect for the process of telling someone else’s story. Oliver and I were locked in a four year game of Telephone. The Dusk Harbinger is his story, his idea, told in my words. So there was so much noise, so much loss while he tried to communicate his vision and I tried to make it mine. Wouldn’t trade it for anything, now, and I wouldn’t be afraid to do it again; but this time, I’ll be prepared for how frustrating that can be.

EFF UP #4

NO PLAN FOR THE WELL RUNNING DRY

It happens. After a while, you’re just…tapped. Dry. Nothing happening. It had never happened to me before, and I was completely unprepared for it. I had nothing in mind, no drive to move forward, no faith that it would get better. I wasn’t blocked, I was just empty. It didn’t ever last long, but when it happened, it was rather terrifying. I needed a plan for when it went sour like that, and I didn’t have anything ready. Now, I know what to do, and I know how to build triggers and associations that keep the well filled (or at least keep it from running out completely). There is a process, and you have to respect it and play along to keep yourself juiced. Learning that was sucky, just flat out sucky. I learned it the hard way.

EFF UP #5

NOT HAVING A CLEAR VISION…AND DOING IT ANYWAY         

There were so many times I’d be feeling the pressure to put down some words. Any words. Just words. I had test readers sitting around twiddling their thumbs (because I told them a year too early I’d be done /headdesk), I had my co-author chomping at the bit to move forward, full of excitement and ideas. I had my own internal pressures to get the work finished, and I would just start pooping words out onto the page, just to feel like I was making progress. So often, they would be trash. I’d have to go back, excise enormous chunks of material that felt like accomplishment but was just a band-aid. Without a clear vision of what I wanted to happen in the story, I was just dumping words. I know now that I’d rather sit around for three days to get the right idea than just pump out three days worth of utter crap words. I needed to communicate more clearly when I was struggling and actually USE my co-author more. He always has a clear vision. Why struggle when I can just borrow his? There is something to be said for writing through a problem, but this was a whole different problem. This was blindly vomiting sentences, not consciously creating.

EFF UP #6

TOO MANY EXCUSES         

See how many of these were easily solved? Most of them are bullshit lies I told myself. Some are genuine learning moments, most are not. Most of the time, the reason I struggled so much with this story was because I was either not trying or not talking when I was having trouble. I should have learned that earlier. Woulda saved myself some grief.

Not being ready when we expected was the most horrible. I was making excuses left and right when the truth was, we just weren’t ready. What had been so simple with Rabbit in the Road was a nightmare with The Dusk Harbinger. The project was just bigger, so the problems were bigger, the process was bigger, the timeline was bigger… everything was just more work. I feel like I should have been better prepared for that, but you don’t know what you don’t know. I know now, and I can’t wait to do it again.

Dusk to Dusk; How a Harbinger Was Born

Hey gang. I know it’s been a while since we’ve come and talked to you guys, and for that we’re sorry. There wasn’t anything in the way of DOING that, except for the very reason that this blog exists: writing.

I know this has been said BEFORE, but this time it’s for real: The Dusk Harbinger is finished. How is this different than times before? Because I have personally put my quality seal of approval on it; it is DONE. What else have I said before? It takes however long it takes to get done and however many words that requires. The very first book in the Twisted World series is “content complete”: there is nothing left to add, all that is left is cleaning, editing, and testing.

It’s a funny story, really. The Dusk Harbinger started way back in 2009; Yeah, almost 5 years ago. In fact, Dusk Harbinger was started BEFORE Rabbit in the Road was even an inkling of an idea. Rabbit in the Road happened as an experiment, in a way. We needed to find out how complicated the self-publishing process would be, and we wanted to know what it was going to be like trying to turn those thoughts and ideas into an actual book. Rabbit in the Road was a fantastic experiment and learning experience. It required The Dusk Harbinger to be put on the back burner to achieve and know that we were headed in the right direction.

Now, we’re right back where we started. I suppose that it is poetic, in a way.

In the past I’ve said that I’ve hated a lot of genres; not just in writing, but in other media formats. It’s pretty known that I’m a fairly avid gamer, and I also did game journalism for a short number of years, covering general news and also reviewing. One of the big genres that sticks out like a sore, angry thumb for me is the First Person Shooter (FPS). I thought I hated the genre, but after the introduction of fantastic, innovative games in that realm (Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Borderlands, and Left 4 Dead being huge examples), my opinion changed. I learned that I didn’t hate the genre, but actually hated the people MAKING the games in that genre. And why? Simple. Because they fell back onto old, tired tropes to get by. They didn’t want to innovate, they wanted to play it safe.

The same could be said for my attitude towards fantasy. I don’t hate the fantasy genre. I hate the people who are creating content in it, because none of the content reaches out and talks to ME. They’re not trying to do much that is new, or fresh. They want to play it safe.

Roughly the same number of years ago, I read part of one of Teddy Roosevelt’s speeches, known as “Citizenship in a Republic“. The section of the speech that stuck out to me has gone on to be known as “The Man in the Arena”:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

It is very easy for one to criticize; it takes very little effort and you sound far more important than what you actually are. But those who act, those who DO… those are the ones worth paying attention to. Who am I, what right do I have to complain when I’m not even willing to put my own stuff out there and make it open to a great deal of possibly horrible criticism? What right do I have to complain about how another man plays poker, when I’m not even willing to throw my own chips into the pile? At least that man is daring, bold enough to try and back up his claims.

I realized how hypocritical a great deal of criticism can be, so I did exactly that. I decided to throw my chips in and play the game.

I’ve talked about and hinted at the Twisted World for a long, LONG time on this blog; tiny little bits here, tiny little bits there, but I’ve never been very upfront and DIRECT about what it is about. And so, I will break that cycle today and tell you exactly what the Twisted World is.

The Twisted World primarily deals with a world that is wrought with phenomenon known as (quite obvious, really), Twists. Twists are dangerous things; you can’t see, taste, or touch them. A Twist by itself is nothing. It’s the effect on its environment that makes a Twist dangerous. It takes things and twists them into bizarre versions of themselves; things that should not be possible.

Legends tell of the field of grass that was caught in a Twist, and all the blades of grass are made of very sharp stone; To trip and fall here would be… not pleasant. Another legend tells of the Fortune Tree; A tree that from a distance appears to bear beautiful ripe apples, but on closer inspection, they are actually the biggest rubies you have ever seen in your life. They grow and bud right there on the tree, and fall off just like any other apple would.

Some Twists, rare as they might be, are beautiful. Others are quite grotesque and terrifying. One such Twist would be one known as “the Slicer.” Anything that wanders into the Twist is quite rapidly, cleanly, and efficiently sliced to almost nothing, leaving nothing but a bloody wake behind. Another horrible Twist does very little but the results are nevertheless grotesque, depending on your point of view. This particular Twist makes things that wander into it not so much invisible, as transparent. Think about that for a moment. Can you imagine being able to see through a man’s skin, and see what he has eaten that day? Unpleasant, for certain.

Our tale follows three principle characters:

Piotr Carlyle, the completely droll and mostly forgettable protagonist of our story… maybe.
Kurt Kathan, the Accidental King who thinks too much with his stomach and his heart and not his brain.
Sadah Loc, the mysterious and beautiful singer… who can no longer sing.

Maybe it is fate, chance, or destiny that brought them together. Maybe not. But what we do know is that young Piotr has a special touch, a gift that no one in the world has ever seen before, and no one will ever see again: The ability to undo the damage that Twists have brought.

But really, what is the story ABOUT?

The story is about many things. It’s about people; Mothers, fathers. Brothers, and sisters. Men, and women. It’s a story about love, in all its different incarnations. A hatred of love and a love of hate.

I wanted to tell a story about all the different people in the world, and not just the “idealized” versions of people. I wanted to talk about REAL people. Kurt Kathan doesn’t think before he acts, and this gets him in trouble. Piotr is… incredibly apathetic and lacks so much drive, and ambition. Sadah is filled with anger, and it’s not directed in a constructive way. It just… lashes out and hits whatever it hits.

Real people, and real emotions. Real processes and very real, flawed behaviors. The world doesn’t function because it is a perfect place, no; It functions because it is a VERY IMPERFECT PLACE.

It’s a story about breaking unnecessary and unreasonable tropes; women and men alike play a big part. All our men, all our women, are lovers and fighters, for very different reasons and motivations. You’ll not see dragons nor chain-mail bikini armor here; those things a fantasy world do not make.

Piotr, Kathan, and Sadah’s venture will be tough, and filled with danger. But not only that, they will be forced to face the aspects of themselves that they haven’t had to face before. They will grow and learn, and have a new understanding about themselves, and perhaps they will overcome their shortcomings, all on the way to stop something that should have never existed in the first place. A terrible tragedy, an original sin.

I hope you’ll stay along for the ride, with me. With us. It won’t be much longer now.

~Oliver

Notable Quotable: You Acquiesce To Defeat

 

It’s the wood that should fear your hand, not the other way around. No wonder you can’t do it, you acquiesce to defeat before you even begin.

~Chia Hui (Gordon) Liu, Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004)

There’s a lot of stuff out there that’s scary to do, and obviously writing is one of them. So many times I hear people say, “I can’t” or they’ll make up dozens upon dozens of excuses to not do what they were supposed to do, MEANT to do. And the sad thing is, they don’t have enough respect for themselves to even TRY. 

Without any proof of fact, people have a tendency to be negative about their own strengths and abilities. You haven’t even started, yet you’re absolutely confident that you can’t do it, for no actual reason. If you’re so afraid that you won’t even try because of fear of failure, you’ve already failed.

Something I frequently tell Danika, “You are your very first cheerleader, and you should be the one who cheers loudest for yourself. If you can’t cheer for yourself, why would you expect anyone else to?”

You don’t have to be certain that you will succeed, that’s a given. But you are NOT allowed to to believe that you will immediately fail without just cause. None of us are certain about our successes, but believing you WILL succeed is half of your drive.

In case you’ve forgotten, I know another little guy who wasn’t sure if he could do it or not, and he ended up doing it:

~Oliver

 

Notable Quotable: It’s Up To You to Make It Happen

I waited there outside, and I was the first person when he pulled up. He got out of that car, and he was so beautiful. He looked right at me… and I didn’t know what to do! I mean, I couldn’t say anything, I couldn’t even move. I never even talked to him and he was RIGHT THERE… I still have that red bandanna.

The thing is, you never know, you know? Had I at least said SOMETHING…. you never know.

Anyway, the point is I totally realized, fate! There IS fate. But it only takes you so far, because once you’re there it’s up to you to make it happen.

~Jenna Elfman, Can’t Hardly Wait (1998)

What is fate? What is opportunity? Are they not the same thing? Maybe fate isn’t as complex as a series of events that will always play out regardless of the actions that you take. Maybe fate is just a synonym for opportunity, moments where everything is positioned JUST RIGHT for you to take an action, to move forward. 

Maybe you’ve had opportunities presented to you, time and time again, but you always stuttered. Didn’t leap at the chance.

I’m telling you to fix it.

You now live in a world where you’re not limited by the same constraints of the previous generations. You don’t need a publisher, you don’t need an agent. All you need  to write, is a piece of paper and a pencil (figuratively; Use a damn computer or word processor if you want. Use SOMETHING), and your mind.

Nobody can tell you that your writing is or ISN’T good enough to reach an audience. You have all the control in the world, you have all the time. You just need to find your voice and make it loud enough to get people to hear.

Maybe I’m telling you that you now have that opportunity that you thought you never had.

Maybe I’m telling you that you reading this, was fated.

~Oliver

Defining And Conquering Fear

The thing that draws people subconsciously to Batman, is that Batman has taken his life fears and transmogrified them into a weapon. A tool, as it were.

Let’s have a conversation today. Let’s talk a little bit about fear.

You may have heard me say this a few times before: “Courage isn’t having a lack of fear. Courage is continuing to act in the FACE of fear.”

But let’s REALLY think about that, for a moment. What is fear? Fear is a good thing. Every human being is built with a fear center. Fear was not designed to be something to CRIPPLE you; That’s an abomination of its original purpose. No, fear was designed to be a MOTIVATOR, to kick you into high gear. Think about it.  The trigger of fight or flight response. Fear was designed to force you to take ACTION. People frequently confuse caution and fear as being the same thing. They are not.

People fear death. And what do we do? We do everything possible to prevent it. We eat, sleep, perform maintenance on our bodies, and so forth, all with the intention of preventing death. Your fear of death, is what drives you to LIVE.

Why does one get up, and go work a job to make that money? Simple, really. A fear of not having enough, of not being able to handle your own most basic of necessities.

Why does the singer sing, the artist draw, or the writer, write? I won’t presume to speak for the others, but I can tell you why I write; A fear of being forgotten, and being unfulfilled.

Rather than sitting around, being afraid of my inevitable passing, I instead decided to DO something about it. The fear of vanishing into the annals of history and not being any sort of footnote was enough to get me up and moving forward.

Every time you sit down to work on a project, or your writing, you shouldn’t be thinking, “I’ll never finish this because I’m afraid people are going to judge me.” I’ve got bad news for you; People are ALWAYS going to judge you on everything that you do. Hell, I’m judging you RIGHT NOW because you’re sitting there NOT finishing things that you’ve started, because you were afraid of being judged.

So, you avoided not finishing something, out of fear of judgment. And yet, you were just judged anyhow. The very thing you were trying to avoid, just became true not because of your action, but your inaction.

With just a little bit of thought and a change of perspective, you can make your fear not a crutch, but a tool for SUCCESS. What do you have to lose?

~Oliver

Names, Part 2

Character names can be used to create associations. This is something to work on long after you’ve solved your story problems. If you don’t know what I mean, start with . If you’re past that, read on.

Consider first your setting. Names should be appropriate to the time and place. Girls named Jordan and Madison were far less common a hundred years ago. In 1913, Elizabeth, Hazel, and Henry would have a more likely sounding adventure than would Dillon, Kayden and Jayden. Census data is great for this, and Google is your friend in that regard. There are also ways to look up surnames by ethnicity, which makes things really interesting.

Consider then the way we feel about names. Homer and Homer are radically different. Which association is stronger for readers today?  Genius storyteller or hog-shaped buffoon?

Think outside of cultural references and to our shared associations. Pretty girls are rarely named Agatha or Helga. Sexy fellows aren’t often Sidney or Seymour. In fiction, strong men get strong, sharp names: Mark, Kurt, or Rick. Consonants that punch you in the teeth. Sensitive, sweetheart men get softer sounds, less aggressive consonants: Ben, Ryan, Dan.  Cute girls get names that end in “ie” or “ine” sounds, to give you the impression of softness, harmlessness, the same way we name pets that we want to cuddle.

Consider the source of a name. If your heroine has a Persian name and your story is set in Canada in the 1840′s, where did it come from? We are all named by our parents; did one of her parents come from the Middle East? Did her parents travel, or were they especially learned?

My own name is wonky. I’m not of Slavic descent. My mom was in a bakery and overheard a little girl talking to her doll- the doll’s name was Danika. In the late 70′s, there was a huge push for more “original” names. There was a divergence in attitudes from traditional or common names from the past. This is the source- cultural attitudes support the “character” of me having a semi-wonky name. If I was writing the fiction of my life, I wouldn’t use my own name. The support for that name in that story is weak, and it would lead to the next point I’m about to make. I know this because I have to explain my name constantly. CONSTANTLY.

APOLOGIES:

If at any point, you write a bit where a character explains the source of their name, its pronunciation, or apologizes for their name being weird, roll your shit back. What is the benefit to the story here? Unless the plot is going to hinge on the pronunciation of that name, dump it. Your story won’t suffer if Danika becomes Danielle (a much more common name in the late 70′s, and almost impossible to mispronounce).

Your ego may be suffering right now. You might protest. Just stop. Unless it serves your story, it has to go. No matter what. It’s the Word. It’s the Truth. Consider it a commandment.

“But I want my characters to be memorable!”

Then write memorable characters. The name isn’t what makes a character stick with you. The character behind it does. A memorable character will elevate a “boring” name. So many heroes don’t sound like much of anything; Harry, Bruce, Jack, John. And yet, the name becomes iconic simply because the hero is an icon. It’s the writing we remember, not the name.

This is again, about fear. Leave the cheap, silly tricks behind. You can write memorable characters without them. Don’t be afraid. Keep writing.

Names, Part 1

Someone asked me recently if I start a story with a character’s name or or if I start with a story. Here’s what I told them.

Names don’t matter. They just don’t. Falling in love with a character’s name is vanity. We all do it. In middle school, I wrote about girls named Tygre and Sapphire. That’s how you knew they were special, you see. I abandoned that sort of mental dick-jerking pretty quickly. Cutesy names, perfect names, haunting or evocative names… none of them matter. Vanity.

If you don’t have a story, how do you know WHO to name? If there’s no what, then why figure out the who? So many times I’ve read an aspiring writer’s set up and it looks just like this: a cast of about 5-6 well fleshed out characters with exhaustive back stories, middle names, favorites and phobias. That’s it. There’s usually a line that says “I know X will fall in love with Y, but Y is really in love with Z, and I know it takes place in the future.”

If you don’t know what’s coming, then why do you know it will require 5-6 characters to get there? What if it turns into a sprawling, multigenerational epic? What if one character gets marooned on a moon? Will you need 4 or 5 more characters to tell me that story? Characters are just a tool. You only need what you need to make the story the best it can be. If your characters don’t serve your story, then they serve your ego.

Names are just a tool. I keep a list of names suited for the fantasy world I’m working in, so if I need one, I grab the list, and plug it in. That’s it. I make sure the starting letter of the name doesn’t repeat too often or clash with a main character (I’m looking at you, G.R.R.M). Then I write the story.

Dump the pretense and the little games. Get an idea and use your tools to shape it into something spectacular. Characters are only tools. They are not in charge of your story, they are the employees of your story. The sooner you can get your head around this, the better your writing will be. All other things must serve it. Names should be the least of your concerns.

P.S. They do require some thought. But not before story. Read Names, Part 2 for more on associations, and what to consider before naming a character.

P.P.S. Not every character deserves a name. Some cast members are just extras, you know? Not every part is a speaking part. If that character’s actions don’t really move your story along, consider not naming them, or just referring to them as “the cook” or “the proctologist” or “the heavyset lady with the grocery bag full of celery”. Whatever.

Name Shame Game: if you’re brave enough, spill your guts in the comments section below. I wasn’t kidding when I was talking about Tygre; I actually wrote a story about her in middle school. She wore gloves all the time and preferred to only eat pomegranates. Tell me the worst, the most overwrought, the most MarySueish names you can think of, or own up to the terrible ones you’ve written yourself.

Struggle, Or The Post Where I Call You A Marshmallow

Your characters have to fail. There’s no story without it. Everyone knows struggle = drama. So what’s the mistake I see new writers making when it comes to struggle? Read on.

 

There better be…

 

You’ve read all the advice about conflict. You know that your character has to want something to be believable. You’ve written your open, in which Hero finds himself in a hideous pickle. It’s full of hooks, drama, and excitement. It’s all conflict.

Aaaaaaaand here’s where you fuck up. You go soft on Hero. You don’t think you do, but you do. You’re a marshmallow, squishy soft. From here on out, the problems Hero faces are so easy that any pretense of struggle looks stupid. There is only one way for Hero to go, and thus, you’ve hamstrung your drama and neutered your conflict.

 

I’ll illustrate my point with an example.

Setting: Modern Day

Main Character: Joanna, a schoolteacher

The abuse started ten years ago, just after the wedding. Now, Joanna isn’t sure she can leave her abusive husband for the dashing, gallant stranger who just entered her life. She’s torn between her desire for freedom and her fear of leaving her crappy husband behind. She lusts after the sexy, intelligent, mysterious stranger, and fears her icky, slap-happy husband. 

Where am I finding the conflict here? Some people are afraid of change, terrified of it. Oooookay. Some people are so beaten down, they can’t imagine a better life. I guess. But you can’t leave it at that. If I can’t feel the dilemma, why would I care that Joanna feels one? There’s no entertainment in her decision.

(In case you forgot, your job as a writer is to entertain. You can say all the highfalutin things you want about it, but if you aren’t entertaining, then you need to go write nonfiction. Period. End of sentence.)

It’s not actually drama yet. Of course she runs off with the stranger. No shit. There’s really only one way this can go, and so, there’s no tension, no drama, no struggle.

You have to get tough on Joanna. Using this same example, here are different ways I can make Joanna’s life suck enough for me to actually worry about what happens next.

It’s 1934, the depths of the Depression. Joanna is pregnant with her third child. Last night, her husband laid his hands on her, blacking her eye. She hasn’t been hit since she got caught by her mother stealing sugar cubes in the market. 

That’s a bit better. We can assume there’s no money, that she’s tied down by the other children.  Recent abuse tells us that this is a new thing- if he was always a hitter, our sympathy is lessened. If he’s undergone some change, our interest is already piqued- what the hell happened to make him hit her?- and as a character, he may yet be redeemed. We’re talking about spinning a web, all the ties that restrict your character, all the things against which they will struggle.

Now, when you introduce the story tangle, don’t make it so simple. If Mr. Dashing Stranger is perfect, Joanna would be batshit insane to not run off with him. If Mr. Dashing shows some obvious flaws, Joanna is in a pickle. An Actual Pickle.

Mr. Dashing has a dangerous past- he owes the  mob on a vig in Chicago. He’s lying low in Joanna’s hometown for now, but he’s going to have to move on soon. 

Now we have pressure. He’s not an upstanding citizen. There’ s a time limit on Joanna’s decision. Add that to Joanna’s existing scenario, and there’s no end of trouble here. If Joanna is at a crossroads, and both ways kind of suck, then I’m interested. If every choice MIGHT be a bad choice, then I want to know what’s coming. That is how pages get turned, folks.

Look at all the problems we can explore here:

Even if Joanna runs off with Mr. Dashing, can she take her children with her? The mob is chasing him. A responsible parent would never expose their children to that danger. So does she leave the older children behind? What mother could do that? And what if she stays, and her husband’s recent abuse continues? A responsible parent would never expose their children to that danger…Why would Mr. Dashing want to raise someone else’s child? How do you raise a baby on the run? He already owes the mob, so how is he going to afford to support them? Does she make the secure choice and stay, and watch what may be the love of her life leave her behind? Does she stay and suffer at the hands of her husband, or risk the danger of a life with Mr. Dashing? Does she leave them all and go make her way on her own, a mother of three in the worst economy of our nation’s history?

Joanna’s life SUUUUCKS right now. That is a conflict. That’s a story where something BIG is going to happen. She is going to struggle and fail at something no matter what she decides. She can’t win. Not a clean sweep, anyway. Give her less obvious wins, and more obvious failure, more opportunities to really screw up. That’s one of the ways you write characters that aren’t just cardboard cut-outs.

There are so many other ways we could have made Joanna’s life complicated, or made her choice less certain. Instead of changing the time period, we could have made her husband a private detective or a policeman. Good luck running from him, a la Rose Madder. We could have still given her children, but maybe one of the children is ill, requiring constant care, and maybe she’s afraid the new baby will have the same condition. Mr. Dashing doesn’t have to owe the mob to be a less-than-perfect romantic tangle. There are about 10 million ways to complicate him. Using just our original example and changing one or two factors made our story INTERESTING. How she overcomes those tangles are what make the story entertaining. That is your job.

So get tough. There are very rarely easy outs in life. Even if there’s only one solution, there is usually something in the way. Sometimes it’s something as intangible as pride. Sometimes it’s much bigger than that.

 

Let’s do something a little different with comments today. Using our original example for Joanna, tell me what immediate tangles and ties you would add to make her story interesting, to really hose up her life. Let’s see how entertaining it can get.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Magpies

I’m at the base of a towering mountain. My tour guide stands before me, telling me about the beautiful lake 10 miles up the trail. It sounds perfect.

 

“I forgot my glasses, my compass, my map,” says the tour guide, “And I’ve also never been here before.”

Not so perfect.

 

 

Five miles in, the tour guide spots a cave and decides we’ll do some spelunking instead of continuing the hike.

“Well, the cave is here, and it seems like a shame to waste it,” the tour guide says. “And some people really like spelunking, so this will be okay.”

I’m out. I don’t mind some twists and turns along the way, but I was what was promised to me.

The next weekend, on the same trail, I give it a second shot. This new tour guide smiles at me with easy confidence.

“I’ve my map, my compass, spare supplies, and I’ve been hiking this trail since I was small. We’re heading for the lake, and we might see some other cool things on the way. Trust me.”

If you don’t have a clear vision, you don’t know where you’re going. On a trail, on the road, or writing a novel, vision is critical. If you are constantly dipping out to pick up add-on ideas and random, interesting elements, are you really in control of your narrative? Are those things strengthening the foundation of your story or are you flitting around like a magpie, stealing away with shinies and filling up your nest?

If it doesn’t help your story,  let it go. If it clutters up the thread of your vision, just cast it aside. Those distractions are about fear; somewhere inside, you’re afraid your story isn’t enough. The only thing more damaging to a story than bad construction is bad confidence. Believe in what you’re writing. Keep it neat, keep it lean, and make it serve your vision.

Cut away what doesn’t count, and keep writing.

Writing the Creed: Interview with Jill Murray, Writer for Assassin’s Creed III Liberation

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The protagonist of Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation, Aveline, and AC III: Liberation co-writer, Jill Murray with Writer’s Guild Award.

(Quick note: This is a reblog of the excellent interview that Greg Fisher of Attack Initiative did with Jill Murray, co-writer of Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation for the PlayStation Vita. This is notable because the writing team just received the Writer’s Guild of America Award for Outstanding Achievement in Video Game Writing.)

One of the things that I found very interesting here, is that in her interview  Jill notes that she and Richard wrote AC III: Liberation in the same manner that Danika and I write: One person focused on the minutiae and dialogue, and the other handling the overall big arc of the narrative itself. As you can see here, it is a highly effective technique in constructing a TIGHT narrative:



AI: Was there a specific part of the game that you were mostly in charge of? One character, or particular parts of the plot, or what have you?

JM: Richard and I shared the game equally. More of the narrative design (negotiating the overarching story arc and that within missions, with the designers) probably fell to him, whereas I probably wound up writing more line-by-line dialogue, but it was definitely a shared collaboration.

Go here to read the rest of the EXCELLENT interview, in which Jill talks more about her writing technique.