Tuesday Tip!
Jan. 29th, 2013 12:13 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
thtwzjustadream.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
1_million_wordsSome thoughts on desire, danger, and winning by just showing up!
My second writing class in an actual classroom was this Saturday. The first thought I had walking in the door was the old quote about "eighty percent of success is just showing up." I say that because the first week there were fourteen of us students. The second week, we were only eight! I don't fault the teacher because she's actually quite good: Encouraging without pandering, guiding without talking down. But it was certainly notable, the drop-off.
I was ready to kind of put aside fan fiction a couple of months ago. My main fandom is deader than Dr. Arzt and Illana combined. For those who didn't watch LOST, that's very, very dead. And I just wasn't sure I was up for picking up/trying out new fandoms. Then I saw a post about this comm and thought "why not?" Four weeks later, I've written just under 10,000 words and am working with some voices and characters that are new to me. And it's really been a lot of fun already.
So there's my rah-rah speech for the week. If you're stuck or struggling with writing or a particular fic, just keep showing up. :)
As for a tip to pass on, my favorite thing we discussed this week was a simple equation:
Drama = Desire + Danger.
Our teacher reinforced a point she discussed in our first class; To write a compelling story, give your main character something to want and something to lose. If they have a little to loose, there's a little drama. The more they have to lose.... and you've got a franchise. :)
It doesn't have to be something huge, big picture, or difficult. Is there a drabble or a flash fic you've written lately you're a bit stuck on? Looking at it with that one equation in mind might show you where to add a little tension, how to give your character something more to lose, and help you wrap up that fic.
P.S. - I couldn't remember who the quote was from, about success and showing up. Turns out it's from film director Woody Allen. Who knew? If half the quotes here are really from him, he's said some funny stuff:
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/woody_allen.html
My second writing class in an actual classroom was this Saturday. The first thought I had walking in the door was the old quote about "eighty percent of success is just showing up." I say that because the first week there were fourteen of us students. The second week, we were only eight! I don't fault the teacher because she's actually quite good: Encouraging without pandering, guiding without talking down. But it was certainly notable, the drop-off.
I was ready to kind of put aside fan fiction a couple of months ago. My main fandom is deader than Dr. Arzt and Illana combined. For those who didn't watch LOST, that's very, very dead. And I just wasn't sure I was up for picking up/trying out new fandoms. Then I saw a post about this comm and thought "why not?" Four weeks later, I've written just under 10,000 words and am working with some voices and characters that are new to me. And it's really been a lot of fun already.
So there's my rah-rah speech for the week. If you're stuck or struggling with writing or a particular fic, just keep showing up. :)
As for a tip to pass on, my favorite thing we discussed this week was a simple equation:
Drama = Desire + Danger.
Our teacher reinforced a point she discussed in our first class; To write a compelling story, give your main character something to want and something to lose. If they have a little to loose, there's a little drama. The more they have to lose.... and you've got a franchise. :)
It doesn't have to be something huge, big picture, or difficult. Is there a drabble or a flash fic you've written lately you're a bit stuck on? Looking at it with that one equation in mind might show you where to add a little tension, how to give your character something more to lose, and help you wrap up that fic.
P.S. - I couldn't remember who the quote was from, about success and showing up. Turns out it's from film director Woody Allen. Who knew? If half the quotes here are really from him, he's said some funny stuff:
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/woody_allen.html
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