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orchestrating villains
If you want to have multiple villains (as I was talking about recently) , you need to orchestrate them.
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choosing a tale
It's winter. A woman -- one of the minor villainesses -- is telling a story. Being in a fairy tale world, it's a fairy tale, and seeing how she's one of the villainesses, it's not one of the nicer ones.
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roses and hedgerows
So our hero asks one of the students with him about the magical significance of a hedge.
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philosophizing on comparison
I have heard Phoebe and Her Unicorn compared to Calvin and Hobbes. I have also heard Frazz compared to Calvin and Hobbes. . . .
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schemata and orchestrating
It can be useful to try to consciously map a group of characters to a schemata of some kind. Especially if they are all prone to act and think alike if you don't watch out. . . it helps orchestrate them for contrasts and variety
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the revolt of the figurehead
so, how exactly does a newly appointed -- or perhaps newly come-of-age or just newly aware of his duties -- hereditary authority deal with those sage souls, the older and wiser heads who ought to (in their own eyes) guide this foolish youngster?
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what not to world-build
Details in prose draw the eye. They announce what's important. Which is why it is wise to curb your world-building in places, even allow the stereotypes to take control.
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an imp observes
Some aspects of writing deserve a warning label.
For instance, if you start to write, you will also start to revise. Which means eying your work with a critical eye for flaws. And if you are prudent, you read other works to see how they do (or fail to do so), in order to improve your own bag of tricks. Do that for long, and you discover you have summoned an imp. He will sit on your shoulder and treat any work of art before him as a sample for analysis. And you can't dismiss him.
I've watched Tangled recently. (Which is a great movie and you should probably watch it before my unsystematic but spoilerific comments.)
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For instance, if you start to write, you will also start to revise. Which means eying your work with a critical eye for flaws. And if you are prudent, you read other works to see how they do (or fail to do so), in order to improve your own bag of tricks. Do that for long, and you discover you have summoned an imp. He will sit on your shoulder and treat any work of art before him as a sample for analysis. And you can't dismiss him.
I've watched Tangled recently. (Which is a great movie and you should probably watch it before my unsystematic but spoilerific comments.)
( Read more... )
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symmetry with characters
Back to the story -- one more time -- this time collapsing two characters into one because I suspect that one of them was the inspiration problem. . . .
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outlining characters
When plugging along in an outline, some characters need to be more developed that others.
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hush that up
A reflection from some recent reading: one thing to be wary of in dialog is prolonged discussions of principles.
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foiled again and again
One disadvantage of the organic method of writing is that sometimes you look back and realize that two characters are altogether too similar. Though those who plan may have the same difficulty.
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foiling
Character foils. Great and wonderful things. Help characterization and keeping the readers awake.
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characters of quest
The quest structure has its advantages -- would have to, to remain a perennial plot -- but it has its requirements too.
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Courtesans and Fishcakes
Courtesans and Fishcakes: The Consuming Passions of Classical Athens by James Davidson
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orchestrating by the seat of your pants
Setting out into the Valley Full of Clouds can have its fun aspects, but it has its downsides, as well.
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bickering a.k.a. conflict
An Orson Scott Card essay on conflict, particularly the forms he refers to as "complication" and "entertainment."
I do not think my meditations will be meaningful without you having read it first -- go ahead, I'll wait. 0:)
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I do not think my meditations will be meaningful without you having read it first -- go ahead, I'll wait. 0:)
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philosophical mediations on theme
Since aesthetics is still a branch of philosophy. . . . (and ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jimvanpelt discusses the Two Bucket Theory of Language and Writing here). . . . I think I shall ponder the aesthetic usefulness of theme.
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jimvanpelt discusses the Two Bucket Theory of Language and Writing here). . . . I think I shall ponder the aesthetic usefulness of theme.( Read more... )
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Charlie, the Kid and the Cop
What can you do with this image?
Well, you could write a web article about it. In which you use it to explicate many important writing principles.
For instance, this image lets you know, right up front, who the hero is; what the hero wants; and what's going to oppose his getting it. It also makes foils out of the cop and the tramp, and effectively contrasts them. And it makes it clear that the hero is the underdog, less powerful than his foes.
Article here.
Well, you could write a web article about it. In which you use it to explicate many important writing principles.
For instance, this image lets you know, right up front, who the hero is; what the hero wants; and what's going to oppose his getting it. It also makes foils out of the cop and the tramp, and effectively contrasts them. And it makes it clear that the hero is the underdog, less powerful than his foes.
Article here.