Planting a Story: How to Grow a Plot from a Single Seed
22
Planting a Story How to Grow a Story from a Single Seed 1 Calebjross.com/Facebook Calebjross.com/Twitter Calebjross.com/Google Calebjross.com/Goodreads
-
Upload
calebjross -
Category
Self Improvement
-
view
702 -
download
0
description
Author Stephen Graham Jones has said that many of his story ideas stem from misheard conversations. This session will explore the process of building an entire story from practically nothing, with special consideration given to dismantling the sham known as writer’s block.
Transcript of Planting a Story: How to Grow a Plot from a Single Seed
1
Planting a Story
How to Grow a Story from a Single Seed
Calebjross.com/FacebookCalebjross.com/TwitterCalebjross.com/GoogleCalebjross.com/Goodreads
2
What Makes a Seed?• Write What You Know. Write What Interests
You.• The Story Web – Reverse Engineering to build
a story1. Visceral Images2. Meshing Concepts3. Recognizing your story breadcrumbs
• Writer’s Block
3
Write What…
“Write what you know” is a compelling statement, but is often misinterpreted.
Write• what interests you• what confuses you• what you are excited about• your hobbies• your own expertise• your passions
No matter how small your interests may be, they are worth exploring for the sake of story.
4
The Story Web
5
The Story WebA story, before it’s a story, begins with a visceral reaction. This is the Story Seed.
• an interesting image• a clever sentence• a misheard quote• a twist of phrase
Story Seed
Then Ask Questions
6
What• What is the relevancy of the
seed?• What is the history of the
seed?• What is the seed made of?• What power does the seed
have?• What would happen should
the seed disappear?• What color is the seed?• What draw does the seed
have to the people around it?
Story Seed
What
Who
Where
When
How
Why
7
Who• Who has interacted with the
seed?• Who created the seed?• Who wants the seed?• Who has the most to loose
should something happen to the seed?
• Who cares about the seed?• Who sees the seed?• Who distrusts the seed?
Story Seed
What
Who
Where
When
How
Why
8
Where• Was the seed born/seen/did
it originate?• Where is the seed now?• Where will the seed end up?• Where are the people who
created the seed?• Where are the people who
care about the seed?• Where is everyone else in
context to the seed?
Story Seed
What
Who
Where
When
How
Why
9
When• When did the seed come into
play?• When did people begin
caring about the seed?• When will people stop caring
about the seed?• When is the seed most
vulnerable?• When is the seed important?• When will the seed end?
Story Seed
What
Who
Where
When
How
Why
10
How• How did the seed
happen/come into existence?• How does the seed affect
those around it/those who participated?
• How does the seed appear to everyone else?
• How will the characters in the story continue should the seed cease to be?
Story Seed
What
Who
Where
When
How
Why
11
Why
Why is the seed important?
Story Seed
What
Who
Where
When
How
Why
12
Meshing Concepts
13
Meshing ConceptsStart with Two Story Seeds• Force these elements to
co-exist• Inherent tension when
objects are forced to share a story
• “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
• “The Blue Bouquet” by Octavio Paz
Story Seed
Story Seed
14
Breadcrumbs
15
Recognizing BreadcrumbsApproach every word you put down as its own Story Seed. Each line provides guidance for the next. You simply have to recognize it.
Besides the neutral expression that she wore when she was alone, Mrs. Freeman had two others, forward and reverse, that she used for all her human dealings.
Who is Mrs. Freeman? What history does she have to warrant such apparent distain? What other expressions does she have?
Her forward expression was steady and driving like the advance of a heavy truck. Her eyes never swerved to left or right but turned as the story turned as if they followed a yellow line down the center of it.
How often does she use these expressions?She seldom used the other expression because it was not often necessary for her to retract a statement, but when she did, her face came to a complete stop
16
Good Country People
Applying the concepts
17
How “Good Country People” could have been conceived
• Seed: The Wooden Leg• What happens to the leg: it gets
stolen• Who has the leg: an attractive
and intelligent young woman (tension)
• Where does the leg come into play: barn, country setting.
• When is the leg important: when it becomes the central interest of a thieving bible salesman
• How is the leg perceived by the characters: a point of confusion/tension
What
Who
Where
When
How
Why
18
Writers Block
Broken Stories
19
1. Accept that something is broken.
2. Hunt for what’s broken.
3. Fix what’s broken
Writers Block is Just and Excuse for Broken Storytelling
Story Seed
What
Who
Where
When
How
Why
20
Writers Block is Just and Excuse for Broken Storytelling
Analyze your story so far.• Be meticulous.• Explore character motivations, especially via dialog.• What are your characters really saying?
Examine the story so far objectively.• If you were a reader, what would you want to see
happen next?
cjrlit.com/brokenstorytelling
21
Breadcrumbs to Fix a Story
Deliver of a contract with the reader– Who is Jill?– What kind of pills is she swallowing?– Whose pills are they?– Why are the bottles unmarked?– Why are the pills in her freezer?– Why does she have so many pills?
When these questions don’t get addressed, the story tends to veer off-course, eventually leading to that feared block.
“Jill swallowed another pill from the collection of unmarked bottles in her freezer.”
22
Summary
• Write What Interests You.• The Story Web• Breadcrumbs• Writer’s Block
