Andy S: how did you load/post your flash fiction? Cant open it.
I want an end to these Bb glitches!
Slide 3
Next Week All semester cyber work to date must be ready for a
check by class time. If you want to revise anything, or post a late
assignment, you have until March 4 th. After that we begin a new
check period. Ill do two or three checks over the semester.
Slide 4
Remember each week to check the Weekly Cyber Class Instructions
forum, as well as the online schedule and any new and/or updated
Power Point presentations.
Slide 5
Also for Next Week Read Sebold stories: Alice Fulton, A Shadow
Table and Alex Rose, Ostracon. Workshop. Project #2 due March 11
(Ill get some draft feedback to you within a few days)
Slide 6
Interested in Writing Fiction? A Crash Course in Creating
Characters, Plot and Setting
Slide 7
What is the difference between an essay or a work of expository
prose and a story? Essays generally have a thesis, are primarily
factual and reflective (not dramatic), are narrated by the actual
author, and are usually structured as traditional, a-temporal
arguments. Stories dont have a thesis, are primarily dramatic and
fictional, are narrated by an invented character, and have temporal
structures. First, a quick review of a couple important points
Slide 8
Dont confuse a first- person narrator of a story with the
author of the story! They are not (necessarily) the same
person!
Slide 9
What is it? How do you make one? Ok. Plot How do you make a
GOOD one? Note that experimenting with plot is one of your options
for Fiction Project #2
Slide 10
Plotting a Story What's a plot? o The sequence or pattern of
events in a story. First this happens, then that happens, then this
What sets a story in motion? o A QUESTION is posed, explicitly or
implicitly. o So why do you continue reading? What keeps you
turning pages? You want to know the answer! When this question
linked is to CHARACTER, you have a stronger, richer story!
Slide 11
Thinking about The Narrative Question A guy is climbing a
mountain. Whats the narrative question? Right: will he make it to
the top? What are the possible answers? Yes or No
Slide 12
Nothing wrong with a story like that; it can be quite good. But
you can do a lot more with plot. Suspense and interest can get
REALLY intense when ADDITIONAL questions are introduced in the
course of the plot.
Slide 13
Two guys are climbing a mountain. Whats the narrative
question(s)? Will they make it to the top? Will one make it and the
other fail? Will one find out that the other is having the affair?
What will happen when he finds out? More questions and/or more
possible answers = more suspense! One is having an affair with the
other guys wife.
Slide 14
There are other ways of thinking about what sets a plot in
motion and keeps it moving. A balanced situation becomes
unbalanced! Some sort of equilibrium is disturbed. An obstacle is
presented. The more obstacles, the more potential suspense. Usually
:)
Slide 15
What else is important to plot? PACE What slows the pace?
Exposition. Interior monologue. Description. Dialogue. Sub-plots or
parallel plot (more on this is just a sec) False clues,
misdirection, or otherwise withholding answers to the narrative
question. Another way to think of PACE, in fact, is the RATE OF
REVELATION. What speeds the pace? ACTION! Revelation of ANSWERS to
the narrative questions
Slide 16
Helpful Plot Devices Framing (well talk about this more in a
sec) Flashbacks Foreshadowing Parallel or intersecting plots or
sub-plots (more in a sec) False clues Hooks (these are not so much
devices but integral elements; sometimes theyre referred to as
complicating actions, triggers, or twists) Delay (withholding
answers to the narrative questions) See class notes (material on
board) for details
Slide 17
Plot Structure Whats the shape of your plot? How do its parts
fit together?
Slide 18
Scene-setting (exposition) X X X X X Hook X X X X Crisis
Resolution What SPEEDS pace? What SLOWS Pace? Introduction of minor
parallel plot Hook Flashback X X Partial answer Hook = triggering
action or complicating action or narrative question or twist.
Different sources will call these by different names. False clue
Increasing tension TRADITIONAL PLOT STRUCTURE: standard rising and
falling action ACTION! ANSWERS! Dialogue. Internal monologue.
Description.
Slide 19
And did you know: each carries with it its own ideological
assumptions about the nature of time, desire, purpose, even human
existence itself? Nothing wrong with a traditional plot
structure.
Slide 20
Alternate Plot Structures Framed narrative. (Or this is
actually a plot device.) Have you seen Titanic? Montage or collage.
OBrien story? Multiple and intersecting plots. Continental Drift.
Chronologically backwards plot. (Yesbackwards. See Lorrie Moores
How to Talk to Your Mother.) Static plots. (See experimental
stories by Robbe Grille.) All flashbacks, or footnotes, or
exposition. Nicholson Bakers, The Mezzanine. Different plots can
express alternative ways of experiencing TIME and REALITY! See
Gabriel Garcia Marquezs One Hundred Years of Solitude. Authors and
titles mentioned here are class assignments or material you can
easily look up.
Slide 21
Tim OBriens, How to Tell a True War Story What do you make of
PLOT in this story?
Slide 22
Plot Thingys to Avoid The it was all a dream ending. (Besides
the fact that it already happened to Dorothy, its just a cheap
solution to the difficulties raised in the story.) Suicide endings.
(Sorryyour characters will have to find some other way out of their
problems. Avoid this kind of ending at least for now.) OHenry twist
endings. (Clever, but get old fast. The twist becomes the whole
point of the story, and ultimately has limited interest.) Tidy,
comprehensive endings in which everything comes out well, all loose
ends are neatly tied up, and the universe is pretty much explained
to one and all. Let your stories end inconclusively now and then.
Let them end with questions rather than answers.
Slide 23
Something to Think About Does a story have to be plot-centered?
NO! NO! A piece can be character-driven, image-driven,
image-driven, idea-driven, idea-driven, even setting-driven.
setting-driven. (Look at selected scenes from Robert Altmans, The
Player.)
Slide 24
So, a little sum-up: PlotDont Plod! oBe aware of your narrative
question. Introduce additional narrative questions. Create multiple
obstacles, physical or emotional. oControl the rate of revelation.
Slow pace = interior monologue, description, dialogue, exposition.
Fast pace = action, jump cuts, answers to narrative question.
oProvide false clues, misdirection. oDevelop sub- or parallel-plots
which delay revelation in the main plot, add interest and
complexity. oConsider creating your backstory gradually. Don't give
main characters full story immediately. Let it evolve. oProvide
powerful IMAGERY which heightens tensions. Students almost NEVER
use imagery with feeling.
Slide 25
What else is important to plot? Scene Development o A unit of
time and place in which (usually) important action takes place. o
Can be like mini-stories within the larger story. Scene transitions
o Provide a simple extra space on the page. This is common these
days. o Transitional phrases. o Jump cuts. Leaping from one scene
to another abruptly. Done well, reader intuits the transition.
Student stories often have needless exposition and crud between
scenes. Note: many students are not aware of where their scenes
stop and start, and their transitional passages are consequently
muddy: over- elaborated, bogging the whole story down.
Slide 26
How long should a scene be? Depends on length of story. Depends
on pacing: do you want to speed things up or slow things down?
Short scenes obviously go faster than longer ones. Student scenes
are often neglected. Too long, too short, non-existent
Slide 27
What do you make of the dinner scene in Cathedral?
Slide 28
Characters How do you make them? How do you make them
INTERESTING?
Slide 29
Types Flat (or Simple, Secondary, Static) Round (or Complex,
Primary, Dynamic) Need to Be Believable, Real Consistent
Distinctive Worst beginner faults: characters who are all alike
(cant tell one from the other), or are generic. Try starting with a
CHARACTER idea, not a plot idea! TIP!
Slide 30
Starting with a Character Imagine-up a distinct, rounded,
believable person. What is that persons main faults? Greatest
fears? Worst neuroses? What makes this person nervous, edgy,
confused, repulsed? What do they NOT KNOW about themselves? NOW:
put that character in a setting and situation which will MAXIMAZE
his/her fears, faults, neuroses; a situation which may force them
to confront their what they do not know about themselves or what
they dont want to know.
Slide 31
EXAMPLE: Who is the protagonist? Whats he like? What does he
value, fear, desire? What would make an interesting situation in
which to position such a guy? CATHEDRAL
Slide 32
Well Hes not a genius. Hes not very worldly. Limited
experience. Hes put off by what is different. Narrow- minded. Kind
of a xenophobe. Hes not especially ambitious. Hes a bigot. Hes
left-brain oriented. Hes not really a bad guy, just a dope? So what
plot situation would make him extra nervous? What would maximize
his weaknesses, especially in ways we cant predict? Even ways in
which the author cant predict?
Slide 33
How does Carver handle those questions, and what is the
outcome?
Slide 34
applied to CHACTERIZATION
Slide 35
Let only the tip of the iceberg showthe right details will
evoke the great complex mass of what lies beneath. In other words:
showdont tell. Provide fewer, but better, details. (Less is more.)
Dont explain your protagonists feelings or issues away; reveal
their character dramatically: oHoHoHoHave the person do something
which reveals interesting nuances of their personality. oHoHoHoHave
your character react to what someone else does or says. oSoSoSoShow
other characters reacting to, or speaking about, your
protagonist.
Slide 36
Silences arent silent. Silences arent nothing. Being good with
words means knowing when to shut up.
Slide 37
Try a verbal character sketch I.e., invent someone a person who
will be with you the rest of the semester. You can explain many
things, but try to describe more than explain. At least 3
paragraphs. Can be notational. Sometimes it helps to LITERALLY
sketch or draw the character! My characters name is X and she is an
X. Shes from X and first Xed when she Xed
Slide 38
Now look again at your character sketch. What were you doing?
Your character is FLAT! BORING! GENERIC! 2-dimensional! Look at
questions in Harmonious Confusion and TRY AGAIN bonehead!Harmonious
Confusion
www.ndsu.nodak.edu/instruct/cinichol/CreativeWriting/323/HarmoniousWhole.htm
Slide 39
Dont feel you have to know everything there is to know about
your protagonist! In fact, if your protagonist is any good, you
WONT know everything there is to know about the person.
Slide 40
SETTING and IMAGERY What do SPECIFIC ITEMS in the setting say
about the main character? What is in your invented characters
bedroom? What is in YOUR bedroom? What is in the jungle in How to
Tell a True War Story? What is in the home of the protagonist of
The Cures for Love? What mood is created by the setting and by the
storys imagery? How do the setting and the imagery contribute to
theme? In what ways might a story actually be ABOUT setting?
(setting that is almost a character)
Slide 41
Settings which tell us very GENERAL kinds of things about the
characters (socio-economic class, general historical time and
location), though some are at least evocative)
Slide 42
Slide 43
Slide 44
Slide 45
Slide 46
Slide 47
Slide 48
Slide 49
Slide 50
Slide 51
Slide 52
These tell us more about the specific individuals living in
them
Slide 53
Slide 54
Slide 55
Slide 56
And now
Slide 57
Fiction: Again, Some #1 Things to Look Out For Before handing
in workshop material, ask yourself at least a few of these
questions:
Slide 58
1.Does the story rely entirely on plot? Are other story
elementscharacter, setting, perspective, language, imageignored?
2.Does the plot in turn rely entirely on an "O'Henry twist" or
trick ending? This is fun maybe once or twice, but it gets old
really fast. You should only be doing this sparingly. The outcome
is a foregone conclusion for the writer and so no discoveries have
been made. One of the central pleasures in writingfor the writerhas
been missed. 3.A related problem is the plot based heavily on a
clever, "ooh-aah" or "oh wow" premise. Such a premise or basic
concept is fine if the story is otherwise fully developed, but too
often the premise becomes the only point, a gimmick of interest for
about 3 seconds. Try founding your story on some interesting and
unresolved, possibly unresolvable problem of character rather than
plot. The premise may seem less snappy or clever at first, but
ultimately the story will be richer and take the reader (and you,
the writer) into more interesting territory. 4.Is the plot
"front-heavy"? That is, does it have page after page of initial
scene-setting and exposition, followed by screaming slide to a
conclusion? 5.Is there a suicide ending? Come on. 6.Are there
plenty of specific, concrete, sensory DETAILS so that the reader
can really see and feel the setting and characters? Or is most of
the language general and abstract?
Slide 59
7.Are the characters in the story distinctive? Can you tell one
apart from the other, or are they all basically the same person?
8.Are the characters developed? Do you really know the central
people in the storytheir desires, physical quirks, beliefs,
contradictions? Does the main character leave an impression? Do you
know everything there is to know about the main character? (you
shouldn't!). 9.Are scenes* in the story distinctive and delineated?
If they all kind of run together, chances are there's a lot of
inconsequential action which is diluting the best stuff so we can't
see it or experience it vividly. Go through and mark where scenes
in the story begin and end, and consider cleaner transitions from
one scene to another. 10.Look at the scenes you've marked. Is each
one sufficiently developed? Notice where some good scene
opportunities are being brushed over. These are places where you
probably SUMMARIZED or used EXPOSITION rather than developed the
moment with sensory detail. 11.Are the scenes well-modulated? You
want to alternate action, reflection, dialogue, and expositionnot
action scene followed by action scene followed by action scene. If
there's no modulation, the high points just run together with the
low points and the story will feel monotonous. 12.Is the point of
view modulated? You want "distant shots" as well as detailed
"close-ups." 13.Is there real engagement with language? Or, oops,
is the prose style pretty much a soggy paper towel?
Slide 60
14.Look out for dull, hackneyed language; clich words and
expressions: a."sly smile" b."evil smirk" c."deep into his eyes"
d."heart leaped to his throat" e."face etched with concern"
f."blacker than night" g."bitter tears" h.majestic sunset," etc.
15.Try some interesting figurative language! Look at Lorrie Moore
and Annie Proulx for evocative, surprising, moving, vivid, juicy
metaphors and similes.Lorrie Moore and Annie Proulx 16.Watch out
for monotonous sentence length and style; no rhythmic, modulated,
or otherwise engaging sentences. 17.Listen for voicedoes your
narrator, whether she's wholly omniscient, limited omniscient, or
first-personhave a distinctive way of talking? * Scene = an
unbroken stretch of time and action, usually in one place. Unlike a
summary or exposition, which may overview a broad period of time, a
scene generally covers a brief, detailed, circumscribed period.
Scenes are almost like small stories in themselves.
Slide 61
Copyright A VERY Brief Look at a TINY Number of Issues
Idea-Expression Dichotomy You cant own an idea but you can own the
original expression of an idea. [T]he ideas that are the fruit of
an author's labors go into the public domain, while only the
author's particular expression remains the author's to control
(http://www.edwardsamuels.com/copyright/beyond/articles/ideapt1-20.htm).
Slide 62
Given the difficulty of defining the terms of the doctrine,
some courts and commentators have developed an abstractions
test[FN6] or a patterns analysis,[FN7] which purports to place a
given work along a continuum between idea and expression. Although
it is impossible to state precisely when a particular work has
crossed the threshold from one end to the other, the courts are
nonetheless supposed to struggle to apply the terms. Ibid.[FN6]
[FN7]
Slide 63
Other Considerations Substantial Use Fair Use Sufficient
originality
Slide 64
Screenwriting Commercial
Slide 65
Movies vs. Plays vs. Novels Novel: author has control of nearly
all of the main product Novel: author has control of nearly all of
the main product Plays: playwright has total control of script
Plays: playwright has total control of script Movies: screenwriter
usually has little control of anything Movies: screenwriter usually
has little control of anything Novel: can get directly into
characters thoughts and also provide exposition easily Novel: can
get directly into characters thoughts and also provide exposition
easily Movies: primarily visual Movies: primarily visual Plays:
primarily verbal (dialogue) Plays: primarily verbal (dialogue)
Novels: a solitary art Novels: a solitary art Plays and especially
movies: highly collaborative arts Plays and especially movies:
highly collaborative arts
Slide 66
Basics BASICS BASICS Shooting or Production Script: Shooting or
Production Script: Formatted for actual use on set. Formatted for
actual use on set. Spec or Writers Script: Spec or Writers Script:
For shopping your script around. For shopping your script around.
100-120 pages. Period. 100-120 pages. Period. And theres the: Pitch
Outline Treatment Synopsis
Slide 67
In MANY commercial films, CONCEPT is key. A successful concept:
Can be understood by an 8 th grader Can be understood by an 8 th
grader Can be summed up in one or two sentences Can be summed up in
one or two sentences Is provocative Is provocative Provides a
compelling mental picture Provides a compelling mental picture Has
a main character who experiences a conflict which leads to an
initial HOOK Has a main character who experiences a conflict which
leads to an initial HOOK Has sequel potential Has sequel potential
Has legs (could work even without big stars) Has legs (could work
even without big stars) Will nonetheless attract a big star Will
nonetheless attract a big star Stands out Stands out Is original
but also has familiar elements (Being John Malkovich) Is original
but also has familiar elements (Being John Malkovich) You can see
the whole movie in it You can see the whole movie in it Has broad
appeal Has broad appeal Is marketable; the exec knows immediately
that the idea has potential Is marketable; the exec knows
immediately that the idea has potential
Slide 68
Formulating the concept (the one-line or logline): Pose as
question: Pose as question: What if Dorothy had a sister? What if
Dorothy had a sister? What if Titanic were a spaceship instead of a
boat? What if Titanic were a spaceship instead of a boat? What if
one of the ghostbusters were himself a ghost? What if one of the
ghostbusters were himself a ghost? Pose as a logline: TV Guide or
newspaper movie section one-sentence summary Pose as a logline: TV
Guide or newspaper movie section one-sentence summary Pose as a
hook: Pose as a hook: The Graduate: Part II The Graduate: Part II
Out of Africa meets Pretty Lady Out of Africa meets Pretty Lady
Braveheart comes to America (The Patriot) Braveheart comes to
America (The Patriot) Night of the Living Dead meets Star Wars (The
Imposter) Night of the Living Dead meets Star Wars (The Imposter)
Night of the Living Dead meets Outbreak (The Invasion) Night of the
Living Dead meets Outbreak (The Invasion) Animal House meets The
Good Girl (The Tao of Steve) Animal House meets The Good Girl (The
Tao of Steve)
Slide 69
Logline should have an implied structureon hearing the concept,
an exec would sense a beginning, middle, and end, or the beats: 1.
Opening Image 2. Theme Statement 3. Set-up 4. Catalyst 5. Debate 6.
B Story (usually the love story, page 30) 7. Fun and Games 8.
Midpoint 9. Bad Guys Close In 10. All is Lost 11. Dark Night of the
Soul 12. Finale 13. Final Image Every handbook you consult will
break these parts down a little differently or with different
headers
Slide 70
The killer TITLE + the CONCEPT + the CONCEPT = a one-two = a
one-two
Slide 71
Know Your Genres Thriller Thriller Love Story Love Story
Action/Adventure Action/Adventure Sci-Fi Sci-Fi Horror Horror
Detective mystery Detective mystery Comedy Comedy
Slide 72
including ones not mentioned in your local video store: The
Fish Out of Water The Fish Out of Water Dances with Wolves,
Dangerous Minds, Miss Congeniality, Legally Blonde, Benjamin
Button, The Reader Dances with Wolves, Dangerous Minds, Miss
Congeniality, Legally Blonde, Benjamin Button, The Reader The Pet
Who Heals The Pet Who Heals Winn-Dixie, Seabiscuit, As Good as It
Gets (sub-theme), Marley and Me Winn-Dixie, Seabiscuit, As Good as
It Gets (sub-theme), Marley and Me The Buddy Story (Sensitive Male
Bonding Flick) The Buddy Story (Sensitive Male Bonding Flick)
Ill-Fated Lovers (Casablanca, Romeo and Juliet, Ill-Fated Lovers
(Casablanca, Romeo and Juliet, Plain Jane Transformed Plain Jane
Transformed The Devil Wears Prada, Pretty Lady, My Fair Lady,
Cinderella (of course) The Devil Wears Prada, Pretty Lady, My Fair
Lady, Cinderella (of course) Beloved Mentor Beloved Mentor Dead
Poets Society, Dangerous Minds, Good Will Hunting Dead Poets
Society, Dangerous Minds, Good Will Hunting Rites of Passage (A Few
Good Men, Rocky, Titanic, The Reader) Rites of Passage (A Few Good
Men, Rocky, Titanic, The Reader) The Quest (Titanic, Troy, Indiana
Jones, My Best Friends Wedding The Quest (Titanic, Troy, Indiana
Jones, My Best Friends Wedding Monster in the House (The Exorcist,
Tremors, Panic Room, Alien) Monster in the House (The Exorcist,
Tremors, Panic Room, Alien) The Brilliant Dope (Forrest Gump, Dave,
I Am Sam) The Brilliant Dope (Forrest Gump, Dave, I Am Sam)
Slide 73
There is much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much,
much, much, much, much more to this discipline. Ive given you a wee
taste, a feel for the commercial foundations.
Slide 74
Finding resources is EASY To read actual film scripts, try out:
www.isriptdb.com (Internet Movie Script Database) www.isriptdb.com
(Internet Movie Script Database) www.isriptdb.com
www.dailyscript.com www.dailyscript.com www.dailyscript.com
www.newmarketpress.com/category.asp?id=10www.scriptcrawler.com (New
Market Presss film and television scripts for sale)
www.newmarketpress.com/category.asp?id=10www.scriptcrawler.com (New
Market Presss film and television scripts for sale)
www.newmarketpress.com/category.asp?id=10www.scriptcrawler.com
www.script-o-rama.com www.script-o-rama.com www.script-o-rama.com
www.simplyscripts.com www.simplyscripts.com www.simplyscripts.com
TV and movie script writing site: www.cybercollege.com/index.htm
www.cybercollege.com/index.htm www.cybercollege.com/index.htm
Quicky on film script format: www.cybercollege.com/dram_flm.htm
www.cybercollege.com/dram_flm.htm www.cybercollege.com/dram_flm.htm
Longer thingy on script writing format:
http://www.screenwriting.info/ http://www.screenwriting.info/
http://www.screenwriting.info/ These sites havent been thoroughly
examined; they are suggested starting places only.
Slide 75
BTW, how do you know when a website is junk? No contact info or
verifiable background No contact info or verifiable background No
affiliations, stated or linked No affiliations, stated or linked
Claims made without supporting evidence Claims made without
supporting evidence The site is problematically .com or other The
site is problematically .com or other .orgs are getting easier to
fudge, apparently .orgs are getting easier to fudge, apparently No
documentation of sources No documentation of sources No
documentation of little-known or debatable info No documentation of
little-known or debatable info Conspicuous ill-will, bias,
disregard for opposing views Conspicuous ill-will, bias, disregard
for opposing views Unedited and unproofread Unedited and
unproofread Links take you to advertisements or porn Links take you
to advertisements or porn Comes from Wikipedia :) Wickedpedia Comes
from Wikipedia :) Wickedpedia
Slide 76
But, man, do you really want to write formula stuff? E.g.,
visit the Fargo Theater! Theres a whole world of non-formula film-
making and screenwriting out there; you just might have to look a
little further than franchise theaters or screaming TV
trailers.
Slide 77
The Snow-Munching Exercise: Whats the Story? Where to?
Slide 78
Possible pts. of view: You Teacher Onlookers Classmates Point
of entry Instructor giving assignment You on your way Teacher
waiting Snow in the mouth Someone reflecting back (frame) Narrative
question: What will it feel like? (action story about people in
conflict, danger) What will happen to me when I do this weird
thing? Can I make myself do it? (character-based story about
personal growth; tiny coming-of-age piece) Why is instructor doing
this? (story about education; maybe mentor-piece; battle-of- wills
piece) What will students think of this assignment? (the burned-out
teacher; the evil teacher; the heroic teacher) Triggers, hooks,
complicating actions, mounting tension Dialogue with other students
on the way New thoughts on the way Diversions; delays; false leads
Setting: how do things LOOK when one is stepping directly into the
unknown? Climax Dangers of this story Pat theme
Slide 79
More on Fiction Coming Soon!
Slide 80
Screenwriting info freely cribbed from Blake Snyders Save the
Cat, Linda Segers From Script to Screen, David Trottiers
Screenwriters Bible, and Skip Presss The Complete Idiots Guide to
Screenwriting and Rob Tobins The Screenwriting Formula.