Learn Writing with Uncle Jim, Volume 1

300-year-old, imo. See:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/593/01/

James D. Macdonald said:

Remember, plot =/= action.

Meaningless action, action that does not move the story forward, is as deadly as any other element that doesn't move the story forward.

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I agree. Also, Plot =/= Backstory as suggested by someone here.

James D. Macdonald said:

It substitutes for the BBB part entirely.

Observe, if you will, this Bill Cosby routine:

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=4393284

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Great stuff! I think I get it. I mean, I see it clearly demonstrated in his routine, but it may take some experimentation for me to get it right on paper. It still seems like the climax to the b arc was in there, but it served as a vehicle for AAA to come in and knock the whole thing out of the park.

Maybe I'm just overthinking it. Or maybe it's a simple matter of semantics. Thanks so much for the info!

Remember, in the Cosby routine, the b arc is pointing to actual physical violence as its climax. We never get that.

James D. Macdonald said:

Remember, in the Cosby routine, the b arc is pointing to actual physical violence as its climax. We never get that.

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OK! You've finally drilled deeply enough to get through my thick head. I've got it now. Thanks for your patience! And thanks for sharing your knowledge.

The biggest mistake you can make?

Replying in any manner whatsoever to a negative review.

Here is a link to Brain exercises:

http://esl.about.com/od/englishlessonplans/a/braingym.htm

For those who would like to exercise their mind as well as their body.

Thought it looked like fun when I received the email posting the link.

Uncle Jim, I've been reading Sun Tzu's The Art of War, and I'm finding it a great help in thinking strategically. I tried the chess thing, but I don't have anyone to play with, so that didn't go too far.

Have you read it? Found it to be useful for a writer?

Yes, I've read Sun Tzu (hasn't everyone?). But as far as being useful to me as a writer, only in so far as it gives insight into human psychology. (Not that this is a small thing.)

If you find contemplating The Art of War helps you plot, by all means do so.

Judg said:

I've been reading Sun Tzu's The Art of War, and I'm finding it a great help in thinking strategically. I tried the chess thing, but I don't have anyone to play with, so that didn't go too far.

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By strategically, I assume that you mean how to turn a general direction into a set of steps. Here's another way to do it that may help:

1. Describe a character's direction, and how you'd know if it got there. (e.g. Sir Ronald Bravelock wants to discover the killer of Lord Fairbright, his liege. He'll know that he's got the killer if he obtains a confession)
   
2. Describe what's impeding getting there (E.g. Sir Ronald has no idea who the killer might be, he's never tried to find a murderer before, would have no idea how to make him confess if he did find him, and his wife Lady Bravelock is heavily pregnant and being very demanding)
   
3. List what assets and resources the character can bring to bear. (E.g. While normally meek, Sir Ronald is prone to fits of passion that make him incredibly strong -- especially when he sees bullying. He has a loyal friend Squire Gimley who's cynical but a good judge of character. The local herbalist Dame Trot has a crush on him and would do anything for him)
   
4. For each impediment, see if you can create a Situation of Opportunity in which the character can overcome one of his impediments. (E.g. while Sir Ronald has no idea how to find a killer, Dame Trot is a fund of wise folklore and might have some advice)
   
5. For each Opportunity, see if you can create a Condition of Threat to make it difficult to realise the opportunity (E.g. Lady Bravelock is the jealous type and her pregnancy has made her paranoid. If she gets whiff of Sir Ronald visiting Dame Trot, she'll hit the roof)
   
6. For each Opportunity and Threat, see if you can construct a scene that resolves them. The resolution of the scene might either achieve the goal or fail. In reaching that outcome, it might add more complications or add no complications. Wherever there's a failure or complications, see what Opportunities can correct them, and what Threats can make them worse. Then you can try to construct another scene to resolve them.
   
7. As the plot progresses update the character's Assets, Resources and Impediments as these will change. This will result in changes to Opportunities and Threats.

Now imagine that the killer (Duke Blackheart) learns that Sir Ronald is after him. He too has a Goal (get away with murder) with Recognition (Sir Ronald dies, gives up, or punishes the wrong person), and Impediments and Assets and Resources. Now you have a game of chess. As Sir Ronald gains Assets and Resources, the Impediments to Duke Blackheart increase. He'll want to capture/kill/neutralise Sir Ronald's Assets and Resources. As Sir Ronald gains information, the Threat to Duke Blackheart increases. As Duke Blackheart finds ways to threaten or confuse Sir Ronald, his Opportunities increase.

This approach uses strategic analysis to help develop plot. The analysis is called a SWOT analysis, because it lists Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. That's the same stuff that Sun Tzu talks about, but he also offers advice how to limit your weaknesses, capitalise on your strengths, pursue opportunities and avoid threats. For fictional purposes it can be just as interesting to ignore Sun Tzu's advice as to take it.

Hope that helps.

Wow. This is going to take some reflection. I was using it in a more limited way, i.e. trying to get into the heads of some military commanders in planning a trap. But I suspected there could be ways of using it more extensively.

there will be no caps here--baby in arms=difficulty typing.

just watched lord of war w/ nicolas cage. good movie, i bring it up because of its good narration. not as good as morgan freeman narrating in shawshank redemption, but still good. some of the great lines in narration in movies i so wish i had come up with myself. but watching these movies helps me to learn to write with a stronger narrative voice. what are some of your favorite narrative films?

I have a question: here's a couple lines from my new WIP.

No, that isn't what "enclave" means. Are you sure you didn't intend alcove? (And that probably belongs in Basic Writing Questions or SYW.....)

Yes, that is what I meant, thanks UJ. Sorry to ask the wrong question here, I tend to stick with what I know, and I know the people in this thread pretty well. I'll be more selective where I ask questions like that, and try to keep the ones here more to the "writing novels" criteria.

In the last few days I have read two books by Kurt Vonnegut (his own top two): Cat's Cradle, which I hated, and Slaughterhouse Five which I loved. S-5 was very confusing, as the narrative moved around fairly randomly through time, with recurring themes all over the place. It's a clever book, a totally original take on flashbacks or 'time travel'. Thx Steve.

(Never heard of Sun Tzu).

[I put this post in here because I think there was some recent discussion about flashbacks etc. I'll delete it if need be.]

Uncle Jim, more questions about the writer:

You live in New Hampshire--It seems so many great writers come from New England, is there something in the water there? Have you lived there your whole life (except service time, of course)?

What genres have you written in? Have you stuck mainly to SF/Fantasy, or have you written horror/thriller, comedy, western, etc...?

If you were suddenly unable to use your hands to write would you give verbal notes to Doyle, or use a recorder?

Enquiring minds want to know

Is New England = New Hampshire or is this a typo, Steve?

Euclid:

New Hampshire is one of the New England states.

Steve: Genres I've written (been published) in: SF, Fantasy, Horror, non-fiction, humor, technothriller. Both book-length and short story. My only poetry has been (dare I say it?) self-published. See the AW library (where I really need to fill in more stuff, if I want it to be complete.

But this is not the Jim Macdonald Thread, this is the Learn Writing Thread (which happens to be guided by Jim Macdonald).

So, to that end:

If anyone who is reading this responds to any Google Ads for any writing-related service (such as you can see at the top of this very page), I will come to your house and mock you in person. The ads themselves range from misleading to dishonest to fraudulent, and lead to places that range from Very Bad Ideas to Utter Scams.

James D. Macdonald said:

But this is not the Jim Macdonald Thread, this is the Learn Writing Thread (which happens to be guided by Jim Macdonald).

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I know, but I think some of us can benefit from knowing more about the man who helps us navigate these choppy waters. At least I try to give a week or two before I ask personal questionslol.

James D. Macdonald said:

Euclid:

New Hampshire is one of the New England states.

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To save everybody some time, I googled New England. very surprised to find that New England is not a state. I thought/assumed it was. Shows you what I know about the good old US of A!

Is New England a political entity of some kind - like a superstate? And are there other superstates?

A far more appropriate place to discuss all that would be on my personal homepage.

Uncle Jim, What are the rules about using a brief reference to a specific individual (in this case Stephen Jay Gould in reference to his idea about punctuated equilibrium) in a fictional work? The reference is used in passing in a conversation between 2 characters, is not disrespectful or slanderous.

Niles Eldredge, Gould's partner on his 1972 paper, is still alive, but Gould passed away in 2002.

Should I seek permission to use Gould's name?

It's possible, in this case, to simply reference the theory to some unnamed researchers so if it presents a problem I can easily work around it.

Why not just say "Stephen Jay Gould"?

Your editor will eventually help you with this. Concentrate on telling the story for right now.

Thanks, Uncle Jim. I thought I'd run it past you first but if it's okay by you, and my editor will eventually help, I'll run with it.

The story's told, the rewrite's being completed (#7 actually). The fine-tuning is being done now and I hope to start marketing the work by mid-July or earlier.

My references are all factual wherever they're made.