Labor Day Chapter 3 Swainisms, auctions for charity and homeless pets. From the Cottage of Blog
The Cottage of Blog
Good morning and happy Labor Day from The Cottage of Blog, where the coffee is warmed over this morning and the cereal is a bit stale. You don't notice when you sprinkle walnuts over the top.
I thought I'd start my day be re-reading Chapter 3 of Dwight Swain's Techniques of the Selling Writer. I love the way he explains what every other craft writer tries to explain. Is there anything new in his book? Hmmm. Well yes, if you haven't gone through 10 other craft books. Does he say pretty much the same things? Yes-in a different way. So what makes this book special?
It's the way he explains his/our craft that makes it so outstanding. A whole chapter on feelings and emotions. Wow. I finally understand that feelings and emotions are the most important aspect of story telling. And it's these feeling and emotions that make up your actions-reaction or motivation-reactions and create the "changes of directions" "call to adventure" "acceptance of the call" "black moment" "turning points" etc.
Excerpt: "What is a feeling?
A feeling is private interpretation of data. It's a man's uniquely personal and individual response to his world: I love this woman, I pity that dog, I hate hot cereals . . ." etc.
"For significance, remember, starts within the individual in feeling."
"Things don't have feelings. Events don't. Places don't. But people do. And things and events and places can create feelings in people . . . trigger an amazing frange of individual reactions."
Chapter 3 was (and is, I'm not finished) an amazing chapter.
"1. you decide what's good and what's bad.
2. you give your reader a character for a compass
3. you create a story world
4. you draw motive power from cause and effect
5. you inject an element of change
6. you pin down development to motivation and reation
7. you make motivation-reaction units shape emotion
8. you meansure copy length with tension
9. you learn to write in M-R units"
And that's all there is to it, you ask? Gosh, we get to play God.
Yeah, well maybe. As far as our characters, their author-given backgrounds, and their inner conflicts allow. It's when their outer conflicts and their reactions start turning against us that we, as God-players lose control. Just like a class of unruly kids.
Today, I'm working on chapter 1 of my new WIP. Then, I'm going out and actually ride a horse. Why am I sooooo tired?
This weekend I read: Robin Cook's Marker (CD's) Frankenstein (book 2) Koontz,
Techniques of a Selling Writer (rereading)
I wish I didn't feel so punky though. Exhausted to the bone, and I haven't done anything.
Maybe tomorrow when the adreneline hits along with the kids, maybe I'll forget about aches and pains--and New Orleans.
I donated to Noah's Ark, a foundation that specializes in displaced animals during disasters. If anyone is interested in those pets that lost their loved-ones, the Humane Society is also taking donations. I'm sure there are other charities.
Someone on Cataromance or RWClist is auctioning off critiques by well-known agents, editors and writers. I just wish I could remember who was organizing it.
Happy reading, writing and revising.
Pat
Good morning and happy Labor Day from The Cottage of Blog, where the coffee is warmed over this morning and the cereal is a bit stale. You don't notice when you sprinkle walnuts over the top.
I thought I'd start my day be re-reading Chapter 3 of Dwight Swain's Techniques of the Selling Writer. I love the way he explains what every other craft writer tries to explain. Is there anything new in his book? Hmmm. Well yes, if you haven't gone through 10 other craft books. Does he say pretty much the same things? Yes-in a different way. So what makes this book special?
It's the way he explains his/our craft that makes it so outstanding. A whole chapter on feelings and emotions. Wow. I finally understand that feelings and emotions are the most important aspect of story telling. And it's these feeling and emotions that make up your actions-reaction or motivation-reactions and create the "changes of directions" "call to adventure" "acceptance of the call" "black moment" "turning points" etc.
Excerpt: "What is a feeling?
A feeling is private interpretation of data. It's a man's uniquely personal and individual response to his world: I love this woman, I pity that dog, I hate hot cereals . . ." etc.
"For significance, remember, starts within the individual in feeling."
"Things don't have feelings. Events don't. Places don't. But people do. And things and events and places can create feelings in people . . . trigger an amazing frange of individual reactions."
Chapter 3 was (and is, I'm not finished) an amazing chapter.
"1. you decide what's good and what's bad.
2. you give your reader a character for a compass
3. you create a story world
4. you draw motive power from cause and effect
5. you inject an element of change
6. you pin down development to motivation and reation
7. you make motivation-reaction units shape emotion
8. you meansure copy length with tension
9. you learn to write in M-R units"
And that's all there is to it, you ask? Gosh, we get to play God.
Yeah, well maybe. As far as our characters, their author-given backgrounds, and their inner conflicts allow. It's when their outer conflicts and their reactions start turning against us that we, as God-players lose control. Just like a class of unruly kids.
Today, I'm working on chapter 1 of my new WIP. Then, I'm going out and actually ride a horse. Why am I sooooo tired?
This weekend I read: Robin Cook's Marker (CD's) Frankenstein (book 2) Koontz,
Techniques of a Selling Writer (rereading)
I wish I didn't feel so punky though. Exhausted to the bone, and I haven't done anything.
Maybe tomorrow when the adreneline hits along with the kids, maybe I'll forget about aches and pains--and New Orleans.
I donated to Noah's Ark, a foundation that specializes in displaced animals during disasters. If anyone is interested in those pets that lost their loved-ones, the Humane Society is also taking donations. I'm sure there are other charities.
Someone on Cataromance or RWClist is auctioning off critiques by well-known agents, editors and writers. I just wish I could remember who was organizing it.
Happy reading, writing and revising.
Pat
posted by Unknown at 9:14 AM
1 Comments:
Ha. No. Don't think so. Folgers is my brand of choice.
Thank you. I do wish more people would read out blogs, but maybe they do and just don't comment. That's possible.
On to school.
Pat
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