Writing in Scenes with Nancy Kress

(Image from:  Where's the Drama?, by Billy Marshall Stoneking)

For my "workshop finale" during this year's Summer Conference, I attended the Writing in Scenes, hosted by Nancy Kress.  I've read Nancy's how-to articles in Writers Digest and have some of her books from F+W Publications.  But was unfamiliar with her fictional work and was surprised to find out how much sci-fi material she's produced.

Nancy's workshop was actually a 3-part series, which lasted the rest of that Saturday afternoon. Despite such a lengthy seminar, Nancy is an excellent teacher and provided us with good insights into the techniques of scene writing.  Here are just some of my (legible) notes:

The advantage of writing in scenes, as opposed to starting from page 1 and plodding on until you type "The End" is that it frees the spontaneous, creative side of our brains and allows us to write while we're inspired.  The next step would be linking scenes into some form of logical sequence to produce a story.

Before writing a scene the following factors need to be taken into consideration:

1. Each scene must have a purpose in either advancing the plot or deepening characterization

2. Should have a "shape," that is, be part of the story flow.

3. Be dramatized.  ("Show" don't "Tell").

There are five Narrative Modes

1.Dialogue

2. Description

3. Action ("description in motion")

4. Character thoughts

5. Exposition

A scene becomes more vivid if it concentrates on dialogue.  Vivid scenes hold a readers attention.  The scenes readers often skim--or skip entirely--is description.  The trick, then, is to add rich details, without bogging down the story and boring the reader.  Some description is needed in order to move the story forward and avoid "White Room Syndrome"  (characters interacting, with no mention of their surroundings).

Characteristics of good descriptions are:

1. Specific

2. Slanted towards a character

3. Shows a relationship

4. Uses more senses than sight.

Nancy said, stories often aren't "smelly enough."

Additional advice on description--

--Chose the right details and you won't need too many of them.

--Tell the reader something about the character in what is being described.

--Give the reader a rich visualization.

--Give the reader clues abut the character(s).

--Illustrate relationships.

--Do as many things as you can in one sentence.

Scenes need to be orientated, that is, readers need to know where they are, when they are and in what point of view (POV).  The general rule of thumb is to have 1 POV/scene.

All scenes come to an end and there should be a little rise in tension.  Scenes shouldn't peter out.

There are three types of scenes.  These are:

1. Story time

2. Flashback

3. Expository

It is critical that the opening scene should be in story time, before turning to the other two scene-types.  Using the "Kress Swimming Pool Theory of Fiction," the first scene is the "kick-off" from the wall a swimmer does while doing laps.  Only with a good "kick" can the writer "glide" into a flashback or exposition.  However, the writer must keep these glides short and resume the pace (Pace = Events/Word Count).

On trick to maintain the story's pacing is to remove "locomotion writing," that is details on movement, unless it's important later on.

Expository scenes come in two flavors:  Summarizations and Data Dumps.  Both are less engaging and should be used judiciously.  Don't have two expository scenes in a row, or better yet, break up the info into small chunks and infuse them into the other scene-types.

How do you determine a scene's POV?

The POV Character should be the one who is most motivated and invested in the scene.  This character should also be someone who'll change by the end of the story.  

And speaking of endings, what type of outcomes are possible in a story?

Here are five examples:

1. The character gets what she wants.  The happy ending, or HEA (Happily Ever After).  How-ev-er, it should cost her something.

2. The Choice Story.  (Love or money?).  In this case, make sure both sides have some positive influences.

3. The main character doesn't get what she wants.  The unhappy ending.   But to keep this story from being a complete downer, have someone else get what they want.

4. Pyrrhic Victory.  The character gets what they want but at a higher cost than in #1.

5.  The character gets what she wants, but doesn't want it anymore and goes back to the way she was before.  (Example:  Dorothy's realization that "there's no place like home," in the Wizard of Oz).

Well folks, there you have it:  The last of my synopsis (synopsi?) for PNWA's 2011 Summer Conference.  I had an enjoyable time seeing old friends, making new ones and maybe even learning a thing or two.  Recounting what I've learned helps refresh my memory.

Spock's Farewell to the Fans

Sad day for us Star Trek fans.  (I've been one since junior high).  Leonard Nimoy, who's played Spock for a generation, bids farewell to the conention scene.

I've gone to a couple Star Trek conventions and managed to see the following:

Majel Barrett Rodenberry (Nurse Chapel)

Nichel Nichols (Uhura)

James Doohan (Scotty)

Mark Leonard (Sarek, Spock's father), and

George Takei (Sulu)

Of the Enterprise crew, I've met George Takei the most (three times).  In fact one convention held a "Run with Sulu" event--a six miler, set at warp speed.  The only guys who could keep up with Mr. Takei was me, a marathon runner and a US Army Ranger.  That was a long time ago...

When Diplomacy Fails...

A friend of mine posted this on line and I just had to swipe it. 

I play wargames for enjoyment and the camaradarie of my fellow gaming buddies.  However, I also play to learn military history, strategy, operations, tactics and leadership. 

Just in case giving peace a chance "doesn't work out..."

Pass and Review: Figures in A Touch of Evil

A Touch of Evil (AToE) is an adventure boardgame, set in the late 18th Century.  Players are a band of heroes attempting to find the lair of an evil creature threatening the village of Shadowbrook.  Produced by Flying Frog Productions, AToE received a solid 7.05 out of 10, from over 1800 raters on Boardgame Geek.

I bought this game over a year ago, but sadly, have yet to play it.  A few of us in my gaming group are hoping to take this game for an inaugural spin this Halloween Season.   Through the use of creative photography, Flying Frog created top-notch game components.  In addition to the glossy, cardboard playing pieces, the game comes with 8 high-quality, plastic figures representing the player-heroes. 

I was so impressed, I immediately bought the Something Wicked expansion game and the Hero Pack One. 

The figures appear to fit in the 25/28mm scale, which make them suitable for other "18th Century Pulp" adventures outside AToE game sessions.With this in mind, I decided to get the miniatures painted to a quality beyond my feeble skills with a brush.  So I turned to my friend, Peter Wort and hired him to do the job.

For this first studio shoot in my new home--and with Halloween being just over month away--I wanted some suitably creepy terrain for a back drop.  I couldn't think of anything creepier than this model graveyard...

The walled-in graveyard was produced by Games Workshop years ago and I believe, is out of production.  I merely added a few touches of paint and flocking to accentuate the piece.  The headstones, statues and piles of bones outside the wall; were purchased from various manufacturers over the years, to include some Halloween decorations from Michaels.

Now for a look at Peter's artistry, starting with the Touch of Evil core game: 

Ladies first, (all figures are listed from left-to-right)--

--Anna Marie, the Schoolteacher

--Isabella von Took

--Katarina, the Outlaw

While the heroes among menfolk are--

--Victor Danforth, the Playwright

--Karl, the Soldier

--Inspector Cooke

--Heinrich Cartwright, the Drifter

--Thomas, the Courier

In addition to an extended map of Shadowbrook; along with more villains and minions of evil, Something Wicked adds four new heroes, players can opt to use.

These are--

--Eliza, the Witch Hunter

--Valeria, the Eternal

--Brother Marcus

--Captain Hawkins

Finally, Hero Pack One contains another four figures...

...which I hope Flying Frog gets around to producing "Hero Pack Two" and so on.  Until then, the beleaguered citizens of Shadowbrook will have to rely on--

--Harlow Morgan, the Inventor

--Lucy Handbrook

--Adrianna, the Foreign Traveler, and,

--The Scarlet Shadow!

I took 43 pictures during this shoot, mostly to experiment with different lighting and flash settings.  I'm currently working on several photos, to post as Halloween cards in the days and weeks to come...

...Bwah-ha-ha-ha...

Oh who am I kidding.  For maniacal laughter, I certainly can't top this guy.

Dinner (and Lunch) with the Stars

(Image:  Steve Berry)

PNWA does an excellent job of cramming as much activities as possible into three-and-a-half days.  Mealtimes are no exception.  During lunch breaks, attendees can join one of the keynote speakers, as they discuss their writing, publishing and book tour experiences.  Jeff Ayers emceed this year's luncheon banter between Steve Berry and his friend James Rollins.

(Image:  James Rollins)

Our Friday night keynote speaker was Jane Porter, hostess of the Alpha Males and Unforgettable Heroines workshops.

(Image:  Jane Porter)

Last but not least, Deb Caletti spoke to a packed audience on Saturday evening, prior to announcing the winners of this year's literary contest.

(Image:  Deb Caletti)

While I enjoyed listening to all our guest speakers, I enjoyed sitting with my Popular Fiction classmates even more.  So I didn't take any notes during any of their speeches.

Now I wasn't a total slacker during the conference.  The last workshop I attended was the three-part, Writing in Scenes, hosted by Nancy Kress.  There'll be plenty of notes in the upcoming post--I promise.

Jesse Joshua Watson on: Writing from the Drawing Board

In the on-line survey I received from PNWA, I voted Jesse Joshua Watson as the "Captain Jack Sparrow" of the conference.  Jesse's looks and mannerisms reminded me of Johnny Depp's famous character.

On a (somewhat) serious note, Jesse's workshop dealt with using an "illustrator's approach to narrative"  (PNWA Conference Booklet, pg 10). Jesse's utilized a slide-show featuring his artwork to illustrate how even a single picture can tell a story.

I wish I could say more on this subject, especially since I prefer working with visual media, such as graphic novels or YouTube movies.  Unfortunately, I enjoyed Jesse's presentation so much--that I forgot to take notes.

Despite my lack of material on this post, I recommend to anyone involved in art to attend any seminar hosted by Jack Jesse.

Kathryn Trueblood on: Setting Up an Author Blog Tour

As a blogger, I decided to attend the How To Set Up an Author Blog Tour workshop, for Saturday's second venue, hosted by Kathryn Trueblood.

The focus of this seminar was on generating buzz on the internet for one's book. Though I don't have a book ready for publication, I thought I'd get I'd be able to improve my knowledge about blogging in general. 

Despite technical difficulties, Kathryn is an engaging speaker and gave an informative workshop.

There are several reasons for doing a "blog tour."  One of them is, it extends the buzz-life of your book by about three months.

However, before composing a web release, keep in mind the following (gleaned from the class handout):

1. Figure out the relevance that your book offers.

2. Research blogs that cover themes similar to those in your book. 

The following are "must haves" on your blog:

1. Your book's cover image must be at the top.

2. The bottom of your web page should contain:  The book title, name & contact info of your publisher, publication date, number of pages, the ISBN, price and possibly a logo.

3. Prominently display your offer to give away a free copy, your booking date, live interview, along with your e-mail address and website address.

4. Your photo, preferably a head-shot, and a three-line bio should be at the very bottom of your page.

In addition, these "nice to haves," placed somewhere in the body of the text, will increase the effectiveness (and hopefully your sales) of your blog tour:

1. Excerpts from reviews.

2. Blurbs and testimonials.

3. Your pitch (what the book is about)

4. A self contained excerpt from your book.  And finally,

5. Information such as events, speaking engagements, or teaching related to your book.

After looking at my notes, I did a quick Google search and stumbled across two links to help you be a better "blog tour guide."  The first was by Dabbling Mum, while the second came from The Book Publicity Blog. 

Bill Kenower on: The 3 Narratives Arcs in Every Story

Wait a minute.  Three narrative arcs in a story?  I only see one here (pictured above). 

In the first Saturday workshop I attended,  Bill Kenower, editor of PNWA's Author Magazine, explained there are three arcs in every story. 

The image above, illustrates the overall plot, or the Physical Arc.  Here's a simple, but effective, example Bill used in this workshop to describe this arc:

--Boy meets girl.

--Boy gets girl.

--Boy loses girl.

--Boy gets girl back.

This is the template for just about every romance novel in print, or romatic comedy on film.  And it's also the least important.

The second, or Emotional Arc, is of greater significance because it delves into the characters' emotions.  Examing the emotions of the boy and girl characters in the above example, we get:

--Boy feels inadequate.

--Boy misrepresents himself to gain girl's approval.

--Boy loses girl when she discovers his duplicity.

--Boy asks girl to accept him as he is and in the process, accepts himself.

The boy isn't the only one on this roller-coaster ride, though.  Taking a look at the girl's feelings, we discover:

--Girl feels inadequate.

--Girl believes whatever boy tells her, so she will feel impressive while dating him.

--Girl feels ashamed at appearing so desperate and dumps boy.

--Girl accepts boy as he is and in the process, accepts herself.

Stories are not about what happens, that's the domain of non-fiction, but what characters feel when things happen to them:  In getting back together the boy & girl accept themselves and each other.

So, if these two arcs create an emotionally satisfying ending, what does the third story arc do?

The third, or Intentional Arc, focuses on the one's motivation for writing this story and determine the whys and wherefores, we have to answer several questions:

--Why did you write this story?

--What is the story about and what is it to you emotionally?

--What drew you to write this story?

--What do you want the audience to feel when they read your book?

In the boy & girl example, the Intentional Arc can be boiled down to this:  Love. Thy. Self.

Notice there is nothing in the Intentional Arc about fame & fortune.  So this arc isn't about any of the following:

--Getting an agent.

--Getting published.

--Getting on the best seller-list.

--Winning the National Book Award.

A key point to remember is that following the mantra of "writing what you know," doesn't necessarily involve knowledge.  Instead write what you love.

Finally, the most important thing to remember is:  You are the author or your life.

Risk of the Ring--Stern Rake Studio's 22nd Movie

After a nine month hiatus, due to the popular fiction class I attended; along with my amicable divorce and subsequent move, I finally managed to post Risk of the Ring. 

Since just about everyone is familiar with the basic game of Risk, along with the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I kept the full-page narratives to a minimum.

RISK-ing Middle Earth

Every time I describe wargaming to a non-gamer, they ask, "Oh, is it like Risk?" 

I tell them, yes, only more specific to particular eras in history, or within the confines of a science-fiction or fantasy setting.  Many wargames lean more towards "war-simulation," which provide a greater level of detail, but at the cost of being more complex to play. 

While Risk may be considered a basic wargame, sometimes it's good to get back to basics. 

Which is just what a few of my gaming buddies and I did last weekend.  We sat down to play Risk: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition (LotR Risk), one of the many variants of the original game. 

Shown below is a look at the initial dispositions of the four factions, vying for control of Middle Earth.  The Fellowship, bearing the One Ring, started out at Hobbiton.

Although LotR Risk can be played like normal Risk, this version contains additional rules, along with "Mission Cards" and "Event Cards" that give this game a unique feel.  Half-way through our game we discovered we misinterpreted the Mission Cards.  These cards granted a player special capabilities or additional reinforcements--IF--one of the player's leader figures occupied the specific "site of power" listed on the card.  We initially thought a player received the benefit by merely possessing the card.  While this skewed the game, we played in this format to the end, for fairness sake. 

As for the results of our game session, I'm working on a detailed after action review (AAR), that I'll post either as a YouTube movie or graphic novel. 

In the process of deciding which format would be best, I stumbled across the following information for you Risk fans out there:

LotR Risk was published in 2003 and unfortunately, is no longer in print.  Copies, though, can be found on sites like Amazon.com, with prices ranging from "a real bargain" ($27.99) to a "real collector's item" ($199.99), depending on the condition of the game.  Comments on Boardgame Geek are mostly positive, giving the game an overall rating of 6.5 out of 10. 

The LotR Risk website is also available for strategy tips, rule variants and other internet links, although the forum appears to be dormant.

So sound the call-to-arms and seize control of Middle Earth! 

But remember: 

“...the hearts of men are easily corrupted... And the ring of power has a will of its own.”

Grue Cafe #4: Random Damage

After nearly a year in suspended animation, the "Grue Crew" has returned to host their fourth podcast.

In this episode, Rox of Spazhouse, Kim, Dom and Doc Ezra discuss topics such as:  The decline of gaming at non-gaming conventions, "oldie-but-goodie" PC games that you can't play on systems more advanced than Windows 98; the good, the bad & the ugly game mechanics; and how to encourage people to role play instead of just rolling dice.

Remember to roll against your sanity level after listening "...to see if you lose another point."