Writing Season Four Episode 30: World Building the Future

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 13:42:00 GMT

Posted by: mbarker.livejournal.com

Writing Season Four Episode 30: World Building the Future

From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2010/08/01/writing-excuses-4-30-worldbuilding-the-future/

Key Points: A guiding decision -- is the future of your story comprehensible or not? Post-singularity? Consider consequences. Strategies: worst-case scenario, best-case scenario, consider the human element, what's cool. Are you telling character-driven stories or idea stories? Can you work backward -- what story do you want to tell, now what framework does that imply?
( Unrolling the future... )
[Brandon] We have a writing prompt. I think we have a writing prompt that will come magically to us from the ether. You are instructed to write your story based on this concept, and here it is.
[Unearthly voice] Oh, no, it's the were-cuttlefish! [strange chomping noises] You are out of excuses and time. Now go write quickly before it gets you. [more strange chomping noises] [Pop! Pop!]

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Writing Excuses Season Three Episode 20: The Difference between Character Driven and Plot Driven Sto

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 22:55:00 GMT

Posted by: mbarker.livejournal.com

Writing Excuses Season Three Episode 20: The Difference between Character Driven and Plot Driven Stories

From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2009/10/11/writing-excuses-season-3-episode-20-plot-vs-character-driven-fiction/

Key Points: What is driving the story -- who the characters are or what events are they involved with? What draws the reader in -- how does this end or who is Sally? Both kind create tension in readers, and require conflict. Is the climax a confluence of events or a character decision/change? When the characters' internal moments and the plot's external moments all line up, that's thrilling. Does the plot revolve around a discovery, a decision, or an action? Strong characters make plots interesting. Make your characters strong enough to carry the story.
( serendipity hides here )
[Brandon] I think that's a great note to end on. Larry, we want you to give us a writing prompt. Just off the top of your head. I'm putting you on the spot. This is what happens. A writing prompt for our listeners.
[Larry] Come up with a plot driven story and try to make it good with boring characters.
[Dan] Ignore all the advice we've just given you.
[Howard] We've just made them run laps for no reason.
[Brandon] Someone's already done that. His name is Dan Brown.
[Larry] Oh. Burn. Snap.
[Howard] You can get Dan Brown's stuff on audible.com.
[Brandon] Yes, you can. This has been Writing Excuses. You're out of excuses, now go write.

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Writing Excuses Transcripts

Writing Season Four Episode 30: World Building the Future

Writing Excuses Season Three Episode 20: The Difference between Character Driven and Plot Driven Sto