From: Burning Eyes To: the magnifying glass? Subject: EXERCISE: Skinning The Cat? [sit up straight, class! now, since some of the seats seem to be at best half-full, I will skip calling the roll, merely noting en passant that the final test will be based on materials presented in the lectures, and you may be assured that I will not grade on a curve, but rather I will grade quite harshly...so tell your friends to come to class!] For the purpose of today's little exercise, I will assume that you can find somewhere a story that isn't quite working. If not your own, then perhaps someone else's? Or, if all else fails, you may use one of your perfect tales of wonder... You can also start with an idea or some such that you would like to turn into a story. [POP QUIZ!!!] Take the following list and answer each question. Background 1. Where are we? (setting) 2. Who is involved? (characters, strengths, flaws) 3. Where are they headed? (goals, motives) 4. What stops or blocks them? (obstacle(s)) 5. What are they going to do about it? (plans to overcome problems) Story 6. What hook(s) or bait for the reader will I use? (where start) What story question do I pose for the reader? 7. What backfill is needed? (background that needs to be filled in) 8. What buildup do I want? (scenes) 9. What is the climax? - how does the character change? (overcome weakness, etc.) - how is the plot resolved? (overcome problems and achieve goals) - What answer does the reader get to the story question? Higher Level 10. What purpose, moral, or theme am I writing about? With luck, problem stories or ideas trying to turn into stories will develop as one works through these questions. In any case, pondering at least a sketch of an answer to these points may help. So there you have it. A list of little questions to prod your stories into shape, to stretch your doughy thoughts into a pie shell filled with the life stories of four and twenty black birds, or even a way to analyze why someone else's tale works so well... [what? a mustard seed to build a faith on? well, if you insist...] "Once upon a time..." he said, and stopped to wipe the tears from his eyes. [who is he talking to? why is he crying? what will he say next? see pop quiz above for more questions...and make those keyboards click!] for those who haven't danced this way before--take the beginning line, and unroll your tale... with a cheery grin hanging in the air, left behind by the cheshire cat tink