Date: Fri, 2 Feb 1996 10:40:29 EST From: "ooooh, noooo" Subject: EXERCISE: Twisting Plots Comments: To: "retro me, santana" A. One method of tsiwting plots... 1. Take a story you like. Write down the plot in a very skeletal form. For example, you might simply write down the opening scene and question in one sentence, then each intermediate scene in one sentence, and summarize the climax in one sentence. Strip it to the bones. 2. Now consider alternative endings. Did the girl get the boy in the story? Maybe you want to consider letting the boy escape before the jaws of the trap slam shut--or maybe you want to consider a different dungeon for the kid to languish in? Anyway, think about other endings. 3. Then back up and adjust the intermediate steps. If the boy is going to get away in the end, maybe we need to see him struggling more beforehand, not simply laying back and letting the fangs sink in. 4. Now redo the piece. One suggestion is to combine two or more plots--perhaps the boy is being chased towards the girl, while she, in turn, is trying to overcome feelings of inadequacy due to growing up as the orphan of unknown parents from outer space... Or, of course, you could rest. B. One Starting Blockbuster... And for those who like one sentence starters: "Did you see that?" he said, and hit the gas. [take this sentence, add thought, sprinkle lightly with keyboard presses, and see what grows...] C. One Question? With great thanks for noticing these little exercises... If you have topics, exercises, questions, and so forth that you would appreciate me trying to turn into an exercise, please let me know. I appreciate the help! and here come the words, around the bend and into the stretch... (yipes, late again--write!) tink