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In my first round of submitting, my short story "Bloody Avenue" was accepted by Four Way Review. It was published in Issue 26 on April 15.
What struck me most about working with the editors is that they had a keen sense of what the story was, and what it needed to be. They understood the characters, both in their internal contradictions and their places in the overall narrative I created. Their excitement made the story better. In turn, that made the process one I'll always hold close. I'm happy this weird little story has a home. READ IT HERE.
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George Saunders said, "What transforms an anecdote into a story is escalation. Or, we might say: when escalation is suddenly felt to be occurring, it is a sign that our anecdote is transforming into a story."
I'm working on a story with a very simple plot, and I often wonder if it's interesting or, at the very least, coherent. Obviously, writing with an awareness of complicating and intensifying the conflict in our stories is helpful. Since studying screenwriting, I've kept Blake Snyder's Beat Sheet close to me. But, how does it translate to short stories or novels? How can I make sure I'm crafting a plot that is more than a series of snippets or anecdotes? I've found it helps having a resource to compare my plots to. I use several outlines, often all for a single story or script: Dan Harmon's Story Circle, Freytag's Pyramid, and Blake Snyder's Beat Sheet (plus a few aspects of characterization and conflict I've picked up from studying fiction). So, to the one reading this: I hope these tools can assist you with your own stories. CHARACTER-DRIVEN PLOT
Imagine this blog as a coffeehouse table where we chat about writing over scones and breves. Either that, or a slumber party at 1 a.m. where we kick our legs and giggle in our pillows. Sometimes, it might even be a diary where I tuck away little notes or curate the words that have to leave my head and land on something.
In any case, writing is like having your heart in a hundred places at once. Every word is an awesome, ugly, messy attempt at learning and connecting. Writers are constantly breaking themselves up and building at the same time to make weird and wonderful pieces that could mean something on and outside of the page. This might be a nice place for my other words, the ones that don't quite have a place to go. So, hi. A lot of what I write is to explore the intricacy of "being." The words come from my appetite for testing my own morality and empathy. I like characters that represent the complexity of “doing wrong," since living is complicated--I've found my (belated) teenage rebellion in that. We don't need characters to be "likeable," we need them to be distinct and multi-faceted. They need inner and outer conflicts, central contradictions, and imperfections. Their story takes shape based on who they are, what actions they take. Then, they become people we can empathize with. Robert McKee said, “all stories take the form of a Quest." George Saunders said, “we tend, in discussion, to reduce stories to plot (what happens). We feel, correctly, that something of their meaning resides there. But stories also mean through their internal dynamics--the manner in which they unfold, the way one part interacts with another, the instantaneous, felt, juxtaposition of elements." All of this depends on character. Plot and characterization are directly and authentically connected. The story unfolds from the character's wants, their wounds, their subconcious needs and concious choices. They need to be one thing and another. And then another. It's their complication that determines the stakes, the situation, the story. So, I think that's one thing driving my writing right now. With my characters, I'm getting to know a person. Some are more difficult to figure out than others. Sure, it's make-believe, but the important thing is "belief." You come up with an idea. You make that into a being. You give it traits, until it's a character. You learn what makes them tick. You romance them or throw them off a cliff or kick them in the nuts. You try your best to capture their essence in words and believe it. Then, your readers might too. Thanks for reading, and happy writing. Isabella |
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