Comments on: One-Hour Writing http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/22/one-hour-writing/ About the craft and business of genre fiction Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:50:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Eric http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/22/one-hour-writing/#comment-68453 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:58:31 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/22/one-hour-writing/#comment-68453 I think it's more about the process than the product. Knowing what you want from a scene lets you set about writing it with a certain amount of confidence. Afterwards, you can make quality judgments to decide if you think you accomplished what you set out to do, or not. Knowing what you want is half the battle. Prepping before you write the scene is figuring that out. Then all that's left is production of writing -- just like with the overall story. Pre-produce (story develop) then produce the actual work. I guess that's a hard proposition for a pantster, but my guess is pantsters spend a lot of time staring at the blank page. I guess by some definitions that's a form of preparation. ;-) I think it’s more about the process than the product. Knowing what you want from a scene lets you set about writing it with a certain amount of confidence.

Afterwards, you can make quality judgments to decide if you think you accomplished what you set out to do, or not.

Knowing what you want is half the battle. Prepping before you write the scene is figuring that out. Then all that’s left is production of writing — just like with the overall story.

Pre-produce (story develop) then produce the actual work. I guess that’s a hard proposition for a pantster, but my guess is pantsters spend a lot of time staring at the blank page.

I guess by some definitions that’s a form of preparation. ;-)

]]> by: Kathleen Bolton http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/22/one-hour-writing/#comment-68446 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:08:26 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/22/one-hour-writing/#comment-68446 I like having a burst of time in the morning to write, too. It makes me get down to the task at hand because I know I only have a limited amount of time available to me. Usually I visualize what I need to accomplish with the scene the night before. I may not know how it's going to happen, but I know what I want to happen. Sometimes it works. Sometimes not. I like having a burst of time in the morning to write, too. It makes me get down to the task at hand because I know I only have a limited amount of time available to me.

Usually I visualize what I need to accomplish with the scene the night before. I may not know how it’s going to happen, but I know what I want to happen.

Sometimes it works. Sometimes not.

]]> by: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/22/one-hour-writing/#comment-68428 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:19:52 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/22/one-hour-writing/#comment-68428 You said, <em>“Thomas is organized, and Michelle is disorganized.” The scene is meant to highlight the frustrating differences between the two people. Identifying any and all of these is good, because it gives you a shot at honing in on the identity of the scene just before you write it, especially as it’s fresh in your mind. </em> I think you're tapping into a bit of what Robert McKee speaks of in his epic craft book, STORY. McKee, on p 35, talks about scene. He says, "Look closely at each scene you've written and ask: What value is at stake in my character's life at the moment? Love? Truth? What? How is that value charged at the top of the scene? Positive? Negative? Some of both? Make a note. Next turn to the close of the scene and ask, Where is this value now? Positive? Negative? Both? Make a note and compare. If the answer you write down at the end of the scene is the same note you made at the opening, you now have another important question to ask: Why is this scene in my script [novel, etc...]?" I think if you really understand the value--truth, love, justice, whatever--then you also have a leg-up on plotting your scene out ahead of time, because you can add texture with thematic elements. It's a scene about justice...okay, I'm going to have a character moving sugar cubes around on the table--a small pile here, one there--kind of mimicking the scales of justice. That sort of thing. I think it can be a very valuable "trick" in a writer's arsenal. Thanks for the post, Eric! You said, “Thomas is organized, and Michelle is disorganized.” The scene is meant to highlight the frustrating differences between the two people.

Identifying any and all of these is good, because it gives you a shot at honing in on the identity of the scene just before you write it, especially as it’s fresh in your mind.

I think you’re tapping into a bit of what Robert McKee speaks of in his epic craft book, STORY. McKee, on p 35, talks about scene. He says, “Look closely at each scene you’ve written and ask: What value is at stake in my character’s life at the moment? Love? Truth? What? How is that value charged at the top of the scene? Positive? Negative? Some of both? Make a note. Next turn to the close of the scene and ask, Where is this value now? Positive? Negative? Both? Make a note and compare. If the answer you write down at the end of the scene is the same note you made at the opening, you now have another important question to ask: Why is this scene in my script [novel, etc…]?”

I think if you really understand the value–truth, love, justice, whatever–then you also have a leg-up on plotting your scene out ahead of time, because you can add texture with thematic elements. It’s a scene about justice…okay, I’m going to have a character moving sugar cubes around on the table–a small pile here, one there–kind of mimicking the scales of justice. That sort of thing. I think it can be a very valuable “trick” in a writer’s arsenal.

Thanks for the post, Eric!

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