 Drama: June 10, 2009 Issue [#3101] |
  Drama
This week: Edited by: Elisa: Snowman Stik  
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| Though great drama depends on richly developed characters, a setting that lures in readers and a plot that people will buy, there is one connecting thread in all of those aspects: choice. The characters all make important choices but so do the writers. In my final issue, I'll take a look at some of the most difficult choices characters and writers have to make. |
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I know many of you are ready to celebrate the fact that I'm stepping down as an editor of this newsletter. However, I would like to share a few things before I go. As I've studied writing and drama throughout the years, I've come to see how much has to be considered in the development of a memorable story. My education and experiences even led to me developing new ways to help writers (and myself) flesh out aspects that were underdeveloped or evading full realization. When all is said and done, though, the choices made affect the story. Some choices are easier than others, and I'd like like to talk about those that land in the latter category.
The way I see it, there are two types of difficult choices that come into writing: the choices characters have to make and the ones writers have to make.Let's start off with the characters. My newsletter on angst covered some of the difficult choices characters have to make. However, not all choices are that prominent. Some decisions stem from less melodramatic events. The best example I can think of this is the lost opportunity to change. In writing, many of us are taught that the goal of any worthwhile story is to show the main character undergoing some sort of major change. A few years ago, however, I also learned that some stories draw their strength from an opposite event. In my narrative technique class, the professor shared with us something he read in Esquire magazine. The story he mentioned was about a playboy who was happy not having real relationships until he meets this one woman. This particular female makes him change his mind...but not his ways. As a result, he loses his chance to be with the one woman who sparked his desire to settle down.So what does this have to do with choice? Well, there are a lot of choices the man has to make in order to reach this point. Some of them are considered on a conscious level while others are guided by the routine the man has set up (which is the result of past choices). He had a chance to make a change for this woman, but for reasons (mostly) within his control he just couldn't do it.
Dealing with these less pronounced decisions can be unpredictable. They won't often show themselves until you've written a draft (or two). Sometimes, seemingly small actions or off the cuff lines of dialogue will transform into quiet but difficult choices for your characters. The best way to find these choices is to read your draft your pleasure. Try not to think about revisions as you read it. Treat it as reading for pleasure, and you'll be more able to notice some of these choices. Once you find them, consider if they make sense given the character(s) involved. Sometimes, you just might find that the choices may make sense to the plot but don't fit with the characters. So even if the events of the story are plausible, readers may not be completely absorbed in the story if any of the choices made seem out of character. These choices may not be blatently obvious. In fact, it's the ones that fly under the radar that tend to catch with readers later.
Then there are the choices the writer has to make. Yes, I know. There are a ton of them. The more challenging choice a writer has to make, though, is deciding what needs to be revealed in a story and what should be left for the reader to decide as he/she becomes involved with the story. A related choice is choosing when to reveal something. I remember revising "Heart's Desire", debating what I wanted to be known right away between Jane and her former teacher. The early stages revealed a lot more of what was going on in Jane's mind, and it wasn't quite working for myself or the readers. I ended up taking out a lot of Jane's thoughts regarding her teacher and using them as a guide for much of the second half of the story. This included the final line of the story, which ended up being dialogue (a risky move that ended up paying off, but I did not think it was a tough choice at the time). Another fun factoid about that story? Jane wasn't named until a year and a half later. When it comes to revealing or hiding detail, it's something that will require outside help of the in depth kind. So if you receive a review that contains general statement such as "The pacing felt off to me", go ahead and ask for more details! That sort of comment tends to stem from an area where you didn't make the best choice in including detail.The other thing to keep in mind is deciding what you want the detail to do. Admittedly, this is something to consider after several drafts, because you won't know right away. Trust me. You won't. You might think you want the amount of detail to create a mysterious tone, but then you might get some reviews which suggest a dark sense of forboding would be more appropriate. This is one area where you have to be both open minded and very careful about the feedback that you choose to implement. Dealing with details and choosing how to manipulate them requires mental dexterity and finesse. Try not to rush this, as rushing negates the whole point of such close examination.
Choice is the fulcrum that moves engaging drama. The trick with choice is being able to make one in a logical way. This has to apply to your characters and how to develop your story as a whole. When a decision is made by anyone (even yourself), you have much more room to explore the aftermath and what it means for everyone involved (which can be relaxing after agonizing over a couple of options). And that's what it is for me now. I decided to step down after editing 50 issues of the drama newsletter. I've chosen to give this up so I can focus on my life outside of Writing.Com. It was not the easiest decision to make, but I have no regrets. Though I didn't always here from my readers, I enjoyed sharing tidbits and (writing) experiences with you in my many letters. I do not regret choosing to share what I shared, even if it seemed to fall on deaf ears (or would that be blind eyes, in this case?). My only hope is that even with my final newsletter someone out there has learned something. If that happens, I'll be happy with my decision made back in 2005 to take on this newsletter. It's been quite a ride. I hope you've enjoyed it.
Until we meet again,
(sig by me) |
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With the weather warming up, it doesn't surprise me that the comments section has been a little empty. I do, however, have a few to share.
From Lynn McKenzie  : Stik, nice newsletter. I thought your advice about writers needing to stop listening to suggestions after a certain point was dead on. The old saying "Too many cooks spoil the broth" is one we should listen to when getting a lot of reviews.
Choices in my writing? I'd have to say one of the biggest was for your contest. When I wrote "Try Not to Breathe", I deliberately chose to not name the narrator or to name her city and state. I knew I might be making things too vague, but I wanted to do it for a more universal approach. I think it worked.
Thanks for some great insights.
You're welcome! Interesting comment about your first Troublesome Musings entry, as I remember not even paying attention to that little detail. Normally I do look for character names, but that particular story was an exception. It's very difficult to pull off that kind of feat, and I think the fact that you took on such an intense theme has a lot to do with it. As for your feedback related comments, I do think that it can be tough for some writers to recognize when they need to stop absorbing feedback. That's a tough call to make, but if it's not made, it can backfire.
From fleckgirl: Choices.... What a GREAT topic to wrap-up your Drama NL career! I've found that the life decisions most are faced with can be a very firm foundation to build on with our writing. And this issue where you mentioned how writers can get bogged down by trying to please everyone.... well, I found it to be VERY true. It can ruin a story, but even moreso, it's something that can ruin real-life too! I've always been a big fan of your NL's Stik, and I'm going to miss the Drama Database tremendously!
Wishing you all the best with your choices ahead!
Fleck
Thank you, Fleck. Making the choice to end my tenure as a drama newsletter editor was both easy and difficult. I needed to free up my time, but I keep coming up with ideas I'll probably never use. Hope Joy, Steph and whoever takes my place don't mind me dropping in from time to time suggesting topics.  And yeah, pleasing everyone is a no-win situation at best. I don't advise writers to try to do so. Ultimately no matter what feedback a writer receives, it's an individual choice whether or not to accept it. This is tough for writers to internalize and even tougher for reviewers to understand. Thanks for your readership, and I hope this issue informs you as the rest have.
From SkyHawk - Into The Music : Elisa Stik,
You're right that the antagonist character is very important and has to be well-developed. But does the antagonist have to be a character / person? What if your antagonist is in some way an event or ongoing situation? For example, person is severely injured or ill in such a way that it not only changes the main character's life, but keeps "haunting" that character or is a constant challenge to be dealt with? Would that not be an antagonist of a different sort? Please let me know what you think
Skyhawk
To some extent, I did cover non-entity antagonsts in "Drama Newsletter (March 18, 2009)" . In truth, though, your question practically asks for its own issue. Other drama newsletter editors take note.  I'll try to keep my answer to the questions brief. I see these ongoing events and situations not quite as antagonists or obstacles. While an antagonist does have to be a person or creature, audiences appreciate an antagonist that is completely tangible. With events, concrete things do happen, but what ends up affecting the characters is the emotional aftermath. That response is less tangible and is more a part of the character than something outside of him/her. Trying to deal with the response creates a great person vs. self conflict. Don't get me wrong. It's just that the event itself is not solely responsible for the character's predicament. I guess you could call these situations indirect antagonists. They can haunt a character but won't do so in the same way as another person, group, animal or nature would.
Well, everyone, this is it. I've edited 50 issues of the drama newsletter and now consider myself retired for it. So you're now free to either bemoan or celebrate not having to see my byline again. I'll still have my drama word searches around ("Dramatically Speaking" [E] and "Dramatically Speaking, Volume Two" [E]), so feel free to stop by! And if's that not your cup of tea, I'll be around on the site. It just might take more effort to find me. After all, I am a Stik. 
And if you happen to miss or misplace a newsletter, feel free to stop by "The Drama Box" [13+]. |
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