Lessons For Writers - Simple Formulas For Plots and Scenes
Writing creative works of fiction requires an empathy for the human experience and the ability to reflect this on paper…
Ummm……..I think I get that…but how does that bit of wisdom actually help me draft scenes about my protagonist when he faces those schoolyard bullies?
If you are like me, you often find creative writing resources that touch the inner artist and spark those temple candles used for summoning your muse. In fact, I just read a great post at Write to Done called Zen Power Writing: 15 Tips on How to Generate Ideas and Write with Ease. Mary Jaksch did a wonderful job of not only providing the means of inspiring yourself through Zen based techniques but also ends the list with some practical insight on writing.
This got me thinking about how useful it would be for most motivational posts to incorporate practical advice into articles that help us get our creative fires burning. So I thought I’d point the visitors of this site to Mary’s post for inspirational techniques, and build on it with a mini-lesson on a formula for writing scenes and plots.
BACKWARDS PLANNING
When thinking about a plot or a scene, many writers start with the beginning and hope to take a journey with their characters to see what happens next. While this happens a lot when thinking about plot, it is most common when dealing with scenes.
However, without a plan, this is where a lot of writers get stuck.
Here are some steps to follow or questions to ask that can help when drafting scenes or thinking about plot.
1. What is supposed to happen?
Think about the end of the scene first. In other words, how is the dilemma resolved?
Billy finally confronts those schoolyard bullies.
2. How did it happen?
It is important to think about realistic resolutions.
A friend helps Billy even the odds, so he can take on the leader, one on one.
3. Well, that was easy. Why was this a problem in the first place.
This step is extremely important, as it makes you think through the resolution without employing the story killing Deux Ex Machina device discussed in an earlier post.
Backed into the corner, Billy braced for the familiar pain. Top Dog drew his fist back to strike, but stopped when he heard L’il Weasel hollerin. Billy felt a little lighter than he had in weeks when he saw Biggun’s toothy grin.
“You wuz right, Billy…blood don’t make family…”
As you can see, you can begin the structure for a scene in just a few minutes, and if you are using this Backwards Planning technique for plotting an idea, it will give you many other ideas. Who is Biggun? What did Billy do to impact Biggun in this way?
I actually used the technique as writing this post and know that the answers to those questions are limited only by the muse summoned earlier.
I don’t know if this technique can be useful in all situations, but think of it as another tool in your writer’s toolbox!
Happy writing!
