Stella Cameron Writer's Workshop 4/20/00 at Writerspace

Stella Cameron Writer's Workshop 4/20/00

Stella - Cissy, I have some comments to make first, then I'll hand organization over to you, okay?
Lori - Am I missing anything? Thought the 'puter froze.
Cissy - Sounds great, Stella. You've got the floor
Genie - logged on. - 4/20 at 9:19pm EST
Stella - Transitions are nothing more that gates. Open the gate n the field of flowers, pass through the gate, and close it when you're standing in the mud on the other side.
Kagey - logged on - 4/20 at 9:19pm EST
Cissy - Everyone, while we're all being quiet and listening to Stella, remember to click your "update" button from time to time so your browser doesn't time you out.
Stella - The gate may be several paragraphs of shifting time, place, mood, chracters coming on stage
danna_pa - logged on, framefree. - 4/20 at 9:20pm EST
jeff - logged on. - 4/20 at 9:20pm EST
Stella - characters leaving. The gate may be a sentences, i.e. Later, after Aiden returned with the autopsy report.
Stella - Or the gate may be an actual visual break that we see on the page.
Stella - I see these breaks in two "sizes." Two double spaces indicate
Stella - othing much more than a brief pause, a break.
cinsu - logged on. - 4/20 at 9:22pm EST
Stella - If we use a double space, then three asterisks and another double space, then we're saying: jamore scene break here ALL CHANGE. There is usually a significant change of
JackieL - logged on. - 4/20 at 9:23pm EST
Stella - e--that's the biggest thing--time lapse and advancement of plot.
JackieL - logged on. - 4/20 at 9:23pm EST
Stella - On to Pacing--I figure we'll talk about both topics together.
Stella - Pacing is one Slimy Fish and it makes all the difference between a smooth book that keeps readers turning the pages and a book that jerks people around, confuses them, makes them check back to see what
Stella - they've missed and so on.
danna_pa - logged on, framefree. - 4/20 at 9:25pm EST
Stella - Pacing is like a bundle of colored threads, some bright silk, some plain cotton, some fine, almost invisible fish twine.
Stella - Each thread represents a separate part of the overall storyline. There is a tendency to talk about the mystery, the romance, the development of secondary character, story and so on as individual tasks, but as we develop these, we wind them together into a rope. That way no loose bits are left hanging out.
RobinH - ?
Cissy - Robin, I've got you on the list and I'll call on you
Stella - Pacing is about setting down the story in a manner that plays the readers' emotions perfectly. Where one chapter stars, depends on where the previous chapter ends, and perhaps several previous chapters. We choose how we tell a story, which characters we use and when a charactger reveals a piece of story--this is part of pacing.
memock - logged on. - 4/20 at 9:28pm EST
Lori - ??
Stella - Another part is to cut out--SLASH/SLASH--anything that doesn't add to the story. Don't fall too much in love with your lovely words.
Cissy - Lori, you're on the list
cib - ???
Cissy - cib, you're in line
Stella - If it slows things down and doesn't add anything, cut it out. CHOP and foreget it. Best-paced stories start as close to the end as possible without leaving out anything important. Simplify. Analyze what function a character performs. If you can't easily define that function--get rid of the character--you never saw 'em before, bye-bye and don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Stella - Learn to sense when the action drags--this will turn out to be caused by too much verbiage, too much description, too much internal monolog. Cut, cut, cut.
Stella - Whew, I'm tired. Does some of that make sense? Are we ready for questions?
Danyelle - logged on. - 4/20 at 9:33pm EST
Stella - ga someone
jeff has timed out.
Cissy - Great stuff, Stella. I'm sure it raised lots of qhestions tho. Everyone remember, type ? to ask a question and I'll put you in line and call on you in turn. Robin, you're up first
Elizwrite - ?
Stella - Hi Danyelle!
Cissy - you're in line Elizwrite
KathyG - - 4/20 at 9:34pm EST
Cissy - Jeff, can you hang on to that question? I'll put you in line and call on you in just a bit.
Stella - death to pacing if the flashback occurs and literally says, Hey, Stop everything, I gotta tell you why I'm such a mess. My mother beat me, my father dressed me funny
Stella - you get the idea, I hope.
Stella - Is that adequate, Robin?
Stella - ga
RobinH - does it for me, thanx!
Cissy - Lori, you're up next. Cib, you can be ready to go after her
Laine - ?
Laine - ?
Stella - good. GA
Cissy - Laine, you're in line
Lori - How many chapters can a writer go when ending with a cliffhanger before going back to it later.?
Lori - Know what I mean?
ramsy732 - logged on. - 4/20 at 9:41pm EST
Cissy - Welcome, ramsy732. We're talking aboug pacing and transitions with Stella. If you'd like to ask a question, type ? and I'll put you in line.
Stella - First, let's deal with this word, rule! I just used it and I shouldn't have. There ain't no rules! So let's look at the mechanics of the cliffhanger followed by an interval.
memock - ?
ramsy732 - Just looking
Cissy - memock, you're in line
Cissy - lurkers are welcome, ramsy
ramsy732 - thanks
Stella - You've just written this fantastic cliffhanger chaper ending. The guy is poised above the girl. Everything hangs (sorry) in the balance. If they have sex, the real heroine's entire life will be ruined because she is never going to trust this bumbledorker again
Cissy - *snicker*
Stella - at the same time, the slime guy and the "lady" don't realize that their mossy bower is actually a trapdoor to the netherworld where unspeakable horrors wait to tear them apart--after doing unspeakable things to them (sorry, got carried away there)
Elizwrite - whoops, just hit update.
Cissy - It happens, Eliz
RobinH - logged on. - 4/20 at 9:46pm EST
Stella - The door starts to slide open, the slime guy starts to slide, period. End of chapter.
julesh - logged on - 4/20 at 9:48pm EST
Stella - The reader is biting his nails, he turns the page, takes a great breath, and... "Elissa, do you think you will take that job at MacDonalds? Or have you given anymore thought to helping William out in the garage." Nice long chapter about the development of Elissa's job future. Next chapter--people are wondering where slime guy is, but they aren't worried and time is passing which is good, right, because the climax of this thread is growing. WRONG. the time between the cliffhanger and the confinguation of the cliffhanger is only
jeff - logged on. - 4/20 at 9:49pm EST
Stella - as long as the reader is going to have patience with you the writer. In this case, turn the page and our wonderful heroine, despite slime guy's behavior, steps in and stops the door from falling open. On second thoughts she changes her mind and lets them fall into the pit and everyone cheers. Length of time between cliffhanger and picking it up again, depends on level of tension.
Stella - shoot, I've got to get less wordy. Sorry.
Stella - Does that answer the question?
Lori - Yes, it does, Stella, Thanks!!
Danyelle - Stella, don't apologize for providing great details & examples!
Stella - good. ga
Cissy - cib, you're up next. Elizwrite, you'll follow her
Stella - thank you, Danyelle, Stella bows graciously
Cissy - I know, Danyelle! I'm already wanting to know more about that story
Stella - ga
cib - stella, in a time travel you have the basic portion where the time travel is set up...then, in your opinion should the writer concentrate
cib - on her story then his story and then their story
clyons - Stella and Cissy, I really enjoyed this, very informative, but I have to leave, I am sorry to miss the rest
clyons - - 4/20 at 9:52pm EST
cib - or flip back and forth like one chapter his one chapter hers until the two portions meet
Stella - bye
cib - then continue with their joined portion
Stella - Oy, I've got to organize this in my mind--and you know what it's like in there--scary.
Stella - I see no reason to set up any part of your story separately. I'd rather see you twine that bright red silk thread of time travel with bringing your characters on board.
Lori - ?
Cissy - Lori, you're in line
Alice - logged on - 4/20 at 9:56pm EST
Cissy - Hi Alice! We're talking aboug pacing and transitions with Stella. If you'd like to ask a question, type ? and I'll put you in line.
Stella - Your characters "tell" the reader what's happening. "He" went through the looking glass and came out the other side dressed as Blue Beard and found Georgeous in a frozen trance, but when he kissed her icy cheek she awoke and took a bite out of his because she was told this would give her new life. Blah, but you see my point?
Cissy - out of his what, Stella?
julesh - - 4/20 at 9:58pm EST
Stella - From them on your people deal with the elements of time travel together, or separately for brief periods if this must be, but there's no jerky switching back and forth.
Stella - Out of his CHEEK of course, Cissy, you bad girl.
Stella - Does this help?
cib - yeah, i think so, gonna have to think about it...thanks stella appreciate your help //smile
Stella - ga
Cissy - Elizwrite, you're up. April, you'll follow her
Stella - cib, we'll revisit later.
Elizwrite - Stella, do you have a cp or work alone in figuring out which of your lovely words must be cut?
Stella - Um, um, what am I answering, please?
Stella - Elizwrite, what is a cp?
Elizwrite - Sorry, a critique partner or group
Stella - cib--perhaps we can revisit your question later?
julesh - logged on - 4/20 at 10:01pm EST
Stella - I work alone in a dungeon
Stella - And I'm ruthless when it comes to cutting.
Riley - logged on. - 4/20 at 10:02pm EST
Stella - is that it, Elizwrite?
Cissy - Hi Riley We're talking aboug pacing and transitions with Stella. If you'd like to ask a question, type ? and I'll put you in line.
Elizwrite - Yes, thanks.
Cissy - April, you're up. Jeff, your question will follow
Stella - BTW, I welcome dungeon visitors--they can have a hack, too.
Stella - ga
april - I wanted to know how the discussion topics were picked. Also, while I have the floor, does all of this fit to all genres and pov?
Riley - For now, I'll just sit back & listen-thanks
Cissy - No problem, Riley. Lurk all you want
april - what is the interval between chat and transcipt? curious
Stella - April: Last month I chose to talk about characterization. At the end of the session, people spoke up and requested certain topics for this month
Stella - pacing and transitions got the most votes. we'll do the same tonight.
april - how democratic
Stella - This does indeed fit into all genres.
Stella - pov? Point of view, or do you mean something else?
Stella - I don't know how long the interval was between the workshop and the transcript. Cissy?
april - that's it
Cissy - *shuffling my feet a bit* well, um, normally just a couple of days. This last time, it was more like a couple of weeks tho
Kagey - ?
Stella - Okay, then I would say that whatever pov you happen to use will be subject to the same transition and pacing limitaions and requirements. I think POV is food for a couple of workshops all on its own.
Cissy - Kagey, you're in line
Stella - ga
Stella - does that answer your questions, April?
april - yes, thanks.
Cissy - Jeff, you're up next. Memock, your question will follow
Stella - ga
Laine - Cissy, am I up soon? I have to logoff shortly.
Stella - ga
jeff - my question was if I am trying to cut quite a few words, since most of the space seems to be taken up by "showing" rather than telling
jeff - my question was if I am trying to cut quite a few words, since most of the space seems to be taken up by "showing" rather than telling
jeff - my question was if I am trying to cut quite a few words, since most of the space seems to be taken up by "showing" rather than telling
jeff - my question was if I am trying to cut quite a few words, since most of the space seems to be taken up by "showing" rather than telling
jeff - my question was if I am trying to cut quite a few words, since most of the space seems to be taken up by "showing" rather than telling
jeff - Yikes! I don't know what happened. Anyway, how do I decide what to tell rather than show?
Elizwrite - ?
Stella - to say there aren't any rules, but that's one of 'em if there are any. Once you start telling, everything is static. A little example I use is, don't tell us how lovely the rose garden smells
Cissy - you're in line Elizwrite
Stella - while Melanie's bleeding to death by the garden fence.
Stella - that had looked so fabulous, sickened him now.
Stella - does that help?
Cissy - poor Melanie
Stella - Jeff: Don't look glum
jeff - I'm really wrestling this. I can't figure out what to leave out.
Stella - You can cut away all that telling WHILE you're showing--it's easy.
jeff - I was hoping there was some kind of guideline.
Stella - Okay, try this, if you cut something but everything still makes sense and tells the story, you didn't need what you cut.
Stella - Go paragraph by paragraph, sentensce by sentence.
Cissy - Ooh, Stella's banner just popped up on my screen!
Stella - Another method is to cut twenty words a page. You can do it. Just thwack out twenty words that don't change a thing. You'll be amazed how easy that is.
Kagey - In historical mysteries can you start in the present and regress to past ok?Person not traveling, just relating story found, diary, paper etc.without being too trite?
Stella - like that banner, Cissy
jeff - I can see now I may never be able to call this book finished.
Cissy - Kagey, I have you in line for a question - can you hang on to that for just a bit?
Stella - Can you give those a go, Jeff?
Kagey - sorry it just did that itself.
ramsy732 - logged on, framefree. - 4/20 at 10:17pm EST
Cissy - That's okay, Kagey - I'll still call on you in a bit
Stella - It happens, Kagey, don't worry.
Stella - ga
ramsy732 - - 4/20 at 10:18pm EST
jeff - Yeah, I like the 20 word idea. Thanks
Stella - Jeff--you and I will talk later--Stella frowning and wearing teacher look.
Cissy - memock, you're up next. Laine, you'll follow her
Stella - ga
Stella - Is poor laine still trying to hang on.
Stella - ?
Stella - sorry, Cissy--getting ahead as usual.
Laine has timed out.
Cissy - lol, Stella - are you assigning Jeff to your Writer's Board?
memock - when you first began writing what did you do if you thought your words were not pacing the way you wanted them to sound and how did you know they didn't sound write
Cissy - uh oh... apparently we lost Laine
Laine - I'm still here, I think!!
Cissy - Oh good!
Stella - Memock: I wrote every day for several hours. I forced the time in. So I had day by day opportunities to "feel" my work. I always think of writing as "feeling words." But I frequently thought I must be mad to be trying to do it at all. Everything would seems batty and upside down. But I wrote with passion. I wrote in great rushes, often not finishing a piece once the juices stopped flowing. I knew
Stella - the words weren't right when I wrote slower and slower and searched harder for the next one--then started to doubt that I had anything more to say. Does that make sense, please?
memock - that makes a lot of sense I go through that also, the spurts, then the slowing and the doubts.
Stella - Naje sebse?
Stella - Make sense!!!?
Stella - But when the doubts flow in you don't chuck out the story if you like it
memock - Extremely. Thanks very much.
april - Yes!
RobinH - LOL
Cissy - Laine, You're up next followed by Kagey
K - ?
Stella - Stop and take a breather. Let the well fill up. Think some what ifs. Take a walk. Then go back and see if the words will rush again, or if you're just so interested in the story that it doesn't matter if it comes slowly.
Cissy - K, you're in line
Stella - ga

Go on to Part 2