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| Stella Cameron Writer's Workshop 6/15/00 |
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stella - Well, fellow sufferers, are you all churning away on your conflict for tonight.
Go on to Part 2
stella - Good color Janeequa
stella - Hi, Maggie
Cissy - Indeed, Stella!
Morgan - i have one every minute...Oh!!! You mean Writing!!!LOL. Yes, i'm ready.
Cissy - I even did my homework and came up with a scenario
stella - Trouble, trouble, trouble, that's what makes good fiction.
stella - Uh oh, we've got kickoffitis, Cissy
Morgan - Cissy, when do you sleep?
Cissy - I think we're all still here. The names just disappear sometimes
stella - Me, Morgan?
Cissy - sleep, Morgan? 
Janeequa - I'm still here. Ready for conflict.
stella - Yeah, we're tough, who needs sleep?
Morgan - i know, it 's a concept not tackled by you yet, huh?
Morgan - two hours a night...Hey, i need time to write, right? LOL.
Sara - did we have homework??
Cissy - I did, Sara. I smarted off to stella last month and she told me I had to come up with the scene for conflict
Maggie - Hi everybody
stella - no, Sara, relax--Cissy's the one who bought the homework
Morgan - hi Maggie.
Cissy - Hi Maggie!
Janeequa - Umm, did I mention I'm keeping my mouth closed??
stella - Hi, Maggie
Cissy - lol, janeequa!
stella - I have a backup scenario, too that we'll use later.
Helena - 
- 6/15 at 9:18pm EST
Sara - ah, good, I was getting stressed! I figured I would have written it down.
Cissy - Hi Helena!
Cissy - didn't trust me, huh stella?
Helena - // wave all
stella - Whoohoo, Helena arrives!
Helena - 
oops
Morgan - never let it be said that i don't follow and example. Shall i shut up, and wait ot see how long i can go? ...LOL, not!
stella - Time for the slow handclap folks, we're waiting for Cissy's opener...
Cissy - oh you want me to post it now?? Or after your opening spiel?
stella - Conflict:
stella - I think we all know it when we see it and we know when it's not there.
Morgan - Cissy...typing furiously...
stella - When I wrote, trouble, trouble, trouble just now I wasn't joking.
stella - No trouble, no story, no conflict, no story.
stella - I like to use the catchphrase, "two dogs, one bone" and that's what conflict is all about. When you tear away the trappings and get down to the core.
Judi - ?What type of conflict is usually stronger, internal or external?
stella - Whether there's one farm and two people who want it. Or two potential situations, two paths to take, but one one that will bring satisfaction and happiness.
stella - Judi--we'll get to that in a bit, okay?
Janeequa - What were the particulars of Cissy's homework?
stella - If you put a man in a phonebox on a dark night (think movie here) in the middle of nowhere, something had better happen to him. He wants to make a call, someone else doesn't want him to make a call, they both want to get to the phone
Cissy - just to bring an opening scenario for conflict. Then we'll all pile more conflict onto it 
stella - Janeequa, we haven't got to that yet, she's making me talk about conflict
stella - first, she drives me all the time, slap, slap, slap.
jeff - logged on - 6/15 at 9:26pm EST
Cissy - where's my tiny violin...?
Cissy - Hi Jeff
Janeequa - I'm with you. The guy's in the phone booth, it's snowing, he doesn't have shoes ...
Morgan - hi Jeff
stella - Ideal--we step back and that phone is hanging. For an instant we don't know who whomped whom.
Cissy - hee hee hee ... betting Janeequa gets the homework next week
stella - Yeah, Janeequa--that's why Cissy needs the tiny violin, that and the fact that I'm complaining because she beats me up if I don't work around here. Hi Jell. This is Stella who is learning to multi-task.
Janeequa - Umm ...
stella - That should be Hi Jeff--I just flunked multi-task.
Janeequa - Hi, Jeff.
stella - CONCENTRATE 
Janeequa - So you're looking at the page, and realize you have no conflict, what questions do you start asking yourself?
stella - See the hanging phone. There's silence. But only for a little while before all hell breaks loose. I'm bored with that, now.
Judi - Hi Jeff, That's my hubby's name--He just walked by and said hey that's me.
stella - Cissy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cissy - janeequa, we'll do the Q&A after a bit. We don't want to disrupt Stella's concentration 
stella - Okay, Cissy is now going to write her
Cissy - Yes?????????????
stella - homework for us. She's going to set
stella - us up with a situation and we're going to build on it.
stella - Please don't leap off in different directions
Janeequa - Cissy, I think you just earned homework again. Two weeks straight.
Judi - Another man comes up to the phone booth and a shot rings out; the man in the booth falls against the glass before sliding to the floor.
Cissy - okay, you want my recipe for conflict? I thought this one up while running errands today
stella - stay focused on the opener and go from there
stella - If you don't, you will be assigned homework.
stella - Cissy, go.
Cissy - It'll take me a few posts to get it all out. Don't start piling on more conflict till I'm done 
Cissy - Miranda is psychologist who's become something of an expert on spousal abuse. She's just finished testifying for the defense in a nasty and very public murder trial in which a wife was accused of killing her husband.
Cissy - The wife had alleged years of abuse at the hands of her husband, a local policman, and she was acquitted. Most people think it was Miranda's testimony that swayed the jury.
stella - violins again
Cissy - Over the course of the trial, Miranda received a number of harassing notes and calls, but she was used to that. A month later, however, the notes haven't stopped, and she sensing a change in their tone. She's worried, seriously concerned about her safety.
Cissy - When Detective Jack Cooper is assigned her case, neither of them are thrilled. To Miranda, Cooper embodies everything she's learned to distrust in a man: arrogance and macho brute strength. As far as Jack's concerned, Miranda's psycho-babble set a cop-killer free. He'll work the case, and he'll do his best to protect her, but that doesn't mean he doesn't sympathize with those who are angry.
Cissy - Done
stella - Wonderful
stella - Great setup.
stella - Now. With Cissy moderating, let's take it in
Maggie has timed out.
Cissy - *tiny bow*
stella - to take the story forward from here.
Cissy - okay, guys to line up with question or comment type ? and I'll call on you in turn
Cissy - mostly comments for now, of course, since we're adding to
stella - !
Cissy - Stella's up first
Morgan - ?
Sara - ?
stella - Maranda's home is broken into. ga
Cissy - I'm keeping the lineup and I'll call on you all as it's your turn.
Cissy - Morgan...
Morgan - Is she3 diestrustful of men becasue of her profession, or a personnal experience?
Morgan - ga
Cissy - good question, Morgan. I'm guessing both. Maybe her mother was abused or she had an abusive ex? Why don't you decide and toss it into the mix.
Cissy - Sara...
stella - !
Sara - well, I wanted more conflict and you are giving it. So, I would say that when the house is broken in, Jack wants to find the culprit but he also feels that perhaps it was slightly justified by a person
Janeequa - ?
Cissy - a justifiable breakin?
Cissy - Stella...
Sara - spouting all that "pscyo babble" and Miranda is quite certain that Jack is just going through the motions to find the person.
Sara - ga
stella - The only thing stolen is Miranda's dog.
Sara - ?
stella - She absolutely loves that dog and goes
Cissy - oh no! 
stella - beserk wanting him back. Jack tries to suggest she swiped her own pet
stella - and that's when he discovered how wrong it can be to tangle with a determined woman.
stella - ga
stella - Miranda has a significant other.
Cissy - janeequa...
stella - sorry--just thought of that. They've known each other a long time.
stella - ga
Morgan - ok, her reason for going into this line of work stems from a man in her past. He wasn't physically abusive, but she saw the effect emotional abuse had on a woman. Her past firghtens, and witnessing the varying degrees of it. Her dog gave her a sence of security, so, not only is she missing him, but her world is off balance now.
Janeequa - On Stella's track. Jack thinks she's a publicity hound - pun intended - and has set this up on her own.
Morgan - ok?ga.
Janeequa - ga
Cissy - Sara ...
stella - good, good, good--the mix grows
Sara - wait, I got thrown a SO!! the dog was fine, now the SO is throwing me.
Morgan - !
Cissy - or set it up to make him take the threats seriously
Cissy - yeah, Stella...tell us about this SO!
stella - !
Cissy - Morgan...
Sara - I guess the SO is the opposite of Jack, which makes the SO mistrust Jack, but the dog didn't like the SO either...even long term, it happens.
stella - Sara: First, please recap the Jack's reaction to the psychobabble.
Sara - ga
Sara - Ah, Jack is sick and tired of this psycho stuff that gets off criminals during defense at trials.
stella - I just want the SO as a buffer to bounce from.
Janeequa - ?
Sara - If you have a good lawyer with a great looking expert, and Miranda is that, so convincing on the witness stand
stella - Of course he'll play a good sized part, but he isn't everything.
Cissy - he's seen more than one criminal go free because some psychologist said he wasn't responsible...
Morgan - i think that her self confidence stems from her order of detail in every aspect of her life. Jack's carefree, somewhat, callous attitude toward her, though not the job, has shaken her as well.
stella - I see, Sara.
stella - ga
Cissy - Just how significat is this SO?
stella - Janeequa has been waiting, Cissy.
Sara - a lawyer can get off anyone, espceially when the lawyer was also a woman.
Cissy - janeequa...
Janeequa - Quick question. I'm lost. What's SO?ga
stella - significant other
stella - man in her life
Cissy - "significant other" Janeequa. Stella's tossed a competitor into the pot
stella - ga
Cissy - anyone else in line?
stella - !
Morgan - !
Cissy - stella...
Judi - !
stella - Please give me a couple of minutes here for a post or two
Maggie - Does Jack have some sort of personal relationship with the abusive husband? Otherwise he seems a little close minded
stella - Let's take this just a short way more--what we're doing is giving an example of how plot/conflict grow.
Sara - well, the deceased was a cop
stella - Maggie, cops stick together, that's part of the code.
Cissy - ooh, good question Maggie! Is it more than just "holding up the blue wall"? Maybe he knew/liked the guy
jeff - !
stella - Then we'll move to q&a. This is a difficult process with everyone
Janeequa - !
stella - ing in but we're doing really well. I've done the plotting of a novel with a whole class and we ended the day exhausted and laughing too hard to make any sense.
Cissy - okay, I have Morgan, Judi & Jeff in line after Stella. Then we'll move to Q&A
stella - The SO is possessive and takes Miranda for granted
stella - doesn't expect competition and might not have it
stella - if he didn't make an ass of himself by ordering Miranda to stay away from Jack.
stella - Begin a woman after all of our hearts, she immediately decides to do what she wants to do, even if she doesn't really want to do it!
stella - She gets a picture of her dog in an envelope stuffed under the door--the dog appears asleep, but is he?
stella - She's being tormented. While all of this is going on
stella - the plot is growing around her. We're seeing more of the convicted man's story
Maggie - Sticking together is one thing, but if this guy is stubborn to the point of being a jerk, he'd better have some stellar qualities to make him appealing as a hero.
stella - more of the people around him.
stella - Anyway--I think we should jump to comments, Q&A, what do you think, Cissy.
Judi - SO must have the characteristics of the man she only thinks she wants
Cissy - let's let Morgan, Judi & Jeff put in their .02, then we'll go to Q&A
Morgan - The SO is a "safe" person in her tight envornment, un til Jack enters the picture, and her feelings, though confusing becoame intense for the Cop,Jack doesn't know it, but it makes him angry to think that there is another man, so the hostility in him grows
Cissy - gentle, intelligent, & harmless Judi?
stella - Maggie: You mean Jack or Sid, the Sig. Other?
Morgan - Ga, i'm done. ...for now. LOl.
Judi - Yes
Cissy - Jeff, you had something?
Helena - 
- 6/15 at 9:54pm EST
jeff - Maybe Jack resents her because she is
jeff - very well educated and his *smarts* comes from the street
Judi - He has hidden inserurities.
stella - That's an example of internal conflict and a good one.
jeff - Maybe he really feels inferior
Morgan - Cissy, we can;'t have Jack liking the abusive husband, he has to be a sleeze, or Miranda was defending a woman who killed a man out of hate, not desperation. Unless Jack didn't know the man's true nature.
Janeequa - !
jeff - And maybe he sees her as a threat to his manhood. ga
stella - Morgan, now you're getting into motive.
Cissy - I think you're right, Morgan. I think we're just looking at a gut reaction on his part. She's part of the system that routinely lets criminals go, to his way of thinking.
stella - Jeff--all good stuff.
Cissy - janeequa...
Janeequa - I think the deceased could have saved Jack's life. His internal conflict is
Janeequa - being unable to reconcile this act of kindness with the abuse'
Janeequa - being unable to reconcile this act of kindness with the abuse
Janeequa - experienced by the killer wife.ga
Cissy - True! The deceased could easily have been a "good cop" and a lousy husband.
Maggie - Jack. If he resents her, it has to come from a good reason. I know it's cliched but maybe some psychologist screwed up his partner, maybe he was a foster child who put up with a lot of 'do-gooders' or something.
Cissy - Okay, Stella, any comments from you on the scenario we were working on before we move to Q&A
Morgan - All's i'm saying is that we want him to have trouble because of her profession, but if he knew him and liked him, then Jack is a bad judge of Character. You know?
Cissy - not necessarily, Morgan. People often show only one side of themselves at work. He wouldn't have known the man as a wife-beater.
Cissy - Okay, all - can we turn this out into some more general questions about building conflict?
stella - Ooh, Morgan, I understand what you mean, but people fool us all the time. Without too many details--I had a very good friend who was a killer.
stella - Okay, Cissy's right--questions now.
Judi - Back to my question about internal or external conflict,
Morgan - Yeah, but, being a cop, shouldn't he recognize soem of the signs Cissy?
Judi - ???
Cissy - go Judi
Cissy - maybe if he'd known the wife, Morgan. Not necessarily just from knowing the husband.
stella - Morgan, we have barely started to build the plot. Folks, I have an idea
Morgan - Sorry, i liked the premise, i started to run.
Cissy - I know what you mean, Morgan
stella - Why don't each of you take the kernel of plot we have and build. See how many different scenarios we come up with. No need to say sorry, Morgan, enthusiasm is the greatest.
Cissy - yes, stella?
stella - Cissy, could we have a spot to look at each person's results later?
Sara - is this homework??
stella - No, Sara Not homework, a fun exercise
Cissy - what about your writers board, Stella? Would that work?
Janeequa - For right now?
Cissy - nope, janeequa. For after
Sara - ah, Stella, I like homework I am weird that way
stella - Sure, put them there, please folks. Then everyone can take a look and compare what we came up with. It'll be fun.
stella - Okay, Sara--for you--it's homework
Cissy - http://www.stellacameron.com/writersbb/
Lilles - logged on. - 6/15 at 10:06pm EST
Sara - cool, I can put up the link to the writers bb on the reminder for next month so everyone can find it, no?
stella - Janeequa--just go ahead and do your piece on my writers' board and then we can read it later.
stella - Janeequa--just go ahead and do your piece on my writers' board and then we can read it later.
Maggie - logged on, framefree. - 6/15 at 10:07pm EST
stella - Great. Sara. Thank you.
stella - Hi again, Maggie.
stella - Hi Lilles
Cissy - Hi Lilles
Cissy - okay, Judi - you want to go ahead with your question for Stella now?
Lilles - Hi all! I'm going to read real quick and get up on what's happening.
Judi - Which is more important for building a good story, internal or external conflict? I know they are both important,, but.....
stella - Maybe Maggie and Lilles will want to try the exercise, Cissy. They can see it in the transcript, no?
Morgan - what are we doing?
stella - Judi
