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| Stella Cameron Writer's Workshop: Motivation 10/19/00 |
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cameron - There. Now, off we go with MOTIVATION
Go on to Part 2
Lynn - The anticipation is high Cissy
cameron - Lack of motivation ruins a story. So can--and does--lousy characterization, stilted dialogue, ridiculous plotting, and amteurish prose. But we'll get to those ass another time 
Today, as I was thinking about being here this evening, I keptbeing drawn toward issues of characterization and I think sooner rather than later would be a great time to deal with the topic.
cameron - Motivation. Why do they do what they do? He what? She did? In a motel? Sorry, I'm getting carried away!
Danyelle - . . . as I was typing . . . The PC wins!
kamy - logged on - 10/19 at 9:05pm EST
Danyelle - 
- 10/19 at 9:05pm EST
cameron - WHY is a big-little word to all of us, both as writers and as readers. The moment I stop in the middle of reading a page, gaze into the distance and think, "huh?" the spell is broken and I'll probably never be able to suspend disbelief again for that particular story.
Cissy - Hi kamy, welcome
kamy - hi
Joanna - logged on - 10/19 at 9:06pm EST
Cissy - Hi Joanna!
Joanna - Hello All.... 
Danyelle - logged on. - 10/19 at 9:07pm EST
cameron - When you're plotting--regardless of whether you plot the whole enchilada minutely before you write, or dream up a bare bones story and start fattening it up as you go along--you will fail if you try to gussy up something that's nothing more than a scene or situation you think will make a cute opening. I've seen people clutch first scenes and chapters to their bosoms as if they wre holding sacred text. They won't let go even when their backs are glued to the wall and there aren't any escape routes.
Cissy - lol, Stella - sounds depressingly familiar
kamy - lol
cameron - Before you decide Cedric and Aggie are your protagonists and they'll meet on page one when Aggie runs her grocery cart over Cedric's bunions, you've got to have a story. Cedric gets mad and rages at Aggie. Later they discover they've rented and are moving into the same duplex--one side each of course--and there are glares and very smart verbal jabs. So what? What's next? Cedric backs his Honda into Aggie's Toyota?
cameron - Then the electricity goes out and Aggie, afraid of the dark and being alone, makes an excuse to go to Cedric and borrow a cup of sugar for the cookies she's baking . . . in the electric range.
cameron - Clever Cedric sees through this ploy of Aggie's to find safety in a strong (if bunion-footed) man's arms and they find bliss in the dark. Apparently he doesn't care that Aggie's a lightbrain. Yeah? What then? The lights come on! The telephone rings. It's Cedric's wife (he tells Aggie it's his wife without making the unimportant distinction that they're divorced). He's concerned about whatever the "wife" is saying. Aggie leaves in another smart-mouth rage. Why?
Morgan has timed out.
cameron - I don't care!
Morgan - i'm here.
Joanna - I do not believe in cute openings... I prefer a energeric, dramatic opening....
Cissy -
JoelyHwoard - welcome back morgan!
Morgan - Thanks. I got a white out. LOL.
JoelyHwoard - I like obscure that cuts to the bone
Lynn - Same here Joanna
Joanna - We all care.... about what is going to happen next..
cameron - There never was a story because the big-little questions weren't asked at the outset. What is the conflict? Who are my characters" and I don't mean what are their names, what to they look like, or what would be the cutest way to introduce them? Why do these people want what they want and do what they do to get it? These are the questions that must be answered and to make it more difficult, as characters evelve, the answers change subtly. We have to be wide awake and aware of when we need to dance a little faster to keep the elements balanced and believable.
Lynn - Although funny openings are good too
cameron - Whew--aren't you glad you asked for opening comments. Over to all of you, now.
JoelyHwoard - Clever humor in romance is wonderful Lynn!
Cissy - Great stuff, Stella! Okay, we'll take questions on protocol, as usual. Type ? to get in line and I'll call on you in turn.
kmassey - Any advice on when to reveal motivation? At the beginning (e.g., nice Jewish boy meets titled German lady in 1939 Berlin) or towards the end (e.g., Jane Eyre finds out that Mr. Rochester is already married)? Should the when depend on whether the motivation is externally or internally driven?
Danyelle - Stella, we always love your opening comments!
Cissy - and please forgive typos - I'm typing around a cat who's in the mood to snuggle
SteveC - Isn't the challenge of writing a good opening to balance divulging enough about what might happen without
SteveC - Ack!
kmassey - Sorry for posting too quickly; should have requested permission first. <sigh>
Joanna - Funny openings with a grap ass attitude...
kmassey - ?
Cissy - kmassey, you're up first! The rest of you, please just type ? and not your full question. I'll call on you when it's your turn.
cameron - Hold it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cissy - go ahead, kmassey
Joanna - Whoops
Lynn - Hey Cissy, I have one of those too
kmassey - Any advice on when to reveal motivation? At the beginning (e.g., nice Jewish boy meets titled German lady in 1939 Berlin) or towards the end (e.g., Jane Eyre finds out that Mr. Rochester is already married)? Should the when depend on whether the motivation is externally or internally driven?
Joanna - ?
kamy - hehehe....you bring out the best in us Stella
cameron - Motivation starts to be revealed from the very start of a story. It builds, keeping parts of its truth veiled or hidden, until the ultimate revelation.
JoelyHoward - logged on. - 10/19 at 9:18pm EST
JoelyHoward - logged on. - 10/19 at 9:18pm EST
JoelyHoward - WOAH! Weird! I am here I think
Morgan - WB Joely.
cameron - I don't believe the time of revelation depends on whether the motivation is more internal or external.
cameron - ga
Morgan - well lets hope one of you is. LOl.
Cissy - let me know when you're finished responding with a "ga" Stella, so I'll know when to call the next person
Lynn - wb Joely 
Cissy - a followup, kmassey?
JoelyHoward - TY
cameron - my ga is there
JoelyHoward - LOLMorgan
Cissy - yup, I see it, Stella we typed at the same time
JoelyHoward - ?
cameron - I forgive you then, Cissy (magnanimous smile)
Cissy - okay, Steve, I believe you had a question... (Joanna and Joely are in line)
kamy - Cissy's cat was blocking her view
cameron - he he
SteveC - Pass for now, sorry, was AFK.
Cissy - dunno from AFK, but ok 
Joanna, you're up next. Joely is in line.
Nannette - logged on, framefree. - 10/19 at 9:22pm EST
Cissy - Hi Nannette, welcome.
Nannette - - 10/19 at 9:22pm EST
kmassey - ?
Nanette - logged on - 10/19 at 9:23pm EST
Cissy - gee, I don't think there is one, Stella...
Cissy - Joanna, your question?
Nanette - Now tha's bad when you can't even spell your own name...How is everyone tonight?
cameron - hi, Nannette
ascribe - logged on - 10/19 at 9:24pm EST
Joanna - I am new at this so please forgive me for being so slow... but, I believe in the begining you want to tiltilate, set up and to awaken the senses of the location, background ect... how would you do that?
Morgan - WB ascribe.
Morgan - hi Nannette.
JoelyHwoard - - 10/19 at 9:25pm EST
ascribe - Fingers too quick, closed the wrong window 
cameron - All of these elements must be there, although wouldprobably say we need to grab attention rather than titilate.
Nanette - Now tha's bad when you can't even spell your own name...How is everyone tonight?
cameron - If you know your conflict and understand what motivates your characters, the next step is to sit and stare at the screen (very important, this) until you know, without doubt, how you're going to open.
Nanette - sorry this thing has a mind of it's own...I didn't touch it
Morgan - ?oh, Stella, i got the staring thing down pat!
ascribe - Yep, me too.
cameron - locale, time, season, and so on feed in, but in small bites, not huge chunks.
Mari - logged on - 10/19 at 9:28pm EST
cameron - Morgan: I'm an Olymic staring gold medalist.
cameron - ga
Morgan - i pick Fall for a season, Stella. LOL.
Joanna - There was a book that susan johnson wrote and I still hear the spurs and harnesses ... it was the way she set up the whole scene in such describtive way...
Morgan - Hi Mari
Morgan - Well, i get Silver if my time lately is any indication. LOL.
Mari - Hi all!
Cissy - Joely, you're up next. kmassey is in line.
JoelyHoward - This is not a motivation topic -- I am sorry, but --- I have had problems finding an editor. A) One that is good B) One I can afford. Any suggestions on how to find an AFFORDABLE editor that is qualified? BTW -- I am a storyteller -- I can not edit my own work!
cameron - Those are the good ones. I'm writing a book that opens with the sound of calm water sliding beneath a dock. Woodsmoke is in the air. All's calm, but my protagonist. Both internal and external feelings.
kamy - ?
Lynn - LOL Joely
JoelyHoward - TY Lynn
cameron - Whoa--let's take a look at this question.
JoelyHoward - please not too close! You will find errors!!
cameron - The concept of hiring an editor is pretty foreign to me. When I think editor, I think in house editor who works with me and eventually, passes my manuscript to a copyeditor. You're talking about a book doctor, aren't you, Joelly?
Morgan - it's ok, ojely, you Did say you don;t eidt. Obviously, i can't do that either. LOL.
cameron - ga
JoelyHoward - I am not sure Stella
cameron - Morgan! Behave!
JoelyHoward - what IS a book DOTOR?
JoelyHoward - oops
cameron - Joelly, I don't see anything horrible in what you've written.
JoelyHoward - HE HE Morgan
Cissy - oh good, Morgan. usually Stella's saying that to me!
JoelyHoward - Well ... huh, thank you.
Lynn - Somebody slap Morgan on teh tops of her hands LOL
cameron - A book doctor is in business to take books from people who don't think they can submit to an agent or publisher without a lot of help.
cameron - This is almost like hiring a ghost.
Morgan - it's actually harder to spell it wrong when you are trying to, then when you aren't. LOL.
Morgan - sorry, sorry, sorry, i DID promise to shut up.
JoelyHoward - That is not what I want. I just want someone to make sure I do not ay the cat is orange in one paragraph and then grey in a nother
cameron - I know of a woman in California who is a fine book doctor--met her at a conference. Then there's Jerry Grosse in NY--absolutely first class. But just how much help--and what kind of help do you want.
Joanna - Does she just want someone to do a spell check?
JoelyHoward - to check grammar and the like
JoelyHoward - I get the point about in house editors though.
Lynn - I would offer Joely, but it would be like teh blind leading the blind LOL
JoelyHoward - I want it editoed BEFORE i submitt
cameron - There are spell-checkers and grammar checkers (no, no, don't make me look at those) on most people's software.
Joanna - What would that be called? A editor?
jeff - logged on - 10/19 at 9:35pm EST
JoelyHoward - LOL Lynn
Danyelle - - 10/19 at 9:35pm EST
Morgan - hi Jeff,
cameron - Okay, Joelly, please e-mail me privately and I'll try to help you with this.
cameron - ga
Morgan - i am a comma Queen, Joely.
Joanna - I could lend you my children and my husband ... they are always correcting me...
Cissy - 2 points of order here - we have 2 more questions in line (kmassey and kamy) and we need to make a decision about a topic for our next workshop.
JoelyHoward - Thank you -- sorry to be a pest. I will emai you Stella
kmassey - Any motives that usually play well? Any motives that should be avoided?
Cissy - Everyone please be thinking about what you'd like to talk about next. kmassey, go ahead with your question.
Morgan - oh my gosh are we done already! ?
Cissy - our hour is almost up, Morgan. Time Flies!
ascribe - ?
SteveC - ?
JoelyHoward - Thanks Joanna -- I have my own to deal with LOL
cameron - Revenge often plays well. Desperation, the need to get rid of guilt--I beleive we can look at any potential motivation and find value there. No, no no-nos!
cameron - ga
Morgan - Holy hourglass, Batman! i didn't even think of a good Question yet!
Joanna - LOL, don't you Love it?
ascribe - ga to who?
kmassey - Does revenge play well for a heroine, who's supposedly the weaker sex?
kamy - How do you feel about using an outline before starting your story? 2nd My vote is for dialogue for next meeting.
Cissy - kamy, go ahead. (ascribe and Steve are in line)
kmassey - Oops, sorry; should have waited to do a followup.
cameron - Absolutely.
cameron - ga
