"Secret" writing techniques

[Amontillado]

There is a writer-tube channel I've found helpful called VelocityWriting. One of the latest offerings is a discussion of Lester Dent's blueprint for writing.

I'm not keen on filling out templates for characters or story beats. I concede I might benefit from the practice. But I don't work that way.

Lester Dent, who wrote the pulp Doc Savage stories, has a blueprint for how to craft a story. I think it sounds like sort of a meta-blueprint. I want to write a story my way, but it still has to serve the needs of the art. Goal, motivation, conflict, all that good stuff.

Dent's blueprint takes it a little farther. I think it might be a great way to take an outline or storyboard and identify the weak spots. I've often wondered what formulae Hollywood script doctors use to beat a crummy script into shape. It might be something like Dent's approach.

What do you think? VelocityWriting's offering can be found here -

. I don't have anything to do with his channel other than I watched a few of his episodes. Bon apetit!

 

[Mr Mononoke]

I'm always reticent when people say there is a blueprint for success and they come up with vague terms that are generic and wildly known. I watched the first six minutes and stopped (sorry) largely on the basis that point one he spoke about was regarding planning and adding realism to a story.

This is true in many ways but (using his 4 steps to outline) there are many ways to get to the number 4. It isn't just 2+2, it can be 1+3 and a ton more. By this, I mean the characters, the plot, the themes, the style, the tone, etc etc. Writers lean on certain characteristics more to create their own voice in telling a story, that their personalities shine through and the core message of the story is linked closely to the protagonist. I tend to like reading slow stories and look into the writer's brilliance in pulling me along many pages of what others may call waffle and I can analyse and see zero 'action' or lead up to action, yet the story is a commercial success.

And I am sure everyone knows about Hemingway's shortest story- the tear jerker 10 dollar bet he had with someone:

For Sale: Babies shoes, never worn.

When the Youtuber went on about creating different types of murders like poisoned butterflies and apples, this seemed like a video to speak to writers to be a little more creative rather than this being a blueprint of anything.

Sorry, I seem a little groggy this morning! It must be the green screen that masked his real location that puzzled me. Seems like more attention was paid to the background than to the content (sorry again.)

 

[Trish]

I watched the whole thing, but there is no new information here. He's talking to a specific subset of writers, most of whom likely already know the information he's claiming is a "secret". There are no secrets here.

Stories are not only driven by action as he implies. Inaction can drive a story just as forcefully. And sure, we can argue the semantics of "inaction IS action" but it's too early for that.

Murder in new and different ways for the excitement only works if it works within your story. Pulling a poison butterfly out of your MC's pocket and throwing it at the villain isn't really helpful when he's got a loaded gun aimed at your MC or is in the process of chucking your MC over a balcony.

The planning thing. Not all writers can plan like that. I'm one of them. I've tried putting myself in a box where I outline it all, make character sheets, all the things. What happens when I'm done doing that is either I go off the rails pretty early when something new occurs to me and I have to write it OR I have zero desire to actually write it because it feels like it's over. It's done. There's nothing new to discover. When I write I go on the journey with the MC. It's the only way I can. That's not to say planning isn't great, it is if that's what works for you, but outlines aren't for everyone. I plan in an extremely abstract way in my head. When I start writing I usually don't even know any characters name. Or where they live. I get a scene in my head, describe it, and just keep writing. That's what works for me.

His "romance" comment felt like a dig. Perhaps because it's my primary genre, but also because it's such a common opinion. Romance is junk food, candy, empty calorie reading that brings nothing to the table. I know not everyone feels that way but a lot of people do. Romance covers literally every other genre. There's sci-fi romance, Thriller romance, historical romance, fantasy Romance, contemporary - if there's a genre someone is writing romance in it. And they're GOOD. I have read some romance novels that put horror writers to shame. The same for every other genre. I've read fantasy romance series that make me dream about that world for weeks after I've left it. Just because some of us also enjoy a few open door sex scenes and the anguish and pain of learning who the characters can and can't be together doesn't make it less worthy. /rant

 

[Naomasa298]

There are no "shortcuts". There are just techniques that suit your types of stories and your working method best.

What makes you a good writer is hard work, not looking for some magic solution, any more than an email that says "I have $50 million in an account that needs someone to help me transfer it" is going to make you rich.

 

[Amontillado]

I agree about the downside. Outlining often kills a story for me. On the other hand, I can't write unless I have something to say. I can't just riff. The trick is to outline without much detail, then keep the outline open while I write. At that point, it's kind of a cross between an outline and a to-do list of things I need to foreshadow, or ideas that cropped up about how to end the story.

If I have that living outline open, I can quash the impulse to include things where they don't really belong in the story. I can stick them in the outline and get rogue ideas out of my system.

There are elements to stories that are common across many examples. Working with an inventory of those elements seems OK. That doesn't have to be a strict template.

Stories can usually be told with new perspectives. Hemingway's six word story may be an exception, though. The pathos, the mystery, and the timeless tragedy are inescapable.

Those six words always tell the same story. Well-meaning guardians depart this veil of tears blinded by parental love. No wealth of good intentions could save them, trying one final time to fit their changling's hooves into baby shoes.

But other than that, new stories can fit on old scaffolding.

 

[Trish]

Those six words always tell the same story.

On the old forum there was a Six Word Story thread and it was a phenomenal exercise. Pretty popular for a while. It's amazing what can be done with six little words. I don't know how long the thread lasted or if there were others like it.

Another well known one is Julius Caesar's - I came, I saw, I conquered.
Even more impressive in the original three words - Veni, vidi, vici

Maybe not as poignant or thought provoking as For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn. but definitely effective to get the point.

 

[Naomasa298]

Unfortunately, six word story threads always degenerate into people just posting six word long sentences that aren't stories.

 

[Trish]

Unfortunately, six word story threads always degenerate into people just posting six word long sentences that aren't stories.

I remember the one we had going very well. At least while I was there. I can't really see it being more disruptive than most writing topics, but to each their own.

For the record, I wasn't starting one. I was just mentioning that it's a good exercise. Which it is.

 

[Naomasa298]

Feel free can start one. I'm not suggesting that you don't.