Waiting for my laptop

[cleolinda]

So I came up with another short story idea yesterday while watching TV--it didn't fall on my head quite as fully formed as the one the other day, so I think it could use more time rolling around in my head. The ending's a pretty basic, common twist, so the point of the story--the So What of it, as my first English professor used to say--has got to be what leads up to it. It's got to be the kind of ending that enriches what came before, rather than just (try to) give you a DUN DUN DUNNNN moment. So. I think that's going to take a while to develop.

It's all good, though, because the hardest thing for me is coming up with concepts. I'm much more interested in and work better with character, and could write shorter one-offs about established characters, but when you're writing just a stand-alone short story, you don't really have enough room to get really, really deep into that, so it's more the theme, the So What, that takes precedence. The idea, really. And that's hard for me, to come up with stand-alone concepts. I don't know.

*obligatory whine about cleaning*

Comments

[youngcurmudgeon.livejournal.com]

I'm the same way with writing -- "shorter one-offs about established characters" is what I do. Plot? Not so much. It's what stops me from finishing things I try to write, and it drives me nuts.

I'm linking this here because other commenters might find it interesting: Jane Espenson used to keep a blog about writing for TV, and she said something really awesome (http://www.janeespenson.com/archives/00000604.php) about creating original characters that I still go back to. (Mostly, to be honest, because I'm all "look, a Real Writer has the same problems I do!")

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I have a hard time thinking of situations for one-off story characters, but basically, I tend to phrase stories as, how does this character react to this situation, and what does that say about him or human nature in general? I do try to pick some kind of defining moment, a decision, or a revelation to write about, rather than an action plot. I had one story about an older man with heart trouble who became terrified that sex with his much younger wife would kill him, but he loves her, he wants to make her happy, so what does he do? And keep in mind that this is not a logical choice to sit down between the two of us and discuss what he should do; this is his state of mind, what does this fear say about him, and what does his decision say? Which sounds really dry and intellectual, but that's the underpinning of the story; you don't want anyone to be able to see the gears working by the time you're done.