Topic: Stepping from Idea to Story

 Topic: Stepping from Idea to Story

Wednesdays

11 p.m. ET (8 p.m. PT), Writers Den

 Writing Basics - Topics for new and experienced writers to develop or review basic writing skills through discussion and practical exercises. Moderated by HOST WRTR LINDA, HOST WRTR RGUGAT, greeted by (alternate) HOST WRTR SPKLD1, mail contact: HOST WRTR STAR. 

Writing Basics Chat Logs Available

The following list is valid as of the upload date, with more entries posted periodically as they become available. If you would care to access a file or topic older than listed here, please see the description for the uploads prior to the date on end of this list for installment information. If you still cannot locate the chat log desired email HOST WRTR SPKLD1 or the current moderators of Writing Basics to make your request.

All files are ASCII text for IBM PC, with carriage return and line feed characters on every line. Gaps in dates are indicated by the dashes, removing those logs of a non-specific topic or having technical difficulties.

03/21/01 - Character Profiles. (Contains Sample Bio Sheet.)

03/14/01 - Naming Characters.

03/07/01 - Selecting a Point of View.

02/28/01 - Journaling to beat writer's block and be more observant.

02/21/01 - Tips on using proper Grammar

02/14/01 - Writing Body Movements.

02/07/01 - Writing and Pacing Conflict

01/31/01 - Gerunds, Infinitives and Participles; verbs that behave like nouns.

01/24/01 - Stepping from Idea to Story

01/17/01 - Verbs and Tense

*01/10/01 - Where to start: Organization.

*Use this date and topic as a link to the older set of uploads.

HOST WRTR Linda: WELCOME TO WRITING BASICS

HOST WRTR Linda: Tonight we will be discussing the various tasks involved in

taking an idea

HOST WRTR Linda: and turning it into a story.  

HOST WRTR Linda: The last time we covered this topic, we concentrated

HOST WRTR Linda: on how to determine if an idea is any good by "pitching"

the story to ourselves.

HOST WRTR Linda: This time we will cover it from another angle.

HOST WRTR Linda: Here's the rough outline of tonight:

HOST WRTR Linda: - Finding and idea

HOST WRTR Linda: - Organizing your idea drawer (or box or whatever)

HOST WRTR Linda: - Putting together a "synopsis" before you write.

HOST WRTR Linda: - Writing down the key conflict points

HOST WRTR Linda: - Describe what growth your main characters will have.

HOST WRTR Linda: - Describe what they learn.

HOST WRTR Linda: whew, big list.

HOST WRTR Linda: Any questions or comments so far?

Host Wrtr RGugat: !

HOST WRTR Linda: RG, ga

Host Wrtr RGugat: It should be remembered that this is but one way to 

Host Wrtr RGugat: start writing a story  --  if another way works better 

Host Wrtr RGugat: for you, grab it.

Host Wrtr RGugat: GA

HOST WRTR Linda: yup, agreed.

MRSFRENCHY: !

HOST WRTR Linda: The first thing I want all of you to do is to pick a genre

now.  Type it to the screen when 

HOST WRTR Linda: ready

HOST WRTR Linda: MRS, ga

MRSFRENCHY: I think a lot of things out in my head.  When I have it pretty

well together, I outline, 

MRSFRENCHY: then I write. GA

HOST WRTR Linda: That works well for many people, MRS.  I don't outline in

great detail but 

HOST WRTR Linda: I do some.  There have been a few times when I skipped that

step

Kathi Smith 116: Is this the genre we write in, or just a random genre?

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: sci-fi...

JsmnStrm: sci-fi romance  

MRSFRENCHY: historical romance

HOST WRTR Linda: and got 50 pages into a story and then realized it wasn't

going anywhere.

HOST WRTR Linda: Kathi, I'd like it to be what you normally write in.

HOST WRTR Linda: Or.....what you want to write in and complete by the end of

the year.

Kathi Smith 116: I don't really have a genre...contemporary mainstream

depression?

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: lol

EJensen970: non-fiction how-to

HOST WRTR Linda: It can also be something you are currently writing.

HOST WRTR Linda: lol Kathi

Ruth Sil: Non-fiction

Annie313B: romance

Host Wrtr RGugat: Romance  ---  not my normal genre, but one I want to play

with

Kathi Smith 116: Playing with fire, RG?  : )

HOST WRTR Linda: For the next few months, your genre will be contemporary

humor.

HOST WRTR Linda: (For Kathi)

Kathi Smith 116: okey dokey

Blackaxe15: does anyone know what the guideline is for writing an editorial?

Host Wrtr RGugat: Kathi Smith, fire or worse  --  LOL

MRSFRENCHY: RG, you do the romance, I'll do the history.

HOST WRTR Linda: Blackaxe, each paper will have guidelines

Host Wrtr RGugat: MRSFRENCHY, cool

Kathi Smith 116: Frenchy, can I do the field research?

HOST WRTR Linda: but we want to stay in loose protocol for this chat or

we'll never get it all covered.

Host Wrtr RGugat: Kathi Smith, :)

Kathi Smith 116: <behaving now>

MRSFRENCHY: For which, Kathi, the romance or the history?

ESP Sue Z: Romance

Blackaxe15: ok

HOST WRTR Linda: Next step, who has some idea of what their story will be

about?  Type ! to the screen.

JsmnStrm: !

Host Wrtr RGugat: !

MRSFRENCHY: !

Kathi Smith 116: !

Ruth Sil: !

HOST WRTR Linda: Jsmn, tell us a little about the story you will be writing.

JsmnStrm: Okay, it's about a woman named Rennati Merreks who is a scribe,

who falls

JsmnStrm: in love with a Fraluma warrior (a special genetic breed of

warrior)

JsmnStrm: and thier love is extremely forbidden in her society...

HOST WRTR Linda: (Good start)

JsmnStrm: I have many more details, but I'd dominate the chat if I told them

all.

JsmnStrm: ga

HOST WRTR Linda: That was a good start Jsmn.  You need a few more details

for a "mini" synopsis but that is a

HOST WRTR Linda: good start.  While we move on, pencil in what you want your

characters

HOST WRTR Linda: to learn, what are their goals andwhat the conflicts will

be.

HOST WRTR Linda: RG, you were up next.

Host Wrtr RGugat: Two people meet in a lunch room of some sort by 

Host Wrtr RGugat: having a bump and spill accident  --  they realize 

Host Wrtr RGugat: they knew each other in college (or HS) and really 

Host Wrtr RGugat: did not like each other.  They part, but both think 

Host Wrtr RGugat: about the other and want to see her/him again.  >>> 

Host Wrtr RGugat:  

Host Wrtr RGugat: end

HOST WRTR Linda: I love in the air tonight?

Host Wrtr RGugat: okay

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: only if you're a firefly. ;-)

Host Wrtr RGugat: I'll take it anywhere

HOST WRTR Linda: RG, the same advice I gave Jsm.  You need a goal, you need

conflict and you need growth. 

HOST WRTR Linda: short scetch of each and we'll come back to it.

Host Wrtr RGugat: ok

Host Wrtr RGugat: I'll find out what theyb do

HOST WRTR Linda: MRS, you have the floor.

HOST WRTR Linda: sketch

MRSFRENCHY: My story is based on 11863 when Sherman marched through Waterloo

AL on his way to Chattanoog

MRSFRENCHY: a.  He and his men comandere a doctor's home there.  One of his

aides falls in love with one

MsSpraycan: Hello

MRSFRENCHY: of the doctor's daughters to which the doctor is immensely

opposed.  The young couple learn 

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: (allow IM's for details of this chat...)

MRSFRENCHY: love can happen regardless of war or circumstances.

MRSFRENCHY: GA

HOST WRTR Linda: Good one MRS.  You left a lot of room for conflicts of all

types and you have the 

HOST WRTR Linda: character growth already in.

HOST WRTR Linda: Nice way to cover the background too.

Host Wrtr RGugat: MsSpraycan, hello

MRSFRENCHY: I only put the character growth in because I knew you'd ask

about it.

HOST WRTR Linda: lol

HOST WRTR Linda: Kathi, then Ruth.  If I missed anyone, I apologize.  Type !

to the screen and

HOST WRTR Linda: I'll get you on the list.

HOST WRTR Linda: ga Kathi.

Kathi Smith 116: Story of a dysfunctional Depression-era family told through

the eyes of a child

Kathi Smith 116: who watches her older sister grow up and deal with

hypocrisy, forbidden love

Kathi Smith 116: a domineering mother and a society that disapproves of her

life style.

Kathi Smith 116: ga

HOST WRTR Linda: (SPKLD1...did I miss you?)

HOST WRTR Linda: Whew, Kathi!!!!

ESP Sue Z: !

HOST WRTR Linda: You covered just about all the bases.

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: (since we're going romance, no...)

Kathi Smith 116: Oh...that was supposed to be contemporary humor, wasn't it?

Whoops

Host Wrtr RGugat: And a lot of ground in between

HOST WRTR Linda: (SPKLD1, we are not settled on romance.  Each writer can

have a different genre)

HOST WRTR Linda: Ruth, ga

HOST WRTR Linda: lol Kathi

Ruth Sil: My memoirs have turned into an Autobiography.I was nothing but

trouble from the moment I was

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: okay... then I have one.

Ruth Sil: born.  I caused my mother to miss the i950 Worlds fair.  She want

6 boys and had to be cont 

Ruth Sil: ent with me. I tell of the history of the time. and go back to my

grandparents and how they 

Ruth Sil: lived. I'm 50 pages into it and have lots to go.

HOST WRTR Linda: It sounds good Ruth.  I would perhaps make a list of how

you've

Ruth Sil: I'm learning to doctor old photos to pput in with it.

Ruth Sil: end

HOST WRTR Linda: changed over the years and how your family has changed.

HOST WRTR Linda: ESP and then SPKLD1

HOST WRTR Linda: ESP, ga

ESP Sue Z: Katherine travels to Scotland to get away from the horror of her

best friend's murder,   

ESP Sue Z: leaving her "nice but dull" fiance (she yearns for romance) - in

Scotland is imprisoned in d

ESP Sue Z: dungeon of castle on island, learns to face a lot of her old

fears and finds romance - also 

ESP Sue Z: learns it doesn't come without effort or pain. (more but that's a

start - her fiance isn't \

ESP Sue Z: so nice! (the murderer) ga

HOST WRTR Linda: I like this kind of story ESP.  Have you ever seen the

perils of Pauline or another movie

HOST WRTR Linda: called the American Dreamer?

ESP Sue Z: no -- very few movies in our isolated situation :)

HOST WRTR Linda: Good job on the description.  It gives you a lot of room to

develop

HOST WRTR Linda: action scenes and character growth.  

HOST WRTR Linda: SPKLD1, ga

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: Biochemist mother watches as child places food-stuff in

milk, only to

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: discover a foriegn element left behind. At first thought

to be a drug from

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: the diet industry to thwart weight loss  it turns out to

be implanted in the

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: food chain by an alien invasion force. /ga

HOST WRTR Linda: Wow, SPKLD1.  You have it down pat.

HOST WRTR Linda: That took you...what, 30 seconds?

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: heheh.. well, been at this a while.

Kathi Smith 116: (So that's why I can't lose that last 10 lbs...)

HOST WRTR Linda: You left room for growth but didn't mention what it would

be.

MRSFRENCHY: (Spkld, now I know why you're like you are.)

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: yeah I know....

HOST WRTR Linda: ok, I'll pull out an oldy of mine

HOST WRTR Linda: so you all don't feel I'm picking on you without being in

the hot seat myself.

HOST WRTR Linda: Genre: Humor/Satire

HOST WRTR Linda: Synopsis:  God and Gabriel take a field trip to Earth.

Gabriel always feels "put upon" and 

HOST WRTR Linda: hates to go out with God because it always looks like God

has no control

HOST WRTR Linda: over the situation and is, in fact, a magnet for trouble.

HOST WRTR Linda: Gabriel learns God is always in control of the outcomes,

but the middle

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: hmm.. sounds like the next Bruce Willis movie...

HOST WRTR Linda: can be almost slapstick with Gabriel taking the brunt of

it.

HOST WRTR Linda: Conflicts:  Action scenes with Gabriel trying desperately

to

HOST WRTR Linda: protect God and God acting totally unconcerned.

HOST WRTR Linda: That's the outline.

HOST WRTR Linda: ok, Back to the begining again.

HOST WRTR Linda: Who was up first, I don't think my scroll will go that far

back.

JsmnStrm: Me.

HOST WRTR Linda: Jsmn, can you now add what the major areas of conflict are

for your story?

JsmnStrm: Sure:  Okay, The Fraluma Warriors are looking for their Cremellik,

the one to 

JsmnStrm: change their society (a prophecy), and the Gove is beginning their

JsmnStrm: latest cloning expedition, and they need a certain genetic code to

do it,

JsmnStrm: And Rennati's genes are teh ones their looking for

JsmnStrm: And she's also the ones the Fraluma are waiting for, but they

don't know it yet.

HOST WRTR Linda: Excellent.  I would like to mention one thing here.  When

HOST WRTR Linda: you are writing about an alien environment, one of the big

considerations

HOST WRTR Linda: is language and names.  Yes, it has to sound alien but you

also have

HOST WRTR Linda: to balance that so you do not have too many difficult or

"created" names or works in

HOST WRTR Linda: close proximity, otherwise, a paragraph will be a difficult

HOST WRTR Linda: read for the reader.  

JsmnStrm: I'll keep that in mind..

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: !

Berrins: !

HOST WRTR Linda: Jsmn's looks fine but it was an opening for that point ;-)

HOST WRTR Linda: SPKLD1, ga

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: Many times grammar checkers can also spot this, since the

coined words are not

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: in their database.

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: hence they will complain about the paragraph or sentence.

/ga

HOST WRTR Linda: Good point SPKLD1, that is a good way to check.

HOST WRTR Linda: Berrins, ga

Berrins: Genre: short story.  10 year old girl, so siblings, father in a

coma, difficulty keeping

Berrins: room clean.  One day wishes that room will clean itself, and

sudenly, it does.

Berrins: Only problem; she can't put anything down or take it out- it gets

put away imm.

HOST WRTR Linda: I like the premise, Berrins.   Good idea for a short.  I

think the conflict is easy to see

Kathi Smith 116: <Oh! Neat idea! (no pun intended)>

HOST WRTR Linda: how about the growth?

HOST WRTR Linda: (also easy but I want it on screen)

Berrins: The girl needs to realize that many problems are actually a bunch

of little ones.

Berrins: Keep working at it and it will happen

HOST WRTR Linda: Good.  It could also be "careful what you wish for".

HOST WRTR Linda: Before we go to our next up I'm sure you've noticed, I have

already

HOST WRTR Linda: drifted from my initial outline.

HOST WRTR Linda: Finding a story idea is easy, just look at everyday things

and let your mind roam.  The 

HOST WRTR Linda: chair is suddenly a window to past history, the cat is

alien, the car is alive

HOST WRTR Linda: Organizing them is a little more work but I just throw mine

in a folder and

HOST WRTR Linda: sort them about once a month.  When I get several pieces of

paper

HOST WRTR Linda: that are loosely connected, I call them a story outline and

move them

HOST WRTR Linda: to a different folder.

HOST WRTR Linda: I wanted to concentrate on having you do idea to synopsis

to story

MRSFRENCHY: (Oh, dear, I hope my car isn't alive.  It would complain about

not having Berrins' clean-up 

MRSFRENCHY: service.)

HOST WRTR Linda: lolol MRS

JsmnStrm: (LOL)

HOST WRTR Linda: okay, enough levity.  Who is up next?

Ruth Sil: My new computer is out ill.

HOST WRTR Linda: (Adding details, adding conflict)

MRSFRENCHY: I think I am, Linda

HOST WRTR Linda: MRS, ga

MRSFRENCHY: 1) Dr. Morgan's (the father) hated of Sherman and the

comandeering of his home.

MRSFRENCHY: 2) Both the doctor's and Sherman disapproval of the couple love.

MRSFRENCHY: 3) Lucinda's (the daughter) emotional state between trying to

obey her father and her \

MRSFRENCHY: attraction to Lt. Jonathan Webb.

MRSFRENCHY: ga

HOST WRTR Linda: Excellent MRS.  The fathers hatred allows for conflict

leading to confrontation and action.

HOST WRTR Linda: The love against the odds allows for character growth (all

the characters, not just the love

HOST WRTR Linda: lovers)

HOST WRTR Linda: and the emotional conflict of Lucinda allows for wonderful

responses (stress responses)

HOST WRTR Linda: BTW, if anyone would like to add anything or if you have a

? or comment type ! to the screen

HOST WRTR Linda: Who is next in the lineup?

Kathi Smith 116: I think that's me

HOST WRTR Linda: Kathi, ga.  I think it's safe to say this is not going to

be a humor piece.  

Kathi Smith 116: Conflicts are between Ruby and everyone--her stepmother,

her straight-laced boyfriend, 

Kathi Smith 116: The limitations society placed on females

Kathi Smith 116: ga

Kathi Smith 116: lol...what? the Depression isn't funny?

HOST WRTR Linda: Well, there is a lot of room for Ruby to learn.  The

supporting characters will also

HOST WRTR Linda: grow.  Growth doesn't mean someone suddenly becomes

balanced

Kathi Smith 116: Rachel, the narrator, learns a lot about life from watching

Ruby's mistakes

HOST WRTR Linda: or pulls out of a despression.  It means change of some

type.

HOST WRTR Linda: It might not be for the better although most stories do

work out that way.

HOST WRTR Linda: On the other hand, there are some great examples in

literature

HOST WRTR Linda: where the protagonist doesn't overcome the odds

HOST WRTR Linda: rare, but they are there.

HOST WRTR Linda: ok, next up.

Berrins: ? 

Kathi Smith 116: Ruby prevails in the end, but not in the traditional happy

ending way

HOST WRTR Linda: Good one Kathi.  It has the poignant potential.  Who's

next? 

Sryope2: Hi all, sorry I'm so late

Berrins: Does the growth occur for Ruby or Rachael?  

HOST WRTR Linda: Berrins, ga

Kathi Smith 116: Hi Sryope!

HOST WRTR Linda: ga Kathi with the ans.

Berrins: Or both?

Kathi Smith 116: Both, Berrins, in different ways

Kathi Smith 116: Rachel's life is forever altered by seeing what Ruby goes

through

Kathi Smith 116: ga

HOST WRTR Linda: oops, we hit the bell.  For this one exercise, since we

will be

HOST WRTR Linda: working on these stories

HOST WRTR Linda: for a least the next few months

HOST WRTR Linda: if you email the parts we talked about tonight...

HOST WRTR Linda: the idea, the synopsis, the goal, the conflicts and the

expected character

HOST WRTR Linda: growth,

HOST WRTR Linda: Then I will make suggestions or comments on each and send

them

HOST WRTR Linda: back to you.  HOWEVER

HOST WRTR Linda: DO NOT TELL YOUR friends who were not here.  This offer

applies only to

HOST WRTR Linda: the attendees for tonight.  Syrope2, you are included.

Sryope2: I hope I qualify, I almost broke my neck

Sryope2: thanks, lol

EJensen970: Great class, Linda. Thanks.

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: To join our weekly mailing list send an email to HOST WRTR

STAR including the

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: words JOIN WRITING BASICS MEMO in the subject line.

Kathi Smith 116: Thanks, Linda, see you all next week

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: ::: Applause! :::  ::: Applause! :::

Berrins: Thanks all, see you soon........

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: Good chat Linda!

Annie313B: thanks......

Host Wrtr RGugat: I am thinking that next week might be the right time 

Host Wrtr RGugat: to continue with some more work on verbs.  That 

Host Wrtr RGugat: okay with everyone?

EJensen970: Terrific, Roy.

ESP Sue Z: thanks Linda - and double thanks for the offer of comments - I

look for this to help me get

Ruth Sil: Thanks Linda.  Great chat.<><><>><>>

Annie313B: your a slave driver Roy

ESP Sue Z: past some snags I've hit!

Sryope2: RG, that's good, but can we also work on commas some time soon

Sryope2: I am still baffled by them

Host Wrtr RGugat: Sryope, sure

Sryope2: lol

Sryope2: Bye everyone, I'll see you next week.

HOST WRTR Linda: Ok all.  I had a little screen freeze.

EJensen970: Nite all.

HOST WRTR Linda: Good thought on verbs Roy.

HOST WRTR Linda: Goodnight all.

ESP Sue Z: G'nite!

Sryope2: Bye

HOST WRTR SPKLD1: :::LOG OFF:::