Comments for Becky Levine http://beckylevine.com Moving Forward on the Writing Path Fri, 01 Jun 2012 18:48:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ Comment on Friday Five: Relaxing in Busy-ness by Amy Greenfield http://beckylevine.com/2012/06/01/friday-five-relaxing-in-busy-ness/#comment-8397 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 18:48:43 +0000 http://beckylevine.com/?p=4423#comment-8397 In full agreement with all your good advice, Becky! (And boy, do I miss good sushi over here…)

]]> Comment on Rethinking a Plotting System…Again by beckylevine http://beckylevine.com/2012/05/21/rethinking-a-plotting-system-again/#comment-8396 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 17:38:07 +0000 http://beckylevine.com/?p=4399#comment-8396 Cassidy, I like that idea of Act II being the protaonist & antagonist coming at the question differently. Thanks!

]]> Comment on Rethinking a Plotting System…Again by beckylevine http://beckylevine.com/2012/05/21/rethinking-a-plotting-system-again/#comment-8394 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 17:34:27 +0000 http://beckylevine.com/?p=4399#comment-8394 I’ve read The Hero’s Journey, and I agree it’s a must-read, in terms of the overall arc. I’m hoping Save the Cat will help me fill in that middle with some more concrete plotting steps.

]]> Comment on Racing through to the End of the BREAKOUT NOVEL WORKBOOK by beckylevine http://beckylevine.com/2012/05/30/racing-through-to-the-end-of-the-breakout-novel-workbook/#comment-8393 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 17:19:10 +0000 http://beckylevine.com/?p=4410#comment-8393 Thanks, Carol!

]]> Comment on Racing through to the End of the BREAKOUT NOVEL WORKBOOK by Carol Federlin Baldwin http://beckylevine.com/2012/05/30/racing-through-to-the-end-of-the-breakout-novel-workbook/#comment-8390 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:15:39 +0000 http://beckylevine.com/?p=4410#comment-8390 Congratulations! And yes, I think it will deepen your knowledge of your characters and your ability to portray them well. At least, I’m counting on it and I haven’t done nearly as many of the exercises you have!

]]> Comment on Rethinking a Plotting System…Again by Cassidy Savidi (@optionalD) http://beckylevine.com/2012/05/21/rethinking-a-plotting-system-again/#comment-8389 Thu, 31 May 2012 22:02:36 +0000 http://beckylevine.com/?p=4399#comment-8389 I too have a hard time with plot. As mentioned with your mystery reading example, most people are more concerned with story. Plot is just the order of events. This person goes here. That person says this. The villain does that. The meat of it all, the layers, the ‘why” is all story. That’s so much more interesting. No two writers would write the same story even if they used the exact same plot. So, it’s always been a struggle from me to know that I need to get from point A to C in a story and go through point B in between because I often don’t know how to motivate it. I plot one thing but then my characters want to do something else. Trying to force them to stick to the plot leads to all kinds of failure. I did find some aspects of Save the Cat helpful, but I think most writers will find it to be oversimplified and a geared toward a certain type of action oriented story.
For me, any plot begins by figuring the major dramatic question of the story. Will the hero save the girl, Can the child survive a night in the haunted house, Can the lawyer/cop/detective change a corrupt system without becoming corrupt herself, etc. When you know the central question you then have an idea of theme. You also know the climax because it will answer the question raised. You know the first act has to lead to this question being asked. Something dramatic has to change in their lives to get them or the audience to ask the question. You know that Act II consists of the protagonist trying to answer the question one way and the antagonistic forces trying to answer the question the other. You then know that answering the question changes the life of the protagonist, and Act III is where you have to demonstrate that change.

]]> Comment on Rethinking a Plotting System…Again by Maryellen Brady (@me_brady) http://beckylevine.com/2012/05/21/rethinking-a-plotting-system-again/#comment-8388 Thu, 31 May 2012 20:37:20 +0000 http://beckylevine.com/?p=4399#comment-8388 I find ‘The Hero’s Journey’ by Joseph Campbell extremely helpful for plotting. I believe that is what ‘Save the Cat’ refers to as well :) there are 12 specific stages your character moves through…it has always helped me not get lost!

]]> Comment on Racing through to the End of the BREAKOUT NOVEL WORKBOOK by joycemoyerhostetter http://beckylevine.com/2012/05/30/racing-through-to-the-end-of-the-breakout-novel-workbook/#comment-8382 Thu, 31 May 2012 01:38:09 +0000 http://beckylevine.com/?p=4410#comment-8382 Well, you’re sweet but seriously there are so many areas I need to work on!

]]> Comment on Racing through to the End of the BREAKOUT NOVEL WORKBOOK by beckylevine http://beckylevine.com/2012/05/30/racing-through-to-the-end-of-the-breakout-novel-workbook/#comment-8381 Thu, 31 May 2012 01:33:41 +0000 http://beckylevine.com/?p=4410#comment-8381 I think it’s really worth it, Joyce. Then, again, you’re doing way more than okay without it! :)

]]> Comment on Racing through to the End of the BREAKOUT NOVEL WORKBOOK by joycemoyerhostetter http://beckylevine.com/2012/05/30/racing-through-to-the-end-of-the-breakout-novel-workbook/#comment-8379 Wed, 30 May 2012 23:31:14 +0000 http://beckylevine.com/?p=4410#comment-8379 Well, I can’t dance and I haven’t done Donald Maas’ workbook but you inspire me, Becky!

One of these days I am going to buy that workbook and make my way through it.

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