IWSG: Conflicted Writer

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

AUGUST 2 QUESTION - Have you ever written something that afterwards you felt conflicted about? If so, did you let it stay how it was, take it out, or rewrite it?

MY ANSWER - Yes. Sometimes, in fiction, it was just a scene that didn't sit right because it went against the characters. In my nonfiction, I know some of the things I've written would hurt others. However, for my own catharsis, I had to write about those people or events. After I get it out, I step back and try to decide if it has value to anyone else, or if it was just for myself. Sometimes, this is a difficult decision to make so I just keep it to myself until I feel a need to put it out into the world.

How about you? Have you ever written something that afterwards you felt conflicted about? If so, did you let it stay how it was, take it out, or rewrite it?

 

IWSG: Conflicted About Writing

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

MARCH QUESTION - Have you ever been conflicted about writing a story or adding a scene to a story? How did you decide to write it or not?

MY ANSWER - Yes, but mostly with my nonfiction. I often feel the need to edit, or gloss over some things in my nonfiction writing if I feel it will hurt the feelings of friends or loved ones. There are a lot of stories, or scenes, that I have not shared publicly because I have not yet found the way to stay true to the tale while eliminating the negative light it might cast on some. I would never intentionally publish something that might cause pain. However, it means that some of my most emotional tales may never be seen by others. I'm okay with this for now.

How about you? Have you ever been conflicted about writing a story or adding a scene to a story? How do you handle it?

Story Starter Card Game

One of the hardest things for students, and many writers in general, is just "getting started." I see it frequently in the classes I teach. They freeze up, sometimes their eyes just glaze over, and others get that 'deer caught in the headlights' look. This is usually the point where we talk briefly about writers block... and then we play the Story Starter Card Game.

The game is simple:

There are seven decks of cards. Each card has one suggestion to be used in a story.

In deck one each card has a dynamic character listed on it such as Ebeneezer Scrooge, Scout, Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, Hamlet, Katniss Everdeen, Aladdin, Jean Valjean, Edmund Dantes, Buzz Lightyear, etc.

In deck two each card reflects a fatal flaw such as pride, excessive trust, rage, blind ambition, inferiority complex, etc.

Deck three lists suggested opponents, deck four has external conflicts such as physical and environmental, deck five is a set of interpersonal conflicts (brought on by others), deck six is internal conflicts (brought on by self), and deck seven is a goal to be reached or a loss to avoid.

The rules are even simpler:

1) Pick one card from each deck.
2) Use at least three of the suggestions on your cards in a story.

I find this gives them enough guidance that they feel like they have a safety net. It also allows enough freedom for creativity.

Alternatives:

If you'd like to play, but don't have the time or inclination to create your own cards, consider using a deck of Tarot, Dungeons and Dragons, or such... pull out a few random cards and see what ideas arise.

Have you tried anything like this? What kind of cards would you use? What would you add to your own deck?

3 Goals for Creating Better Villains

About a month ago I wrote a post called Crafting the Villain. In it, I mentioned the three types of villains I found most interesting and briefly discussed my own goals in creating better villains. 

Today, I thought I would share three goals I’ve been attempting to follow when fleshing out my manuscripts this month.

     1.      Give the villain purpose – their goal should be noble in their own minds and both believable and understandable if not outright condoned by the reader. They can’t just exist to be against the hero. Why are these two on opposing sides? What led them to make the villainous choices? Are they a more noble villain such as Robin Hood who steals from the rich to save the poor? Or are they motivated by betrayal such as in the Disney reimagining of Maleficient? Remember, your villain believes they are in the right. Making their intentions logical and relatable even when corrupt or unjust creates a complicated and interesting situation. The lines between good and evil will blur. The reader may well find themselves rooting for the villains success even as they root for the hero to prevail.

2.      Make them human – even if they possess out of this world powers or abilities, they should be relatable. They have emotions, quirks, and struggles, just like your other characters. No one was always 100% evil. Think about Anakin Skywalker: “there is still good in him”. Or Frankenstein’s monster. Even after the most hideous crimes, they were still capable of a selfless act and audiences wanted them to succeed. Why? Because they were relatable. Their loneliness, depression, and mistakes endeared them to us. If your villain is a group instead of an individual, choose an individual to represent the larger corporation or government body. That representative becomes your humanizing influence.

     3.      Make them create conflict – of course intentionally, but I like the idea of unintentional as well. Whether your antagonist is simply a liar and a cheat, or an outright mass murderer, decide early on how they contradict the hero’s goal(s). Then decide how badly your villain craves their own goal? Is it enough to hurt a few others, unlimited numbers, or even their own loved ones? Every villain has something or someone they care about and would save. What is your villain’s? What happens when their goal costs them what they treasure most? Think of Loki after his mother dies.

Most writers focus on how the stakes affect the hero, but what about the stakes for the villain? How do these circumstances affect their loved ones, or the fate of the world? Great villains are just as complicated, relatable, and even likable as the heroes. That’s what makes them memorable.

Who are some of your favorite villains? Why?