I didnt want to use my own story for this technique because I am unsure if I want to add a scene still or just expand on the scenes I already have, so I made up a character and a quick plot. There is Tom and he just found out that he has a super power, but it isn't a very cool one. He can turn objects into meat. Like chicken, ham, hamburger, steak, any object into any kind of meat. There are a lot of emotion that go along with finding that out. After settling with the fact that his power is completely lame and useless, he finds his importance in life:
"I don't know Mary, maybe I'm not so special after all." Tom said with a shrug. Tom and Mary were walking to the arcade downtown. Mary shrugged too, "Yeah, I don't know, maybe not, but you still are the only person I know that has a special ability Tom. That has got to count for something right?" Tom let out a sigh, "Why couldn't I fly or move objects with my mind or something cool. Why cant I be like Superman or Spidey or something? Whatever, I guess you're right, it's better then nothing."
They turned down 78th street. Tom and Mary started walking a little faster. Before they left, Tom's mother told them not to take this way. It was a big shortcut, but his mom said that it can be dangerous. Tom figured what was the worst that could happen? Besides, if they were going to be able to spend all of the free credits his uncle gave him, they needed all of the time they could get. Up ahead they saw an old man on the sidewalk. Mary grabbed Tom's hand, "Should we go the the other side?" Tom looked to the other side. Tom also knew that they were only supposed to cross at lights, and there were lots of cars coming from both ways. Tom tried sounding confident, "No Mary, it'll be no biggie c'mon lets keep going."
They were passing the old man and Tom started thinking that it really was going to be no biggie when the old man quickly grabbed Mary's arm. The old man smelled of old whiskey and garbage. The teeth he still had were brown and crooked and his breath reached out to the kids and slapped them across the noses. Mary let out a little squeal and latched onto Tom. The old man could barely open his eyes and asked, "You too little lads got any spare change?" Tom yanked Mary away from the man's grasp and said with a shaky voice, "No sir, no money at all sorry." That made the old man mad and he opened his eyes fully. Tom and Mary were both shocked and scared at how red his eyes were. "Don't lie to me now, I know your rich mommies and daddies wouldn't let you two out of the house without a little spending cash. I haven't eaten all week and if you don't give me some money to feed myself, I think I might just have to make a meal of you!"
The old man whipped out a butter knife and raise it towards Tom. Tom quickly reached out and grabbed the garbage bin on the sidewalk and turned it into a giant turkey. The old man and Mary both looked in shock and Tom grabbed Mary and began running with here, hoping the old man would focus on the turkey and not them. Without turning back, they heard the old man yell, "It's a miracle!" and it was then that Tom knew his purpose in life.
Okay, that was really corney I know, but I have just started watching the TV series Heroes and it inspired me to write something similar. This didn't turn out very well, but the clouding exercise was interesting.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Cutting up our paper
I'm not sure what I was supposed to see by cutting my story all up and taping it back together and reading it. The only thing I really noticed was that whenever Earl's name came up, Carson's was usually immediately after, and vice versa. But that is really it, I don't know what I should have seen really.
plotting and making conflict
I just chose one of the examples and tried to expand on it, I hope that is ok.
An eccentric substitute teacher subverts the 2+2=4 universe of her fourth grade students by introducing them to “substitute facts” (such as 6 x 11=68), Egyptian cosmology, and the curse of the Hope Diamond. One afternoon she explains the use of Tarot Cards, and predicts the early death of a particular student. (Charles Baxter’s “Gryphon.”)
What is at stake? The student's, Suzy, life is at stake, but if it gets saved, you risk upsetting the balance of the universe.
"Alright students now watch carefully." Ms. Shinebocker started mixing the Tarot Cards. This would be the last lesson she would have a chance to teach her class. Their regular teacher was going to be back tomorrow so she had to go out with a bang. The lights dimmed, but nobody touched the light switch. The desks scraped across the floor in a circle, but there was nobody there to move them. Ms. Shinebocker stared wildly at the cards in the center of the room as they begun to smoke.
With a shaky voice little Suzy was the first to speak up, "Ms.Shinebocker, are you ok? I don't like this."
Ms. Shinebocker's wild stare was then diverted to Suzy. With eyes wide she pointed at her, "it is you! You are the one little Suzy! You are going to be dead before the week is over!"
The class gasped. The lights went back to normal and the smoke emitting from the cards was beginning to clear. Ms. Shinebocker's eyes closed, and when they opened back, she looked determined. "Alrighty kids, what did you think of that? The world is a magical place indeed isn't it? Ok now, how about we get our desks back in their rows and do a little reading huh?"
All the kids looked around at each other. What just happened? Jim was about to find out. See, Suzy was Jim's sweet thing and he always protected her against everything, and Ms. Shinebocker would be no different. He raised is hand, but before Ms. Shinebocker even called on him he yelled, "What do you mean Suzy will be dead before the week is over?"
Ms. Shinebocker waved her hand, "Oh Jim, so valiant even at such a young age, but even you will not be able to save her. It is the future Jim, it is meant to be. If it is to be changed, then the balance of the entire universe could become upset. I sure am sorry little Suzy, but it is your destiny. It is hard to see it now, but your early departure from existence is meant to be for the greater good of things. I am truly sorry though my dear."
Jim had to do something, but Ms. Shinebocker seemed too set in her ways to help him. He had a plan, "Yeah right, hah, I bet you just made all of that stuff up huh? You really have been a funny sub Shiner." Ms. Shinebocker looked shocked, good Jim thought it's working. "What does this future of yours look like huh? How does little Suzy die? You can't see that no way!"
"Oh little boy! I can too see the future and everything I have shown you all has been real. Don't think you are going to fool me that easy though boy, I will not tell you how Suzy dies, as I have said, the fate of the universe depends on her death. You screw that up, who knows what the future could turn out like. I am not putting that up to chance, I am not going to be the one to screw up the balance."
Jim thought he had done it but he failed. He couldn't imagine a life without Suzy. He couldn't let her die.
An eccentric substitute teacher subverts the 2+2=4 universe of her fourth grade students by introducing them to “substitute facts” (such as 6 x 11=68), Egyptian cosmology, and the curse of the Hope Diamond. One afternoon she explains the use of Tarot Cards, and predicts the early death of a particular student. (Charles Baxter’s “Gryphon.”)
What is at stake? The student's, Suzy, life is at stake, but if it gets saved, you risk upsetting the balance of the universe.
"Alright students now watch carefully." Ms. Shinebocker started mixing the Tarot Cards. This would be the last lesson she would have a chance to teach her class. Their regular teacher was going to be back tomorrow so she had to go out with a bang. The lights dimmed, but nobody touched the light switch. The desks scraped across the floor in a circle, but there was nobody there to move them. Ms. Shinebocker stared wildly at the cards in the center of the room as they begun to smoke.
With a shaky voice little Suzy was the first to speak up, "Ms.Shinebocker, are you ok? I don't like this."
Ms. Shinebocker's wild stare was then diverted to Suzy. With eyes wide she pointed at her, "it is you! You are the one little Suzy! You are going to be dead before the week is over!"
The class gasped. The lights went back to normal and the smoke emitting from the cards was beginning to clear. Ms. Shinebocker's eyes closed, and when they opened back, she looked determined. "Alrighty kids, what did you think of that? The world is a magical place indeed isn't it? Ok now, how about we get our desks back in their rows and do a little reading huh?"
All the kids looked around at each other. What just happened? Jim was about to find out. See, Suzy was Jim's sweet thing and he always protected her against everything, and Ms. Shinebocker would be no different. He raised is hand, but before Ms. Shinebocker even called on him he yelled, "What do you mean Suzy will be dead before the week is over?"
Ms. Shinebocker waved her hand, "Oh Jim, so valiant even at such a young age, but even you will not be able to save her. It is the future Jim, it is meant to be. If it is to be changed, then the balance of the entire universe could become upset. I sure am sorry little Suzy, but it is your destiny. It is hard to see it now, but your early departure from existence is meant to be for the greater good of things. I am truly sorry though my dear."
Jim had to do something, but Ms. Shinebocker seemed too set in her ways to help him. He had a plan, "Yeah right, hah, I bet you just made all of that stuff up huh? You really have been a funny sub Shiner." Ms. Shinebocker looked shocked, good Jim thought it's working. "What does this future of yours look like huh? How does little Suzy die? You can't see that no way!"
"Oh little boy! I can too see the future and everything I have shown you all has been real. Don't think you are going to fool me that easy though boy, I will not tell you how Suzy dies, as I have said, the fate of the universe depends on her death. You screw that up, who knows what the future could turn out like. I am not putting that up to chance, I am not going to be the one to screw up the balance."
Jim thought he had done it but he failed. He couldn't imagine a life without Suzy. He couldn't let her die.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Five helpful writing websites
My top five writing websites in no particular order:
http://resourcesforwriters.suite101.com/article.cfm/online_games_for_writers
www.writing-journey.com/internet-writing/178-internet-writing-tips
www.writersdigest.com
www.michaelcrichton.net
http://duotrope.com/
http://resourcesforwriters.suite101.com/article.cfm/online_games_for_writers
www.writing-journey.com/internet-writing/178-internet-writing-tips
www.writersdigest.com
www.michaelcrichton.net
http://duotrope.com/
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