Mapping: Starting with SUCK

[whipchick]

This is Part Three of a new series on the technical elements of writing.
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In the Eight Point Structure, the character starts in Stasis (“this is how things are”), and the plot goes into motion with a Trigger. Just like pulling the trigger on a gun, something big and dramatic happens. It may not be a large physical action,

Comments

[kathrynrose]

Welllllllllllllllllll poop!

My trigger is too slow. I don't want to lose the flea market, though.

::ponder::

Edit - also, thanks again for passing on the good information. You're really generous in helping develop other writers. I forget to say thank you when I find a problem in my stuff.

[whipchick]

You're welcome :)

What if you move the trigger earlier and flash back? Or put Ojas' trigger right away? (Is it Oja or Ojas?) Or she takes some action at the flea market that leads to what happens next?

[kathrynrose]

It's Ojas. :)

The latest version of my first paragraph is:

Come on, Nicole. What is your problem? I closed my eyes and leaned against the chain link boundary between the cluttered booths. Normally I enjoyed our monthly flea market adventures, but today I just couldn’t focus on anything. It was like there was some kind of static just at the edge of my perception. It wasn’t exactly a sound or a feeling, but in a way it was both, and whatever it was, I was having trouble shaking it.

Which is kind of a pre-trigger.

I hate to think of giving up the desk too soon. I mean, there should be some building, right?

I thought about adding something to the above paragraph, like

(not exactly this, but I'm sleep deprived) -- "I couldn't imagine what in the world was causing it. I never suspected it might not have been this world."

But I'm afraid that's cliche. I kind of hate it.

[kandigurl]

I adore that you're using Twilight as an example of "how not to write". :) I wrote a Twilight parody and the very first chapter was called, "I Moved to a New Town," so I lol'ed heartily at “'We moved to a new town' is not enough."

Also, this is inspiring me to pick up a story I'd long given up on. I think I could probably hammer something out of it with these guidelines.

[whipchick]

HAHAHAHA! I am so down with that :)

Twilight's such a great example, because it's popular enough that everyone gets the references, but it really is pretty badly structured. Definitely the exception that proves the rule :)

So glad you are picking up your story again!

[theun4givables]

I really appreciate that you're taking the time to do these. Once I'm done all three first drafts of my trilogy, I'm going to be looking out for these sorts of things. I'm not sure if my trigger is in the right place just yet in book one, but I know how I plan to change the beginning of it already. Savin being nervous about popping the question to his girlfriend Mari counts as a trigger, right? Lol

[whipchick]

Thanks!

Yes, that is totally a CONCRETE trigger full of ACTION. Totally. :p

But if he chooses to go ahead or not go ahead with it...

[theun4givables]

He kinda has to ask because she kinda has to say yes just so she can end up accidentally pregnant. ;)

Did I mention I'm mean to my characters? Because I kinda am.

[blythe025]

I think this is just the post I needed right now, because I've been feeling stuck with my beginning chapters and I'm now thinking that a major part of that is that I'm burying the triggers (and there are several). Claire has her parents getting divorced and meeting/dating someone as minor triggers (which I haven't gotten to yet, so boo). Adam has falling in love as a minor trigger (happens in his first chapter, so yay). They both have werewolf attack as a major trigger (which doesn't come until several chapters in).

So, because the triggers are kind of buried, I'm basically biding my time until I can get to them. Hrm.

I don't really know what to do but keep going as I'm going at the moment, though. Something to think about in the rewrite, I guess.

[whipchick]

Ah! What a great discovery! So glad this is helpful. And yeah, keep writing forward - once you know what the trigger is, it's one of the easiest fixes to make in the next draft.

I've read a ton of blog posts from agents and editors about how the vast majority of novels they get could cut the first chapter and dive into the plot sooner, so i think it's a fairly human thing to want to lay some ground work before getting into the big stuff.

[blythe025]

The thing is, I really like my first chapter right now, because it sets up the stasis while showing the weirdness of her reality. It's one of those things where I intended to have the divorce announcement appear in that chapter and then while writing the scene evolved into something else and pushed everything back, kinda screwing up my momentum.

I know I'm going to have to go back and rework the first chapter. I'm resisting the urge to do it right NOW in the aim of just getting on with things, except it kinda changes the structure of how the subsequent chapters will go.

Hmmm. You know. I already have the trigger scene written. Maybe I'll just tack it on at the end of Chapter One with the aim of making it work later. I think doing that will help me get past the block I have with upcoming chapters, allowing me to skip past the filler.

Ah, yeah, huge sigh of relieve. Can't tell you how its helped talking it over with you to work it out. Hopefully things will come together faster noe.

[unmowngrass]

Once again, I appreciate the effort and generosity you're putting into sharing these things, and you give me hope that, with the structure you're providing, I might one day actually write a good story!

And I've also just identified the problem I have in the story I wanted to write (rather than the one that kinda wanted to be written): the trigger is too slow.

"The heir to a hotel dynasty meets a piano player, and in getting to know her, uncovers his own family secrets." That's my synopsis, but there's no trigger for it, I've just realised that. So he meets the piano player, so what? What actually happens?

Also, the more I'm thinking about this, the more I'm finding that much as I'd like to be a "gardener" writer - working with what comes out and not knowing the exact shape of things - I actually am/need to be an "architect" writer - I need to know what's happening and then write to fill in the gaps. That makes more sense to me. I am taking plenty of mental notes from you right now :)

[whipchick]

What a fabulous discovery!!!!

>>>What actually happens? >>>

Yep. Right there. But, the setting and characters sound awesome and compelling, so this is not going to be a tough stretch to fix :)

I really, really love your analogy of gardeners vs architects, and I think that's so much more positive and evocative than the typical plotter/pantser terms. The interesting thing for me is that all the really successful writers I know are architects...they may garden for their ideas, or freewrite when they're thinking, but they all either start with a structure, or write a first draft and then go back and restructure.

Thanks and you're welcome :)

[unmowngrass]

:) Right, if something else happens first, then I can open with that and move the scene where he is looking at the piano player from the bar (currently the opening scene) to later on. Hmm, let's think

[whipchick]

Yes! And it shakes up his stasis, which is GREAT!