Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Cause and Effect.

Yesterday I was talking with a friend about setting up the scene in a novel. Ya know, giving your reader all the tools necessary to envision your characters, their surroundings, touch them, feel them, relate to them, love them, hate them. The whole enchilada (just so happens we were having Mexican). So, after dinner I dropped her off and headed home with some obnoxious curtain of guilt, determined to squash any hope of basking in the afterglow, after having way too much guacamole (never, ever, ever, look up the fat content in guacamole, just saying). Naturally I started thinking about cause and effect but not in a way that you might think. I immediately went from apologizing to my thighs (yet again) to thinking about how important cause and effect is in our writing. Then fate stepped in. I get home and decide to flip through the mail (hoping for another free breakfast coupon from Denny's, same as you) and find my brand new January edition of Writer's Digest. So I smile at my lot and dive right in. And there on page thirty seven was an article called....3 SECRETS TO GREAT STORYTELLING by, Steven James. You thought I was going to say Cause and effect didn't you? Well I am, only it wasn't the title, and it wasn't on that page. It was on page thirty eight. I'll give you his number one secret. "Everything in a story must be caused by the action that precedes it." Boy don't I know it, especially, after having the enchilada supreme with extra sour cream Mr. James. Preach on! And just like how I stayed up till way past two this morning reading Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, thinking I'm off and I have nowhere to be. I can sleep til nine and leisurely enter into my day with Cooper( household pup) and coffee. But who gets pulled from a perfectly good conversation with a fallen angel who simply asked for directions ( hey its a dream, not like I have any control over them) at seven o'clock in the morning (that's a lie it was 8), all because somebody was in the bathroom, using somebody's straightener and it wasn't fair. Humph! I had a whole list of not fairs to offer two teenage girls this morning. So, now I've been up all night reading, talking to angels, thinking about my own WIP, and too much guacamole. So I'm sleepy and maybe even whiny and I'm convinced someone put my pjs in the dryer for like...ever. But on a good note, I've learned so much from all of this and awareness is everything, right? So, does everything in your WIP have an action or event that precedes it? Are you showing reaction before you explain motivation? If you can find the article or order Writer's Digest, do so. It's chocked full of goodies to aid in your craft and you'll be glad you did. 

15 comments:

  1. Hm, I'm going to have to look over my WIP and see if the cause and effect thing is there.
    Great post. And don't worry about the guac. It's all the good kind of fat, I hear.
    :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Lydia, I feel better already!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love Writer's Digest, I always enjoy sitting down with my new issue when it arrives in the mail... I don't particularly enjoy guacamole however ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. That was cool and for the guac--make your own, avocado, pico, pinch of cilantro and garlic powder maybe some jalapeno....all the fat will be good fat from the avocado and that's how we eat in South Texas anyhow. Restaurants add mayo b/c it's cheaper than avocado ;).
    beth-project52.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes I'm trying to work on cause and effect in my writing too I love your food analogies making me hungry though. I don't get Writer's Digest I do read Writer's Forum, Writer's Mag and Mslexia though. :O)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ooh, Beth that sounds too good. Meghan, we have to pull you over to our side. I used to hate guac too, but man oh man I've been converted and I love it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I always write with pure action in mind, then add in softer scenes in later drafts so there are some moments to breathe.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great advice. In general I do follow that advice, but sometimes I break it.

    I loved your post. It had me smiling and wanting Mexican. :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love the preceding action comment. That is so true. Things really can't come out of nowhere.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Yes, that was a great issue!
    I take out my high lighters and the issue looks like a 2-year-old came to work with me!!!
    http://loreleismuse-lorelei.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. What did you think of H,H? I've read it too, and had some strong feelings about it.

    You had me at 'Mexican', btw. I live in San Antonio, and I had no idea what a real fresh tortilla tasted like until I moved here.

    EJW

    ReplyDelete
  12. Welcome E.J. I'm still reading it. I stopped about 3 am this morning with about 50 pages left. I didn't want to but it was time for bed. So far I can hardly put it down but I'll have to wait til the end to give the full opinion. I'll let you know soon:)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Perfect, perfect timing! I'm writing a new scene as part of my revision today, and you couldn't have set me up better. Thanks! (And Lydia's a doctor, that must mean you're actually supposed to eat lots of guac... right?)

    ReplyDelete
  14. A good reminder! Thanks! :) And I love guac..... avocados are all good fat, too. yum-o!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Amie, your welcome. Glad I could help!

    Pk, thanks for helping to justify my weaknesses. I need all the help I can get:D

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comments. Me loves them!