This was a full day seminar, really good with ideas for plotting and structure. James Scott Bell was a good presenter, and had a lot of examples from movies and books to illustrate discussion topics.
Overall it was a good day (except seating arrangements, but that is a different story). My main comments were that I wish he had taken a bit of time to research more (anything?) about Australia generally, and romance writing specifically. I realise that he presents this a lot to different audiences. However if someone is paying you to travel to the other side of the world and give the presentation to a specific audience who – despite the sub-genres – are all writing romance? I think actually doing some reading up on the romance genre would be a no-brainer. Reading up on snakes and spiders and Vegemite is not so critical but some of the audience kept bring it up.
Author website: Jamesscottbell.com
Other sites:
- KillZoneAuthors.blogspot.com – author discussions
- Hiveword.com/knockout – writing topics
Content came from a number of his books, including:
Plot and StructureWrite your novel from the MiddleHow to write Dazzling Dialogue
I have plot and structure, and will probably get at least some of the others. The techniques are good and I think will be very useful. I was also really pleased that it meshes really well with the workshop I did two years ago with Alexandra Sokoloff on using the three act structure for writing, which I have been using since then.
Fiction is creating a dream
Each story must contain death:
- Can be physical
- Can be professional (eg Clarice Starling as FBI trainee in The Silence of the Lambs)
- Can by psychological – in romance this should be that if the main characters do not get together in the end, it will ruin booth their lives. Psychological death is also the key to comedy – characters may be in funny situations but they have to believe that it is serious
He uses the LOCK System:
- Lead
- Objective
- Confrontation
- Knock–out ending
Types of leads are below:
Lead
- No wimps
- Strength of will
It is ok to start off weak, but has to change
- Stephen King – Rose Madder – starts weak, is in a domestic abuse situation
Plot arcs
- Outer – obtaining something
- Inner – becoming – transforming or getting stronger
Three types of leads
Positive lead
- The hero
- Represents the values of thee community
Negative lead
- Opposed to the values of the community
- Attractive through power
- They can either be redeemed or get just desserts
Anti hero
- Has own moral code
- In the end can rejoin the community or go own way
Examples:
Scarlet O’Hara
- Starts off negative
- Is redeemed at the end, but it is too late
Rick Blaine, Casablanca
- Anti hero
- Feels betrayed at the start, doesn’t get involved
- Rejoins community at the end
Dirty Harry
- Anti hero
- Moral code is his gun
- Throws away badge at the end