PW Creighton: The Surveillance Report

Carnival of Thrills

2012-02-20T17:02:00.000-05:00

Every composition is its own thriller, a unique and compelling ride that provides the necessary suspense, excitement and satisfaction to compel the audience to the conclusion.

Many authors equate a strong narrative to a roller-coaster, a thrill ride with countless ups and downs, sharp twists in the track and blind drops that keep the participants on the edge of their seats. To a degree this is a strong analogy for the perfectly balanced narrative.

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When participants choose a roller-coaster they have a certain set of preconceived notions about the experience and the expectations of what will be experienced. Presentation is at the foremost, the coaster typically has a theme be it horror, adventure or even action heroes. This establishes the tone for the ride and gives participants a set of emotions to expect. This then leads to the actual ride, the anticipation of the excitement, the suspense as the the coaster climbs each rise in the track, the fear as the drops are perceived, the excitement of the pacing and ultimate satisfaction from the whole experience.

Any narrative composition, even life, can be easily compared to a thrill ride like a roller-coaster but while this is sufficient in most cases it's not entirely accurate.

The reality of a carnival ride like a roller-coaster is that the participant is aware of what's in store for them. The track is easily visible, like a reader selecting a specific genre but in all instances, the strongest compositions emulate life. This is where the carnival ride diverges greatly from the single track roller-coaster ride.

Where a narrative does follow a path it is not a singular track bound for conclusion. A narrative, as life, is predicated on following choice and consequence. A singular choice may cause the track to drop from under your feet or climb to great heights. When characters in a narrative are subject to their own choices and the consequences of those choices, the audience can better relate than if it was an on-rails ride.

The individuals in a narrative are not merely characters designed to support the main attraction like props on a roller-coaster ride to add atmosphere. Ever individual is a product of their choices and the more that these connections are explored, the more the audience becomes invested in the composition. A strong narrative, like life, is not a restrictive roller-coaster but a full carnival of thrills. Every path is hidden,every ride, adventure and event concealed until the appropriate choices are made.

“Writing is not life, but I think that sometimes it can be a way back to life.”

― Stephen King, On Writing

Suspended Perceptions

2012-02-07T11:44:00.002-05:00

Any narrative journey is a confluence of events, lives and emotions. It is a carnival ride that the participants are thrown onto and it's up to the gathered crowd to judge the entertainment value of watching participants on the rides.

Like any carnival there are a great variety of rides available and a number of ways that the crowds can experience them. Each can be equated to a narrative avenue and an emotional outlet that is available to experience.

Some individuals prefer to experience the ride first-hand, experiencing all of the emotions, events and the personal interactions along with the participants. In the narrative journey these adventurous individuals would choose a first-person perspective, they want to experience what the participants experience.

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Others prefer to watch participants reactions to the rides, enjoying not being on the ride that is evoking all of the emotions in its participants. Honestly, it can be quite the experience watching the brave climb aboard the Orbiter and then watching them scream in terror as they are hurled about. These observers typically choose the third-person perspective for their narrative journey.

Between the adventurers and the observers the carnival rides offer endless opportunities and countless experiences. Examining these attractions from an outside perspective it is possible to identify the key emotions that each ride is designed to exploit.

Regardless whether it's the Tunnel of Love, a calm ride that brings the participants closer together or a Tilt-a-whirl that offers non-stop excitement each is an abstracted concept focused on one singular emotion that exploits the behaviors of participants. Every participant boards a ride with their own expectations and perceptions of what the ride will convey to them. In the narrative sense these are all just genres. Just as the participant is aware what each ride is meant to convey, so too is the reader aware of what each genre entails.

Interestingly, despite the cliches and the preconceived notions participants and observers have, they still enjoy the ride.

Intriguing Observations: How Choreography Helps a Scene

2012-02-01T07:45:00.001-05:00

The Intriguing Observations series was created to gather some of the greatest supporters and bloggers to provide their own insight on all things creative both in their ventures and their techniques. This week on the guest series is another all-star supporter and an outstanding wordsmith Jill Kemerer.

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EachOctober I spend hours choreographing a dance routine for our school’scheerleading squad. First, I select fast-paced, appropriate music—no suggestivelyrics or cursing—then I think of possible sequences, often searching YouTubefor new-to-me dance moves.

The realchoreography doesn't begin until I throw on my yoga pants and practiceperforming eight counts. It’s a fun but arduous process of repeating movesuntil they’re memorized and then deciding which order to put them in. Often, Ihave to throw out entire eight counts for being too difficult, too fast, or tooconfusing. When I have the routine finished, I rehearse it often to keep itfresh until practices begin in December.

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As afiction writer, I incorporate choreography in every scene. If you’re a writer,you do too, but you might not have realized it. First, we select the locationof the scene the same way I select music for a dance. It must be the appropriatelocale for the season—we wouldn’t put our characters on a sunny beach during aCanadian winter—and it should be a venue where our characters would logicallyappear.

Afterwe’ve determined the setting, we have to figure out how to start the scene, whois in the scene, and what the viewpoint character wants to accomplish. The realchoreography doesn’t begin until we open up our manuscript and start writing. Idon’t believe I’ve ever written a scene where the characters didn’t move. Evenif the scene is mostly in one character’s head, movement should occur. Maybeshe stomps to the kitchen in frustration as she tries to figure out whosabotaged her project? Or he tries to ignore his problems by flipping throughthe television stations at the speed of light?

When thereare several characters in a scene, the choreography gets trickier. We have toclarify who speaks, responds, and walks away when the scene is crowded or werisk losing the reader.

If you,like me, overuse gestures from scene to scene, choreography can help. Visualizethe interaction between characters and strive to find the unique actions theytake. If nothing new comes to mind, picture them moving within the scene.

Try toprovide tension and conflict even in their actions. Let’s say your charactershave reluctantly paired to solve a crime. Maybe one shuffles slowly throughlife and takes the time to notice little details, while the other has a goaland won’t be distracted by anything. You could show their personality traits bysetting the scene in a store and having one striding to the counter to questionthe clerk while the other picks up merchandise and examines walls, prices, eventhe other customers. The dialogue will remain the same, but the little actionstell a reader much more than their words ever could.

In manyways, our characters’ interaction is a dance. We simply choreograph theirmovement on each page and throughout the story.

How doyou choreograph your characters’ actions in a scene?

Jill Kemerer writes inspirational romance novels. Coffee fuels her mornings; chocolate, her afternoons. A former electrical engineer, she now enjoys a healthy addiction to magazines, fluffy animals, and her hilarious family. She is a member of ACFW and RWA and also serves as vice-president of MVRWA. Jill is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Agency.

To learn more about Jill, head to her website, www.jillkemerer.com, stop by her blog, http://jillkemerer.blogspot.com, be friends with her on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJillKemerer), and follow her on Twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/jillkemerer).

Author Anxiety

2012-01-30T10:37:00.000-05:00

Anyone outside the publishing industry or even those just starting their writing journey have a distinct vision of the 'author.' The private, relaxed individual sitting in their own home office plugging away at their keyboard while downing coffee. Not that there isn't some truth to this image, most authors have more coffee in their system than blood, but TV, movies and stories romanticize this image.

The first-time author is a far cry from that idyllic vision that the entirety of the world seems to portray. In-fact the budding author is actually subject to more stress than they could anticipate.

Just starting out the writer has clear aspirations, a precise writerly dream that they want to accomplish. They receive praise and support for their work from friends, family and other aspiring writers in their circle. The nervous anxiety that comes with sharing what was private work with the outside world is taxing but the support keeps the writer moving.

The writer completes their work, making minor edits and revisions based on the input of those offering support. Their supporters start asking the question; "Are You Going to Get it Published?"

Constant questioning from supporters leads the writer to the publishing industry. That perfect, amazing work will now have a home, well, maybe. The writer is introduced into the confusing maze of ambitions, pitfalls, deceit and predators. It becomes a learning process, how the industry works, what is currently trending, roles of agents, editors, the author platform and the loathed query.

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The writer needs to create an 'author platform.' This is basically a string of social media platforms that work together to help the writer establish a community. Blogging, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Dear Author etc. These need to be tended daily to develop a community and show potential agents and publishers that the writer can establish an audience.

Stress levels skyrocket as the first-time writer is introduced to the confusing logic of 'writers need an agent to reach the publishers but most agents require the writer to have some publishing credit before considering them.' Add in an introduction to Pred-editors, and the process becomes a frustrating mess. The most trusted agencies and publishing houses have guidelines that make prisons look lenient. Generic form letter rejections flood in with little hint at why the writer is being rejected. The publishing industry seems to be an impregnable fortress with a labyrinth surrounding it. Almost 80% of writers surrender at this stage.

First-time authors do have a number of options at this juncture; they can self-publish, they can try a smaller press or maintain their persistence pursuing the traditional route. Fighting their instincts, they start making changes to the masterpiece, editing and revising the work to address the rejections.

The remarkable and persistent few manage to find their way through that mess and through a small bolt of lightning receive a publishing contract. This doesn't mean any of the stress fades at all, this only changes the goals. The writer now needs to evaluate the terms of the contract, are they fair? Does the publisher have a solid distribution network? Sure Amazon and Barnes & Noble are on the list but how far is the publisher's reach? Does it include the itunes bookstore? What about physical imprints or audio? What about media rights? Do the percentages and efforts balance? The writer has a contract and they have a longing desire to just sign but the fear of being betrayed is extremely high.

Everything balances out, the writer signs the contract and will be a published author soon. The writer can start working on the next project.

Once again the stress levels rise as the first editor dives in while you're filling in all of the necessary paperwork. It is like working for an employer after all. At this time the publisher starts their cover-artist on your project. The editor takes your masterpiece and leaves enough red on it to make you wonder how you ever made it this far. Some things are requisite changes while most are just questioning your logic. The next project is left on hold as the writer is left to make adjustments and edits to their work. Now the writer has the pressure of the publisher to make sure the work is the best.

Just as the writer begins to find a bit of calm in the routine engagement with the publisher, the cover-artist produces the first mock-up for their title. It looks nothing like what the writer had in mind but the writer needs to fight their instincts once more. The publisher and cover-artist know what will work, the writer can make changes if they want but it may not be advisable. At this stage the writer is introduced to the Line Editor. The last editor said the work was great but the LE goes through every single line with a microscope and scarily enough knowledge about various subjects to win big on Jeopardy.

The writer manages to endure and completes the line edits. They can turn their attention back to working on the next project. Then the final proofs come in from yet another editor. There are barely any marks on the project now and these changes are made in no-time at all.

After the proofs are returned come the Galleys, yet another round of edits. Things that slipped by all of the editors up to this point are caught and after a couple of checks the publisher produces the ARCs, that's Advanced Reading Copies for the newbies. It's an exciting time and the writer's work is almost on the shelves.

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This doesn't alleviate stress, it only causes more. Now come the marketing efforts both from the publisher and the author. The publisher will readily produce booktrailers, get the book to all available channels and push it out to all the review sites that they have ties with and maybe even create Pay Per Click ads on Facebook, Google or Goodreads. There may also be a book tour or blog tour (more common now). The writer can not simple 'fire and forget,' letting the publisher handle all of the marketing. Depending on the publisher, the author will need to design the PPC ads and run them or set up promotions, tours and send out their book to any additional reviewers.

The writer needs that project to be a success, they need to manage the marketing, find time to write and still maintain their author platform so they can be found.

Then it hits home, even with a publisher and a novel about to be on the shelves most large review sites pass along form-letter rejections citing that they don't have enough time or aren't interested in the book. Is the project slipping already? It hasn't even launched yet and it's being relegated to the non-important pile.

Fortunately most authors have grown a thick hide by this time but the doubts still nag at the back of the mind. Then they begin to question the marketing. These review sites are great for grabbing avid readers but they do nothing at grabbing the majority of potential readers who only occasionally read. Forcing out social marketing doesn't work, it only blitzes the same audience over and over again and traditional marketing doesn't work either. Avid readers are only a small portion of sales how can the project possibly be a success?

In truth, it only takes about 100 sales-a-week (ebook) to make the top 10,000 in sales rank on Amazon. Most books are lucky to sell 1,000 copies in their sales life. So long as the novel is available on every possible distribution channel it stands the best chance but not without marketing to push it.

The anxiety of the publishing process never lets up. Even as the book hits the shelves it becomes a concern of sales and reach while the whole cycle starts again for the next project. The romantic image of the author is never fully true. The best authors have just grown accustomed to that stress and keep pushing out their work to assure they have the best possible results.

Intriguing Observations: Art In Writing

2012-01-25T05:29:00.000-05:00

When this blog was first launched early last year, there were concerns about subject matter and finding an audience that would be interested in these ramblings. Over time, topics became more creative and more distinct, focusing on not just writing but all creative aspects. On the anniversary of the initial launch it only felt appropriate to gather together some of the greatest supporters and bloggers to provide their own Intriguing Observations on creative ventures and techniques.

Kicking off the Intriguing Observations Series this week is an outstanding supporter and wordsmith Amber Keller.

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When you read a book have you everfelt like you were in a scene? Maybe you could see what the character sees,feel their anxieties or fears, maybe even smell certain scents or hear aparticular sound. This is what a writer strives for; to have their audience aslost in and passionate about their work as they are. In order to achieve this,several things must be taken into account.

This is also a way to incorporate art into writing.

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When you write a scene, place yourself in your charactershead. What do they see? What do they hear or feel? What would they do? If youstart with these questions, many times you can branch off into much deeperdetails in a natural progression. Like an artist with a canvas, the writer needsto convey emotions and meanings. Give the readers a real, visceralinterpretation of the scene so that they can lose themselves in it.

Also much like a potters’ wheel, a writer starts with acrude idea and begins to mold it into the right words and phrases, buildingelements such as scene, characters, setting and plot. It is a work of passion,of sweat and tears, maybe even literally at times, but one that is not meant toshow the work. It needs to seem flawless and fluid. The delicate balance iswhat we attempt to achieve.

Another way to assimilate art into writing is to usesymbolism. This can be in the form of a repeated phrase or item throughout astory. Once the reader sees something repeated, it becomes significant and therewill be a meaning bestowed upon it.

One example of a widely known artistic movement isSurrealism. There were works of literature being created at this time that arefundamentally considered a part of this movement. The method was to concentrateon undertones instead of the literal meaning. This can be a powerful tool in awriter’s toolbox.

After all that’s been previously discussed, there is one discernabletruth that speaks to the totality.

Writing itself is an art.

Amber Keller is writer who delves into dark fiction,particularly horror and suspense/thrillers. Besides having finished two horrornovels this past year, she has numerous short stories available on her blog,and is fortunate to be a part of two anthologies. She is a member of the HorrorWriters Association and also contributes to various websites and emagazines,including horror and science fiction movie reviews. When not at her laptop, shecan be found looking for things that go bump in the night.

Amber's blog ~ Ramblings by Amber

Amber on Twitter ~ akeller9

The newest anthology that was just released is the NightTerrors II anthology and can be found here.

The Perfect Tease

2012-01-23T11:29:00.002-05:00

Compelling, Intriguing, Tease…

Any artistic piece is a combination of different elements that are arranged in such a manner as to be compelling to the observer, the audience. Creating a compelling work is more than just the internal elements; the setting, scenes, dialog, pacing even tone of the piece. Making a compelling work is ultimately perfecting the art of the tease.

Every creative work relies on an intriguing presentation to attain the interest of the viewer regardless of the medium.

The primary challenge for any piece is to compress the entirety of the work into a small segment that is both a summary of the piece and an outstanding 'hook' that leaves the viewer with the desire to know more about the work.

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In cinematography, especially the film, this initial hook can be presented as 30 second or 1 minute clip of a work that summarizes the piece, creates tension and makes an exceptionally compelling argument for why the piece should be viewed. Often these promos, or teasers, feature the most dramatic or compelling moments of the overall piece to show a heightened sense of drama and conflict. A secondary approach to the cinematic teaser is to create the compelling nature of the piece by only revealing the unique elements of the work and creating an incomplete picture of the piece.

In these cinematic instances, the teaser is created as an instrument to compel the audience to experience the entirety of the piece. Both approaches rely on the viewer's questioning nature to create sufficient desire to 'fill in the blanks.' Why were the characters fighting/running? What is going on at town/village/office etc.

The differences between narrative teasers and visual teasers are precious few. The primary difference between literature/narrative teasers and visual is that the narrative needs to constantly replicate the sense of the teaser. The cover is the first compelling teaser, combining the most dramatic elements of the piece into a visual representation that serves to intrigue and compel interest. The synopsis is the second teaser, compressing the entire piece into a few lines that serve to outline the story and leave the observer with the desire to 'fill in the blanks.'

Moving into the actual narrative, the first line that is affectionately known as a 'hook' is the teaser. A highly effective line that serves to pique interest in the piece. The first paragraph, page and even chapter become the more complex teasers that allude to the overall narrative and hint at the direction of the piece. Subsequently, each introductory line in a chapter and exit line serve as teasers to compel interest. This is where perfecting Macro-composition can assist greatly.

Outside of the primary narrative, teasers are constructed in animated gifs, book-trailers and even ad text that are designed to highlight aspects of the work while remaining true to the overall piece.

No matter the medium, all creative works rely on being the perfect tease. Creating that perfect tease is an ever evolving process and what worked previously may no longer be acceptable or effective. The audience is constantly evolving and so too does the art of the tease.

Abstracting Speed and Clarity

2012-01-16T09:50:00.000-05:00

Expressing the focus of a composition is a delicate balance between the primary subject and surrounding details of the piece.

The balancing of primary subject and supporting details is most readily apparent in visual compositions from mediums such as photography and cinematography. The speed of the composition determines the clarity of the overall composition.

In photography and subsequently cinematography, the film speed determines a number of components within a given composition. Most prominently the speed determines the level of detail and clarity of the the piece. The restriction of adjusting the speed at which a composition is captured is that as the speed increases to capture fast subjects with more clarity, the more detail is sacrificed.

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Film, as well as digital, requires larger film grains to capture at faster speeds. As the film speed is increased, the grains become noticeably larger and affect the level of detail capable in the image. While faster speed allows for capturing a subject with more stability the faster the subject, the faster speed required to capture it.

The concept of speed and clarity is just as visible in a narrative composition as it is in the visual arts. As the speed of the composition increases, the subject becomes clearer as the focus but the level of detail is reduced as the speed - pacing is increased.

In a narrative the descriptors, dialog tags and even breaks either page or chapter are the equivalent 'film grain' in the piece. Increasing the pace of the narrative makes these elements seem larger and even distorted compared to the piece. The primary subject becomes even clearer but the surrounding details begin to lose detail to keep that pace. While reducing the speed of the piece too much can make the overall composition seem unfocused.

Every composition is a delicate balance of speed and clarity. Increasing the details reduces the focus of the primary subject and slows the pace. Likewise, too little detail yields a fast-paced blur of a composition.

Stabilizing Influence

2012-01-08T19:02:00.000-05:00

Dynamic, fluid, compelling...

Any creative composition, especially a narrative, has a dynamic component to it that keeps the audience interested. The more dynamic the piece, the more intriguing it is for the viewer but it can also become a challenge for the composition.

In the visual arts, creating a dynamic composition is a matter of choosing fluid elements and subjects for the piece. The largest difficulty in fluid subjects is in establishing an anchor, applying some stability to keep the composition in clear focus. As much as fluid subjects are compelling to the viewer it is also possible for the composition to lose focus and become distorted, unclear, if the piece lacks some stability.

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Capturing dynamic compositions in the visual arts is a matter of stabilizing how the composition is perceived. Typically this is achieved through tripods and very complicated stabilizing rigs that keep perfect balance. Other elements that are fluid in the piece require equal parts of static elements.

A dynamic narrative composition is very similar to a visual arts composition. The fluid elements of a narrative piece can range from the perceived scene to the very characters within the piece. The combination of elements and unrestricted perceptions in a narrative can allow for dynamics that can become disorienting for an audience.

Stabilizing the elements of a narrative is similar to stabilizing a visual composition however, additional 'supports' need to be added to the composition. For every dark and bleak setting there needs to be one 'safe' setting. For a calm, collected and methodical character, their partner should be emotional and impulsive. Altering perspective, adjusting pacing, changing settings and adding opposing character personas are just a few means of supports that can stabilize a narrative and help it to maintain focus.

Dynamic and fluid elements are needed in a composition for a viewer to find it compelling however, for every dynamic element within a piece it is necessary to have something to stabilize the composition and balance the elements. maintaining balance allows the audience to perceive the contrast between the static elements and the dynamic, making those elements even more compelling.

Intriguing Perspectives

2012-01-02T18:50:00.000-05:00

"There's nothing new under the sun." -John Lennon

Every narrative, every composition has existed in one form or another for as long as people have been able to create. The tools and mediums for these have continued to evolve over time but the inherent core of these compositions have remained the same.

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In any creative effort, while it's clear that it's not the first incarnation of a composition, it's the artist, their perspective that creates something unique.

Every artist regardless of medium has a unique approach and an entirely unique perspective to breathe life into their compositions. The combination of elements; tone, saturation, angle, lighting, settings and even characters are utilized in a distinct manner that only the artist envisions.

While there is nothing new under the sun, every composition is an assemblage of elements and while those elements may have been used before by another artist, the variations of each element assure that each composition is wholly unique. Every individual has their own perspective and this means that a person can observe the same composition but see different features of that composition.

So long as there are artists, there will always be unique compositions regardless of medium.

New Year's Review

2011-12-28T12:14:00.000-05:00

As 2011 is coming to a close everyone takes stock of the trials and tribulations, the victories and validations of the year and what all of these have meant to each of us.

At the start of this year I was editing my manuscript and looking to get my series published. Through the conversations of the amazing writing community, I decided it was time to build my 'author platform' starting with a blog. I had never 'blogged' before other than a few contributed articles. I was nervous about finding material, even having a topic others would be interested in reading. I wasn't sure how this was really going to turn out, how it was going to develop and most importantly to me, how this would help with publication.

I started with a few topics that seemed logical to me and started sharing my rambling thoughts out to my friends and contacts out on the inter-webs.

My first observation was that I really did have some outstanding writer friends in the twitter-verse and through the comments I saw, I really did have an interesting take on things that more than my virtual-friends were willing to have an interest in reading. I also started producing articles for a regional media outlet that started gaining significant attraction for them.

In April together with a few friends we set about investigating and spending the night at one of the country's most notorious locations, a dilapidated asylum that is now a mainstay of television shows.

Through no small feat I signed with my publisher in May and gleefully started organizing my thoughts to make sure the series would not only be coherent but also something significant when it debuted. All of my research, all of my ramblings and dreams worked out.

In the summer I went back to the beautiful Massachusetts coast where I was able to draw on more inspiration and restructure some of the later events in the series as well as catch some breathing room.

Later in the summer I stumbled upon a novel idea for my weekly articles, a look at compositions, not just the writing idea but how any story is told through a composition. Whether it's a film, a still shot, writing or even sculpture all components work and if looked at from the right perspective the techniques could work for any medium. It was also about this time that along with some friends we went out to the Qunicy Harbor and spent a night investigating a retired Cold-war Era naval destroyer.

In the fall, my fiance and I were married. After being together for more than 5 years we decided it was what we both wanted. It was the next step in our lives together and while a bit nerve-wracking at the time, it was life.

So at the end of 2011, after all that has happened in this year what was the outcome? Well, for Writing Files it was a number of guest posts and highlights on some outstanding writing friend's blogs. Highlights included Jill Kemerer in June, Jen Talty in Sept, Samantha Combs and Donna Galanti in Oct and oh so much more. Significant thanks to all of my writerly friends, fellow word-herders to borrow a phrase. After a single year of blogging, Writing Files has had more than 9K views, 290 comments, and almost a third of all traffic is from twitter. The remaining visits are courtesy of friend's blogs like Jami Gold, Michele Shaw and Jill Kemerer. After a year of Writing Files it's hard to imagine not being part of these communities, author platform or not.

Looking back at 2011 the easiest thing to say is that life happened. There were challenges, difficulties and there were triumphs, dreams that came true and plenty of adventure to be had.

As I look toward the new year and know how much I have changed over this past year, it is clear that life dictates change. The first big change for the new year is actually going to be saying goodbye to Writing Files. 2012 will be the launch of the first novel in my series Nightfall, the new home for this composition needs to reflect more of the character of this piece but also focus my ramblings. As any composition, the theme needs to be unified. Writing Files is becoming The Surveillance Report next post.

Happy New Year everyone!

That Holiday Feeling

2011-12-20T11:18:00.000-05:00

Ferias Ex Machina….

As Christmas is only a few days away now traditional Holiday themes are inundating all narratives on all mediums but why?

In a traditional narrative whether it is still, sculpted, cinemagraphic or literary a composition is orchestrated in such a way as to draw the viewers into the piece. There is a level of intrigue as the thrill of uncertainty keeps the rapt attention of the audience. This is not the case for many 'Holiday' narratives.

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The majority of 'Holiday' narratives are composed with layers of positive themes; selflessness, family, change of heart, unconditional love and other similar themes.

While many narratives can utilize similar themes, Holiday compositions typically feature these themes at a relative superficial level. The dramatic twists and turns that otherwise would create a thrilling piece are sedate compared to traditional narratives. These narratives often rely on the Ferias Ex Machina.

Ferias Ex Machina or "Holiday out of the machine" is where a seemingly unsolvable/inextricable problem is suddenly and abruptly solved with the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability or object particularly in a 'Holiday' composition. These are where the characters will have a revelation, change of heart, a random bystander offers help because it is the season, etc.

In a traditional narrative composition, if the Ex Machina approach is used it makes for a superficial or failed piece by modern standards. So how is it acceptable for Holiday compositions?

Many narratives span extensive time periods either within the singular narrative or within a series and inevitably draw on the 'Holiday' themes. Much like a straightforward Holiday composition, the narratives fall to the same superficial level of device yet, since it is 'Holiday' themed it is generally accepted by the audience despite the Ferias Ex Machina approach.

What do you think? Is Ferias Ex Machina a suitable device for a holiday narrative or should a piece strive to be more than a 'Holiday' composition?

Merry Christmas….

Storyboarding Timelines

2011-12-12T14:55:00.000-05:00

In any visual composition it's necessary to have a plan of action, a concept that needs to be visualized. Taking that concept to a realized piece requires that certain elements are available for production and the primary means are creating a timeline and storyboards.

It's not possible to produce the conceptualized piece if the material, the shots that are needed to realize the piece are not available.

Recently, I was reviewing my series outline that I had conjured making notes as time passed and I found that the series while conceptualized was missing a number of elements. It was apparent that with three separate timelines and the initial story in the background to contend with, it was fast becoming unmanageable. The outline just didn't fill in the blanks that I was looking for to make sure it was cohesive and not a random series of events. The outline just wasn't working.

Taking the issue out of the strictly literary realm and applying the cinematographers law- 'Storyboard It' the creative issues evaporated.

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The visual approach to storyboarding begins with understanding the full purpose of the storyboards, the intent, who will see them and how detailed they will need to be for those purposes. What many don't realize is how relatively easy it is to create storyboards especially for narrative. These are not going to be an amazing artwork but can be as rudimentary as stick figures so long as the notes are detailed and there is a rough sketch of a scene. The primary difference between using storyboards for cinematography and using the boards for a written narrative is strictly the tools used to create the piece.

After the purpose of the storyboards is established the key scenes are selected. Any composition, any story is a culmination of specific scenes. The largest benefit of creating these boards is the ability to manipulate them physically. It becomes strikingly apparent when the storyboards are actually tacked up on the wall what scenes work, how the pacing and narrative flow work in the composition. It also becomes apparent how the actual timeline will flow.

The timeline in my case, was actually creating the separate timelines stacked in a simple excel sheet. The stories become abundantly clear with dividing points clearly denoted for a series. After the initial timeline was stretched out, the storyboards for the entirety were orchestrated filling in all of the 'missing pieces' that were sadly lacking from the overstuffed outlines.

The composition timeline behaves much like any historic timeline, there are significant events that effect the narrative either directly or indirectly and these are recorded. It's designed to give perspective on the piece.

A narrative composition is an assemblage of elements and often keeping those elements in a cohesive order can become quite unwieldy especially if there are multiple narratives that are layered together for a series. Many techniques can be utilized to organize the concept but creating a timeline with detailed storyboards is easily one of the most efficient means.

Abstracting Layers

2011-12-06T07:54:00.001-05:00

Depth, Dimension, Layers…

As a narrative piece is composed, one of the difficulties of framing a specific point as the subject of the narrative is establishing the sense of depth in the composition.

Often a visual composition will rely on layering to add a sense of depth and even time to the piece. A narrative composition can quite frequently utilize similar techniques to bring that composition into greater focus, bring it to life.

Adding depth to a narrative is achieved through layering interaction dynamics and narrative history.

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Interaction dynamics are the implied and explored relationships within the narrative. These can be the relationships between subjects or between subjects and setting. Implied relationships are not overt reactions between subjects but the secondary inferred relationships. In a visual sense the subjects would be juxtaposed to demonstrate hidden emotions or draw tension. These are quite common in romantic narratives as two subjects awkwardly avoid interactions.

The explored relationships are overt dynamics, emotions and interactions are direct. Visually there are direct correlations between subjects or subjects and setting. These can be further layered with different levels of emotions, interactions and relationships. All of these are typically the make new friends, adversaries and love interests subject interactions.

The interaction dynamics of both implied and explored relationships add layers to the composition, provide a sense of depth to the interactions.

A visual composition can frequently capture a still moment in time, but it can also appear flat and superficial. While in a narrative it is possible to convey a linear progression of time, like a visual composition it can also appear flat and superficial.

Through narrative history it is possible to layer a composition with additional depth and dimension. The composition demonstrates a history for the subjects through details of worn settings, memories of previous events and relationships built on events not within the composition.

As any visual composition becomes more interesting with layers of interaction dynamics and narrative history so to does a narrative composition. The flat one-dimensional take on a narrative timeline or strictly overt interactions leaves a flat, superficial image. Adding layers of interactions, history and detail together brings the piece to life.

Leading Lines

2011-11-28T09:34:00.001-05:00

In a composition there are a variety of techniques that can be utilized to explore the piece. One of the most dynamic means of guiding the audience through a piece is through the use of leading lines.

Leading lines are one of the top rules of visual composition and are used to great effect to guide the viewer's perspective through the piece, drawing attention to focal points and creating narrative rhythm. These lines are also can be used singularly or with additional supporting lines.

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A narrative composition is led by leading lines as much as any visual composition, however unlike a visual composition the leading lines are not only visual based on the narrator's perspective but also a product of dialogue.

The narrator's perspective has a strong influence on the composition through the depth of field, viewing angle and the leading lines. Through the narrator's perspective it is possible to guide the audience through the piece in a similar fashion as a visual composition. The narrator's perception can create tension, emotion and dynamic depth through their perception of the scene. As the narrator examines a particular scene, their view will follow the same leading lines as an audience would with a visual composition.

Ex: I forced the weathered metal door open and stumbled out onto the platform. The tile was cracked and broken, covered in disturbing stains that led to the tracks. The tracks were rusted, long forgotten as they ran down the tunnel and back into the real world.

The narrators eye follows the leading lines as the audience would view it in the visual composition. The eye follows the lines of the tile in the foreground to the tracks which prominently guide the eyes down in a linear direction.

Dialog leading lines are often more clearly defined as character movement within the environment or lines that begin or end a scene. These lines convey movement not only through the visual composition but through the story as well. Often these lines are used as indicators for scene and settings change.

Ex: "Well, that's not going to matter anyhow." I heard her let out a sigh. "Fine, let's do this." I stopped and looked at her. "That's the spirit. Ready?" She nodded. I turned the knob.

The audience's perception of a narrative composition is subject to the same rules of visual compositions. Through dialogue and scene leading lines, an audience is guided through the piece in a fluid, dynamic manner that keeps the piece interesting.

Filtered Perspectives

2011-11-21T09:05:00.001-05:00

Perceptions, Tones, Filters…

A writer's challenge in crafting a narrative is conveying the piece they envision to an audience that has no concept of the piece. The creator has to balance the elements of the piece, the settings, characters, thrills and the visual elements that can affect the perceptions of the piece.

Even as a piece is painstakingly balanced between the elements, it still may not convey the vision that the creator desires. It may not have the appropriate tone or saturation.

Conveying the appropriate tone for a piece can often be the most challenging due in-part to the preconceptions that audiences carry. Every individual has differing experiences and most often what one person perceives is not what another understands.

Ex. "She let out a sigh and leaned against the damp brick wall. Somewhere down the alley she could hear the rats fighting."

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The setting in this example may convey a gritty and dark tone to some, to others that have lived or experienced this type of setting only conveys a night-time city neighborhood. The piece fails to utilize the preconceptions and carry the appropriate tone.

Drawing the appropriate saturation for an audience can be an equally strong challenge. The saturation of a piece is dependent on how long the audience is exposed to a setting or scene. Certain individuals will require longer time in the scenes to reach the appropriate saturation levels to convey the envisioned composition.

Adjusting the tone and saturation of a composition is similar to the visual arts. In photography and cinematography, when all of the elements are drawn together and the composition is still not what was envisioned, the artist typically applies filters to create the vision. Red filters to 'warm' a composition, 'blue' to cool and still more to affect the saturation levels in the piece. The more the light is controlled through filters, the more artists are able to control the audience's perceptions of the piece.

In a narrative it is possible to control tone and saturation through this same 'filter' concept. Adjusting tone is possible through filtering the narrator's perception. Expanding on the previous example with a 'filter' it is possible to ensure that the right tone is conveyed.

Ex. "She let out a sigh and leaned against the damp brick wall. It was hard to believe it had come to this. Somewhere down the alley she heard the footsteps over the fighting rats."

Through filtering the narrator's perspective it is possible to adjust the tone to a perceptible level. Extending the scene through a few slight details fully saturates the audience. Attaining the envisioned composition is not only an assemblage of the right elements but often the right application of filtered words.

A Sound Design

2011-11-15T07:30:00.001-05:00

Any narrative composition is an assemblage of elements from the relationships between characters and their interactions, to subtle details like lighting, depth of field and narrative angles that are all designed to control the audience's perceptions of the piece.

In cinematography, a primary element that is necessary to unify a composition is sound. Whether it's the audio levels for a given scene, the subtle use of background noise or even music, audio creates the gestalt composition.

Controlling the audio levels in cinematography, while challenging, also yields the most dynamic results and brings the composition to life for the audience.

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Audio levels typically consist of two subset levels and four operating levels. The two subsets consist of the dynamic range, the full range of sound in a given recording; and the operating range, the actual range of recording. Within these subset levels are the operating levels; the Noise floor, the Reference level, Headroom and Maximum output.

The Noise Floor, also known as the background noise, is most responsible for creating a unifying tie between scenes even when the scenes take place in dramatically different settings. Most often a cinematographer will create a steady white-noise that they can underly to subtly tie together all of the scenes in a piece.

The Reference Level quite frequently is the 'talking volume' in a piece. This is subject to the direction that the sound is coming from in regards to the input. Individuals talking in frame or background music that alter from scene to scene. This is the primary level for action and interaction with the main composition.

The Headroom and Maximum Output levels are typically only utilized for 'peaking,' that is, the times when the music will swell or a particular noise will be emphasized over the previous sounds. A number of compositions utilize this to great effect for startling the audience.

A narrative composition utilizes sound design just as well as any cinematography effort. While the cinematographer needs to rely on the actual sounds and levels of their work, the writer has infinitely more control over the sound but has a greater challenge. Every narrative setting has audio levels that can be subtly used to create the desired effect and control the audience's perceptions of the scene.

Ex. She paced along the walkway under the warm glow of the park's lights. She needed answers and he was going to be the first step.

In the narrative, the sound design is not always overt and quite frequently the audio is dependent on the audience's preconceptions of the scene. While it is not overtly described in this scene the audio levels are inferred. The sound levels are very low with footsteps on the wooden walkway and a quiet undercurrent of nocturnal sounds from the park. While the implied sounds are adequate the audio does not utilize the full operating levels for the scene. The composition feels incomplete.

Ex. She paced along the ocean walkway under the warm glow of the park's lights. She needed answers and he was going to be the first step. The winds picked up, rustling the bushes and carrying small bits of litter across the grass.

The additional details not only add to the visual composition but also succeed in generating full operating levels for the composition. The Noise Floor is filled with subtle shifts between the ocean and winds. The Reference level is filled with footsteps on the walkway while the Headroom Level is filled with swelling winds and rustling bushes.

Just as in Cinematography compositions, a Narrative composition relies heavily on sound design to control the perceptions of a scene. Understanding and utilizing the audio levels to great effect can be the difference between an average scene and a dramatic scene that influences the audience. Sound is integral creating the optimal composition, world building that immerses the viewer.

Juxtaposition of Relationships

2011-11-06T18:27:00.002-05:00

Every narrative composition is about the dynamics of relationships, the interactions between characters that drive the piece forward. There are however, more elements to conveying those relationships than just the interactions between the sculpted characters.

As with any visual composition, the elements of a piece can be juxtaposed in a manner that can convey the specific dynamics of relationships. Through a manipulation of perspective and the details of a scene it is possible to emphasize ties or relationship dynamics, convey emotions and shared feelings, reveal occasions and shared history.

Ties and relationship dynamics in a composition are primarily a revealed through actions of the subjects but the details can clearly reveal similarities of physical characteristics, similar thoughts and perspectives. Choosing the appropriate details, it is possible to create a sense of unity between characters.

Ex. She pushed her way through the crowd when she saw Nick talking with someone at the back of the bar.

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In this example the atmosphere is crowded and suspicious but does not carry an emotional impact. If the perspective and focal points are adjusted it becomes significantly stronger.

Ex. She pushed her way through the crowd and stumbled to a halt. Nick was sitting with some redhead at the back of the bar.

Utilizing the relationship between subjects and the setting makes it possible to convey emotions and shared feelings in a subtle cohesive manner that prevents any jarring disconnections between the audience and the piece. When conveying a specific subject matter the composition is arranged to a 'telling-effect' that reveals the emotional impact rather than reactionary from the subjects.

Ex. The struggle caused the camera to slip and tumble over the side of the boat. We bolted to the railing and watched helplessly as it splashed into the water.

The entire scene is predicated on actions and the relationship between the subjects and objects in the scene. While no dialog or emotions are revealed the juxtaposition of the elements creates the emotion. The same can be created with the use of objects alone in a composition.

Ex. The light followed the red droplets along the darkened corridor only stopping when the source was revealed. A simple folding knife with dark stains on the glinting metal.

Often compositions utilize occasions such as holidays, birthdays or other special occasions to create a sense contrast for the subject material. A more subtle use of objects and subjects in the composition is utilizing and emphasizing the shared history of the subjects. Referencing a single previous event, high school slogan years later or other telling moments.

A narrative composition is no different than a visual composition, the relationship between objects, details and subjects affect the overall piece. Choosing the appropriate emphasis, focal points and providing the right juxtaposition between the elements creates a stronger composition. Any single element can be enhanced to affect the overall piece.

Analyzing the Angle

2011-10-25T09:11:00.003-04:00

Composition, Framing, Angles….

In any composition there are a variety of facets that can impact the composition as a whole. Elements such as lighting, perspective and depth of field for the piece can adjust the overall tone, perspective and even objective for the entire composition.

As with any composition in the visual arts, one of the most significant facets of to keep in mind is the angle of the 'shot.'

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While there are many conceivable angles to approach a scene from the two most important framing angles are the 'low shot' and the 'top down' shots. The low shot is commonly used in compositions where emotion is the principle objective. Focusing on a subject from a low angle creates a sense of overbearing pressure, authority or menace. The opposite is true for the 'top down' shot. Often used in compositions to show scale and distance the audience from subject matter, it is possible to convey a sense of insignificance.

In any narrative, each scene is perceived from a specific angle and perspective. As with most instances of first-person narratives, the angle of the scene is restricted to the available and logical perceived approaches by the narrator. The narrator is restricted to human perspectives, angles on scenes. This perspective may appear limiting but as the creator of the composition, it is possible to move the scene to accommodate a stronger impact.

Ex. I jogged down the hallway towards the figure looming over the latest victim. I was too late.

In this example the angle of the scene is perceived at distance on the same plane, the same level as the scene. Adjusting the angle and scene to create a better impact…

Ex. I jogged to the stairs and started up until I found the next victim. I knelt on the landing and cursed myself. Too late, again. Lifting my gaze, I saw the figure looming at the top of the stairs watching me.

As the angle on the scene changes so does the emotional impact and tone of the scene. If the scene is reversed and the angles change again so that it is a 'top down' angle then the perceptions change with it.

Ex. I jogged to the top of the stairs. He was standing over his next victim on the landing below. I was too late again.

In these examples the tone and perceptions of the scenes change giving a completely different tone to the composition each time. In the first example, the perceptions range from the antagonist may be caught, fight or flee. The second example, the perceptions range from sadness to fear that the character may be the next victim and in the final example the perceptions are that the antagonist may flee or be caught.

While the composition may have many facets that impact the overall tone, the angle of the 'shot' is one of the strongest elements for controlling the narrative perceptions. In a third person perspective, it is far easier to control the angle of the shot but it is also more difficult to convey the same level of emotion as the 1:1 ratio of the first person perspective. Every detail, perspective and angle has attributes that lend itself the certain compositions. It's the director, the creator's challenge to understand these and create the ideal composition.

How do you perceive the angles?

Establishing Perspective

2011-10-18T10:34:00.001-04:00

In any composition there are a core set of elements needed to create the composition and each element can be adjusted to reflect the desired effect on the entirety of the piece.

The composition can be adjusted through the subtle shifts to subjects, lighting, settings and especially focal points. A shift in perspective can change the entire composition. In most narratives perspective is long-regarded as first person, second and third person in reference to the narrative perspective.

The narrative perspective is actually the 'narrators perspective' and not necessarily the visual perspective for a scene. In the visual arts the concept of a perspective is defined as the relationship between objects within a composition. Simply put, a three-dimensional scene is compressed to a two-dimensional depiction of that scene but through the illusion of perspective it is possible to convey a three-dimensional scene.

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Taking the concept of the visual perspective and applying it to the narrative composition allows for similar control of a scene through different visual perspectives.

The Linear Perspective is the most common perspective for most narrative scenes. As objects and details are perceived further from the focal point, the fewer details are visible and smaller the objects are perceived to be in relation. The narrator's perspective as an individual is subject to a visual perspective within the environment.

Most instances of visual perspective in a narrative are subject to the subconscious Rectilinear Perspective through interpretation. This means that what is actually straight in the scene is perceived as straight. The perceptions of objects and subjects in a scene will shift however depending on the visual perspective. Illusions like overlap, dwindling size and volume will influence the perceiver within the scene.

When perceiving the perspective of a scene it is important to understand how visual perspective works. Through the eyes of a character, the objects and subjects in a scene can be unintentionally deceptive. Controlling the specifics of the perspective can provide a narrative with a stronger connection for the audience and more opportunities to affect the atmosphere of each scene in the composition.

Abstracting Exposure

2011-10-11T10:24:00.001-04:00

Exposure, Bracketing, Compensation….

In the visual arts, particularly photography, the exposure of a composition determines the amount of detail and contrast in that composition. Traditionally, the longer the exposure the more detail and darker the overall composition.

The concept of exposure is not limited to the visual arts, a narrative composition is subject to the same rules of exposure as any medium. The longer the reader is exposed to a composition the more details are clear to them but if they are exposed to the same scene for too long it may all blend together (Over-Exposed). The same is also true if the exposure is too short. There will be too few details (Under-Exposed).

In order to achieve the Optimal Exposure the perfect balance between light and shadow, detail in the composition, it is necessary to sample the right saturation for each scene. The optimal exposure is, of course, the right exposure that achieves the desired effect. This approach may be entirely subjective however, there is a 'correct exposure' for every scene.

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Obtaining the correct exposure is a balancing act in any composition, obtaining the right level of detail while obtaining the desired effect. This can be achieved through a process called Bracketing. In a visual medium this process entails adjusting the exposure to increase and decrease the exposure and ultimately taking the best of the series. Through a narrative, the process of bracketing is a bit more complex but ultimately has the same results and centers on controlling the exposure in the scene.

Controlling the exposure in a narrative can be achieved through a few specific elements, the lighting, depth of field and speed of the composition. The most important concept to consider in the process is Reciprocity. This is a simple principle that states that the longer the exposure, the reciprocally smaller aperture required. In a narrative sense this means the longer the scene the fewer details of the scene and more focus on the subject. As each change in exposure adjusts the overall composition it creates a different exposure for the reader. Through reviewing each exposure it is possible to create the optimal exposure for the scene, the perfect balance of details and focus.

A different means of bracketing the exposure in a narrative scene is to use scenes of differing exposures to bracket the selected scene. Use a slightly darker scene before the darkest scene and a slightly lighter scene leading away from that scene to achieve an exposure balance.

To prevent an over exposure in a composition it may be necessary to provide a means of compensation for the scene. If the composition is too dark it is possible to compensate for this overexposure by adding more light to the scene or just an additional lighting source. The narrative composition can find compensation in added details, lighting sources and subtle shifts in depth of field that can change the exposure.

Finding the optimal exposure of a composition can be a difficult practice but often creates the best overall compositions whether it is bracketing the composition in a single scene to find the right balance or using the surrounding scenes to bracket a single composition. It is important to recognize when the audience becomes over-exposed and under-exposed to a composition.

Lighting the Narrative

2011-10-03T10:32:00.000-04:00

In any composition, details can control the tone and atmosphere of the piece more than any overt elements. The strongest of these elements is also most often overlooked due to it's rather commonplace nature, lighting.

While settings and even weather can influence the atmosphere and tone of a piece, these are direct elements that an audience can perceive as cliche and can become a detriment to the overall composition. Using the lighting of each scene, each setting can be a subtle means of controlling the audience's preconceptions and perceptions of the composition.

As with photography and cinematography, controlling the lighting of the scene allows the creator to bring their vision of the piece to life. Through controlling the direction, quality and quantity of light in a scene it's possible to control perceptions of a scene.

Through the subtle manipulations of directional lighting it is possible to convey specific emotions and manipulate audience perceptions of the scene.

Ex: She paced along the ocean walkway under the warm glow of the park's lights. She needed answers and he was going to be the first step. Her pacing quickened until another gust rushed her and the rolling waves sprayed higher than the railing.

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The streetlight provides the directional lighting and offers a sense of security, safety, that the audience can perceive. This light source conveys the emotional tone of the scene, it's night, there's an anxiety about the scene and most details are washed out highlighting the primary subject in even greater detail.

Controlling the quantity of light in a scene is another means of controlling tone although it is far less subtle than simply adjusting the quality of the light and the direction of it.

Ex: The sun was warm as she drew a breath of determination and pulled open the heavy fire-door. Inside was a long dirty hallway lined with neglected and abused doors. Light was a precious commodity with a number of the ceiling lights broken. The fire door closed and left her in the pathetic lighting.

The transition from sunlight to a poorly lit interior reflects the oppressive emotions of the scene. The sunlight offers warmth, safety and comfort while the interior lighting reflects something darker, harsher than the outside world. This also demonstrates the differences in the quality of the lighting. The sunlight carries natural preconceptions and emotions while interior lights reflect a different set of emotions. Even if the lights were simple florescent lights there would still be a shift in the perceptions associated with the lighting.

Ex: I stepped out into the pure white florescent light. White eggshell walls reflected the light off the white tile floor in an empty wide hallway lined with cream colored doors and wire mesh windows down it's length. I stopped at the first large glass window to look at the sun-lit parking lot.

The distinction of the florescent lights emphasizes the sterile nature of the environment and carries a sense of cold detachment while the sunlight carries the warmth. The contrast between these two different qualities of light distinguishes two different sets of preconceptions and perceptions of the settings.

Through the subtle manipulations of lighting it is possible to reflect the desired narrative tone of the scene. Adjusting the depth of field, the focal points and emphasized details of a composition allows for a more dynamic composition that carries more emotional weight for the audience.

Macro-Composition

2011-09-26T09:18:00.000-04:00

Every composition has a set of defined elements from depth of field to subjects to the very contrast of the details in a piece. There is however, no set scale for any piece.

The challenge of any creative piece is utilizing all of the elements to form a connection with the audience, to give that emotional bond that keeps their attention, makes them want to understand. In a narrative this can mean perspective in the piece or scale of the subject matter (Will it affect the world? or Just a few lives?) or this can mean the very length of a piece.

Building a connection between the audience and the composition can be achieved through a variety of methods but the strongest is creating the 1:1 connection, a Macro-connection.

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In photography, establishing a 1:1 connection between the audience and the subject is achieved by focusing intently on the minute details of a larger subject. The Macro-composition is created by selecting the details of a larger composition that best represent the larger piece and then making them larger than life, a direct 1:1 ratio.

Eg. The larger composition is a broken down and forgotten home, now overgrown with trees and is slowly collapsing as autumn sets in with the early morning sun. The Macro would be a close up shot of the neglected flowerpots along the fading stucco wall with a few fall leaves resting on the pots with a hint of the early morning sun.

Creating a Macro-composition in a narrative can be one of the more difficult things for a writer to accomplish. It is often easier to express the larger implications of a narrative by breaking the 1:1 connection. In a third-person perspective it is common for global effects to be viewed by jumping to an outside narrative character that can witness these. This breaks the 1:1 ratio and the essential 'spell' that the audience is under however, and the last thing any writer wants to do is break their audience-composition connection.

There are a number of ways to express a larger composition within the details of a given scene or event without breaking the Macro-compostion. To borrow the phrase from Rohe ~ "The Devil is in the Details."

Controlling the focal point of a composition and through a clever use of details it is possible to express the larger composition without breaking the Macro 1:1 connection. These practices are easily attributable to Macro-Compositions, telling an entire narrative in a few precisely chosen details and words.

One of the strongest practices comes from utilizing video as art. The Macro-Challenge consists of creating 4 video clips under 15 seconds each, the catch is they need to be 'Non-Symbolic' but convey an emotion. In short, it means to convey love the cinematographer can not use hearts, flowers the color red, people etc. Through this practice the cinematographer learns to take explicit care in developing every 15 seconds.

In a narrative, the desire to focus on larger details can inhibit the audience-composition connection or even break that connection if the wrong focal points and details are selected. The solution is to utilize the Macro-Challenge of cinematographers. Many of these challenges are currently floating around including Twitter-Fiction and Flash-Fiction among the many other variants. Taking specific care to craft a narrative in a sentence or two encourages a conscious selection of words and details. As the short sentence is perfected then that same approach can be brought to the paragraph, the chapter, the novel and ultimately the series.

Every composition, every narrative has a Macro-perspective embedded in the piece. Utilizing precise details can convey a larger composition without ever breaking the 1:1 connection with the audience.

High Dynamic Composition

2011-09-20T09:39:00.000-04:00

In any composition there are a variety of factors that can either detract or enhance the piece. While the depth of field and the subjects of the composition are considered 'fixed' or 'unchangeable,' many elements ranging from contrast to saturation to detail can be altered to enhance the piece.

One of the most important elements of a composition is establishing the appropriate contrast in the piece, contrast of light and shadow, contrast of subjects and contrast of elemental details.

Often, those in the visual arts use a technique called 'bracketing' or 'stepping' to find the right balance in a composition. The technique consists of increasing and decreasing the amount of exposure, or light in the shot to establish different details and find the best result.

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Abstracting this technique to narratives, it is not too dissimilar from establishing revisions to a draft. The draft creates the basic composition with an established depth of field and subjects but does not have the strength of an emotionally draining 'dark' composition or the emotional highs of the 'light' composition. Each step towards the 'darker' or 'lighter' compositions can shift the entirety of the piece but at the same time, finding the right composition can be extremely difficult. Most take each piece of the composition and adjust it individually to suite the piece. This can result in a lengthy and painful process to attain the desired composition.

A very beneficial technique that supplements 'bracketing' in the visual arts is known as High Dynamic Range imaging. This technique involves taking the variations of a composition, the lightest highlights to the darkest shadows and merging them into a solitary composition that will have exceptional contrast and all of the positive elements from each variation.

While revisions can be painful, the concept of taking a single draft and revising it into separate directions, applying a lighter tone so the high points are the brightest, then taking another variation and revising with the intent of taking the dark moments and making them the darkest they can be is very beneficial. The end result of creating separate, bracketed, revised compositions allows the creator to merge all of the strongest elements into one HDR Composition.

How do you revise your work? Do you use an HDR technique or do you adjust the individual elements of the original piece?

Composing Composition

2011-09-12T08:50:00.001-04:00

Focal Points, setting, details, composition…

In the visual arts there are a variety of simplistic guides that can help an artist create a strong composition and with enough fore-thought it is actually possible to push the limits of a piece to something that the masses will regard highly.

One of the basic guides for crafting a strong composition in the visual arts that can also be reflected in a compelling narrative is the Rule of Thirds. In the 1783 Sir Joshua Reynolds describes this in unquantified terms as 'the balance of dark and light. This has since been refined as conceptualizing an image by dividing the image into nine equal parts with two horizontal and two vertical lines. The points at which these lines meet are considered the 'power points.'

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Two primary concepts that can be abstracted from this Rule of Thirds are the ideas of 'balancing light and dark' and utilizing 'power points' at equivocal lengths.

In a narrative the balance of light and dark is often more complex than visualizing shadows and highlights. The overall tone of a piece can determine the 'exposure' for the piece but the shadows or 'darkest moments' in the piece will need to be of significant contrast to add sufficient dimension to the work. Eg. If the narrative is filled with deaths then the darkest moments will all appear the same level. The same is true for the highlights of a piece. If all the high points or highlights of a piece are on equal ground then there will be no significant contrast between one moment and the next. When all of the highlights and shadows of a piece are equal then the composition will be a dull neutral gray.

While finding the right balance of light and dark is integral to providing contrast in a piece, it is also necessary to define the 'power points' of the composition. These are the most visually striking focal points or in a narrative, the most thrilling moments of the piece. Together with balancing light and dark, these power points will be the contrasting subjects of the piece. Each of the four selected points and the 'strike line' leading to that point are inherently where the most emphasis is derived for a piece. These highest highlights to the lowest shadows provide the depth and contrast necessary to drive interest in a piece, when the appropriate focal points are selected for the piece at precise intervals the overall composition becomes an interesting piece.

To further enhance the the composition it is necessary to choose the appropriate setting to provide the requisite contrast between the focal points and the subject(s) of the composition. It is also necessary to choose the appropriate depth of field for each composition to emphasize details and enhance the overall composition.

Whether creating a visually striking image or an emotionally striking narrative, the abstracted principles remain the same; contrast and balance for the light and dark of the piece as well as choosing the appropriate subject(s) for the 'power points' and strike lines that lead up to these points.

Assigning Depth of Field

2011-09-06T09:55:00.001-04:00

As the artist conceptualizes their work, they designate a specific subject or focus for that work. There is a particular message that they wish to convey with their subject and as a result, a given selection of details that must be emphasized in their work.

In a particular work, the artist will need to select the appropriate 'focus' for the piece. This focus will reveal a subject in greater detail while de-emphasizing the surrounding subjects to provide a greater contrast that allows the subject to stand out. This technique of emphasizing a particular subject with a selected focus is commonly described as a depth of field in photography and cinematography. In a visual sense it is the distance between the nearest and farthest objects in frame that appear 'acceptably sharp.'

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Much like the visual arts, it is just as necessary and integral to select the appropriate focal length, the depth of field for a piece. Three primary means of focusing on a subject across mediums include the deep focus, shallow focus and a selective focus.

A deep focus or large depth of field is common in cinematography and is also quite common in fantasy novels as well. In a deep focus shot the foreground, middle-ground and background are all in focus. This emphasizes moderate detail across all planes of the frame and in narrative terms this is revealed as detailed descriptions of the world, characters, atmosphere even political machinations. While there will be given subjects within the frame they will only exhibit an equal level of detail as that of the rest of the frame regardless of positional emphasis(if they're the main characters, subjects, etc.).

Ex: The rusted mechanical horse slowed its piston-timed pace until it brought the carriage to a stop before us. It was clear that the Algenie were being selective about transit updates in this section of the city. "Select your destination sir." The robotic voice echoed.

The counterpoint, a shallow focus or small depth of field is often more effective. In a shallow focus the subject is emphasized while de-emphasizing the foreground and background. This emphasizes great detail on a single plane and significantly less detail on surrounding subjects and in a narrative sense, is common in most contemporary novels. The subjects in frame will exhibit varying levels of detail depending on their positional emphasis.

Ex: The cab swerved across traffic in response to my hail drawing to a stop in front of us. I jumped in and tried not to recoil at the stench. The cabbie looked over his shoulder, "Where to boss?"

A balance between the shallow focus and deep focus is the selective focus, a large depth of field with selected emphasis. This focal method allows for a larger detailed frame than a shallow focus but also provides more detail than a deep focus on selected subjects in the frame. In a narrative sense this is more uncommon but also generates an air of inconsistency.

Ex: The battered yellow cab swerved around the sanitation truck as the workers hopped off. The car dodged a pristine Mercedes and slid to a stop in front of me almost taking my toes off the curb. I shook my head as horns sounded in the distance and I pulled the door handle. The scent of sweat and decay greeted me as I slid in on the cheap vinyl seat. "Where to boss?" The large cabbie asked with a thick Brooklyn accent.

Every creative piece has a selected depth of field, a focal length that establishes what in frame is emphasized and de-emphasized. Once a focal length is selected, it is abundantly apparent to the audience when that focal length changes. If there is a shift within the focus it often weakens the piece and often distinguishes a professional piece from the amateur. Do you know what focal length you're using?

Narrative Arcology

2011-08-30T11:30:00.000-04:00

Sustained, Structure, Sub-plots…

As a narrative is crafted its' creator strives to develop a self-contained world that feels believable and welcoming for an audience. Most often the piece is not a singular narrative but a comprehensive arrangement of narratives that are all self-contained yet influential and integral to forming the narrative.

Every narrative has a core element or theme that drives the story but each of these elements is also self-contained and complete. The primary components of this narrative arcology are the primary plot, each individual character's primary plot, the secondary sub-plots and the thematic components such as mystery, tension, anxiety and world building elements.

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Abstracting the perspective on a 'story' it is the point at which an audience begins viewing the lives of the individual characters. Something significant and contained has occurred in the lives of the characters that can be perceived as self-contained and complete story. It is this perspective that demonstrates one of the primary principals of the arcology concept, the self-contained and self-sustaining components to drive the primary element. As psychological profiling suggests, every individual experiences a form of narcissism that can be more dominant during early adulthood. This narcissism means that every individual believes that they are the star of their own story and in truth, they are. That means that every individual in a story is their own main character.

Many narratives address these separate sub-plots as a change in perspective to another character and ultimately reflect the complete impact of these self-contained narratives on the primary plot. Stories by Tolkien or Koontz demonstrate this separate but cohesive approach readily but the disadvantage of this approach is that often the reader can see the impact before it occurs.

A secondary approach is to examine the full narrative for all of the individuals in-depth separately. The individuals reflect the events of their own narratives as they 'come into frame' in the primary plot but remain self-contained while contributing to the narrative arcology. Stories by Kelly Armstrong demonstrate this method quite clearly. One character may be distracted by a fight with a sibling when the main character asks for help with their problem. The main character may experience the fallout from that narrative but the actual narrative will remain self-contained.

A narrative is a bracket, a frame that is placed over any number of lives at a given point of time that can culminate in a decisive journey to conclusion. Each is a path that leads in one direction but has multiple paths that cross it to extend or add dimension to each path. The individual lives involved are each their own self-contained and self-sustaining narratives, sub-plots. Each individual is a component to the larger structure that makes the structure whole, the narrative arcology.

Inexhaustible Aspirations

2011-08-23T09:02:00.000-04:00

Regardless of the medium, everyone has long-term aspirations, dreams that they either consciously or subconsciously desire to attain. Aspirations are as varied as the individuals that have them. An artist may dream of having their work in a gallery exhibit, a writer may dream of publication and certainly there are those who dream of a stable home or the 'Epic Love.'

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Every aspiration can be very telling about the individual but these are more than simple aspirations to individual, these demonstrate motivations. When an artist is asked why they want their own gallery exhibit they may recount that it is because it symbolizes that they've 'made it' or any number of superficial reasoning but it is very likely that the individual does not even recognize the subconscious motivations that are driving them towards the aspiration.

A writer may aspire for publication or even acclaim for their work ranging from community praise to the Pulitzer. However, like the artist there are subconscious motivations that are responsible for driving the individual towards these aspirations.

More emotional aspirations like a consistently stable home or finding 'Epic Love' not only are subject to the subconscious motivations to the emotional states associated with these aspirations. Individuals aspiring of a stable home may be under constant duress, anxiety because their current status is the opposite of their aspiration. The 'Epic Love' or fairytale romance is subject to emotional fluctuations raising to the highest elation and dropping to the darkest depressions. The severe anxiety and emotional turmoil make the Epic Love one of the most dangerous psychological traumas.

"Spanning Years, and contenents. Lives ruined and blood shed. Epic!…. No one writes songs about the ones that come easy." -Logan Echolls (Veronica Mars)

Every long-term aspiration has a psychological impact on the individual and their behavior. Subconscious motivations that alter their behavior and the extreme emotional affluences that can alter an individual's emotional state. The desire for a gallery exhibit may actually be a subconscious desire for affection. These hidden motivations can cause undue amounts of stress as the individual obtains their exhibit but the aspiration still remains unfulfilled. As an individual moves closer to their aspiration, the events and obstacles that prolong attaining that aspiration will have a significant psychological impact. Often these will result in larger emotional reactions than they would ordinarily receive. As an aspiration continues to be evasive, anxiety ultimately becomes a tension and leads to psychological and emotional exhaustion.

Life is filled with aspirations, dreams that drive individuals towards an uncertain goal. While the emotional turmoil of pursuing and ultimately attaining a dream may be an 'Epic' process the emotional and psychological turmoil does not end with attaining that dream. Fear of completing a dream is almost as daunting as trying to attain it. As many artists, writers and dreamers realize when they nearing their aspiration… What comes next?

"That's the fun part. You find a new dream."

Cliched Contrivances

2011-08-16T09:12:00.000-04:00

Gimmicks, Machinations, Contrivances...

While every narrative, every work requires a series of contrived events to propagate a story and develop the plot into a designated direction, there are certain contrivances that have not only fallen into cliche but can also serve to sever the connection between the audience and the work.

These contrivances are prominently a single element on which the entire subject of a piece can hinge. While these elements have been overused to the point of absurdity by popular media, they still find their way into narratives and while these elements can have their place in a piece their implementation is often the largest failing. This comes from a lack of research and more reliance on what has be exemplified by the media when using these elements.

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The most gimmicky of these elements are the almighty whatsit, the walking encyclopedia and the psychological excuse.

The Almighty Whatsit takes two forms; the first is the whatsit that causes the story, while the second form is the whatsit that resolves the story. In the first form this can be a device that could save, destroy or alter the world, a miracle cure or artifact of some form. In Urban Fantasy this is often the lynch-pin of the story, someone is in pursuit of a magical relic that can give them unbelievable power to do very bad things. The second form usually is added to resolve the story when things are at their bleakest for the characters. This form can be anything that the first form can be. In both instances the almighty whatsit is something wholly unique and world shattering, while at the same time it's the implementation of this that breaks the audience-work connection.

The Walking Encyclopedia is often the solution resource for the main characters. When they are striving to accomplish something and need knowledge that will ultimately lead to the resolution of the piece the characters happen across the Walking Encyclopedia. This element often comes as the explanation or info-dump piece of the plot. The Walking Encyclopedia knows exactly what to do and is ancillary to the main characters either uninterested in the outcome or is secretly supporting the antagonist. The implementation of the Walking Encyclopedia is usually the by-product of foreshortening a piece. This can easily be rectified into something believable by reducing the information provided by any one character.

The Psychological Excuse is one of the most overused elements in any medium. This can be utilized to explain the behavior of characters, the motivation for the antagonist and even the core element of a piece. This element is often a trauma of some form either physiological or psychological. Why does the antagonist hate the protagonist? They were abused as a child. The character needs to be captured to explore some exposition. The character is hit on the head and knocked-out, drugged or otherwise incapacitated. The character needs to explore their life, uncover a mystery etc. They have amnesia, multiple-personality disorder and so forth. The Psychological Excuse requires quite a bit more research than relying on traditional tropes. If someone is traumatized there are strong psychological and physiological effects that are often repressed or subconscious. If someone is knocked-out or drugged into incapacitation there are very dramatic side-effects ranging from brain lesions to sever vomiting and more.

Every Narrative relies on certain tropes to progress and develop the story but quite frequently these contrivances fall into cliched and gimmicky territory that breaks the spell for the audience. Popular media has explored these tropes extensively to the point of exhaustion. Sometimes it's best to recognize the cliche if only to avoid it.

Do you have any contrivances in your work? How do you avoid these cliches?

Abstracting Trauma

2011-08-08T09:22:00.000-04:00

Almost every narrative's central theme is overcoming a significant trauma that has led to significant adversity and hardship. In many instances this trauma is either the crux of the narrative or the creators' primary means of drawing emotion from their audience.

A traumatic event involves an experience or recurring experience that completely overwhelms an individual's ability to cope.

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Frequently the theme of overcoming the trauma and 'moving on' or confronting the repercussions of that trauma are the core foundation of any narrative piece due to the highly controversial and emotional nature of the trauma. When the success of a piece is dependent on drawing an emotional connection between the individuals in the piece and the audience, beginning with a trauma that stirs emotions in the audience is fundamental.

Due to the controversial and highly emotional nature of trauma, the selection of those traumas for the piece are delicately selected to either develop characters or the primary plot. The selection is often made because the creator wishes to explore the depths of a particular trauma. What are the prolonged effects of child abuse on the child? What reactions does someone have after years of verbal abuse? How does an individual perceive the world after the loss of a loved one? How does a rape victim cope? These particular traumas are extremely powerful but it is also important to note that these can have an adverse response from the audience. Not everyone will want to explore these 'dark' emotions.

Attempting to explore trauma is highly contingent on understanding the psychological effects of the trauma on an individual. Often after a traumatic experience a person may re-experience the trauma mentally and physically. They may turn to drugs or alcohol to escape as psychological triggers cause a re-experience of the event. The individual may suffer feelings of intense anger, resentment and guilt. Upsetting memories such as images, thoughts or flashbacks may haunt the person. Nightmares and insomnia may occur as their repressed fears keep the person on edge. As these stressors continue it can lead to emotional exhaustion and ultimately emotional detachment.

In a narrative piece that utilizes trauma as both backstory for individuals in the piece and as a core element of the primary plot, it is paramount to understand what that trauma actually does to the individuals that experience it. Just as imperative is understanding how an audience will perceive that trauma and if they are willing to confront those 'dark' emotions.

Saturated Settings

2011-08-02T09:45:00.000-04:00

In any piece, a setting can infuse a narrative with a distinct tone, a mood that flows throughout or even permits the characters to demonstrate traits that would otherwise remain hidden from the piece. Unfortunately many settings have been utilized to the point of exhaustion from decrepit abandoned buildings to the city coffee shop.

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Each distinct setting in a narrative can infuse a particular tone into the piece because of the preconceptions that every individual has regarding those settings. Most settings are not chosen based on the tone that they will set but because they will be relatable for the majority of the target audience but in choosing this route it creates and sustains the cliche settings.

Some of the most over saturated settings include; urban sprawl, office building, coffee shops, the sea-side town, the sewers, caves, hidden rural towns, decrepit abandoned buildings, schools, forests and swamps. Each of these settings carries a certain connotation and infuses a specific tone into the narrative.

In the Urban Sprawl setting(Cities or Suburbia) this is the most common setting for a narrative because the sheer number of audience members that live in a similar setting. The Urban Sprawl infuses believability and a tone of pressure, stress, to the piece. The coffee shop, the office building, the parking garage, the sewers and apartment/loft are frequently exploited in this setting. While there are a multitude of variants of these settings, the sense of normalcy that these settings evoke makes the narrative more believable but also less distinguishable from other works in a similar setting.

In the Rural setting, whether it's the hidden town on the sea or in the woods the setting adds a sense of peace and a tone of mystery. While there are fewer individuals of the audience that actually live in these settings the preconceptions created by these are far stronger. The audience will constantly be 'en garde' for the subtle hints of something else underneath the surface of the town.

The Hidden settings like swamps, forests, caves and abandoned buildings carry a tone of foreboding and sadness. Unfortunately these settings have been used by horror stories so frequently that the audience is just waiting for something to 'jump out' at them from the piece. Since far fewer individuals have actually experienced these settings, the layers of development and detail will be much greater to convey the same levels of tone that a familiar setting can do far quicker.

As a setting is utilized to build a relatable connection between the audience and the characters this also applies all of the knowledge and experiences that an individual has regarding a setting. When tapping into the viewer's knowledge it is important to note that not only will it be more readily believable but also that they may have more knowledge about the setting than the writer. It becomes a delicate balance of tone and believability. Drawing on popular settings can make a piece more believable but also less distinct.

What settings to you find that you draw upon the most and for what tone?

Scaling Syndication

2011-07-25T10:40:00.000-04:00

In every narrative work the suspense, tension and excitement work together to craft the perfect thriller, an amazing ride that keeps the audience entranced. Seldom does the creator view their work complete in one ride, almost every writer views the work as but a piece of a larger story.

While motivations for expanding a piece can range from the monetary to an intentional overarching theme or an overarching theme. There are also a multitude of ways to craft a series from the components of their first ride. Less common is developing additional stories based upon secondary characters from the first work and expanding into their own works. Another more frequent method of expanding the ride is to simply apply all of the original elements to another track. Taking the same characters and dropping them into another plot. These methods are quite prevalent in novellas, TV and even most sequels to the original piece. These are not, however, the true foundation for the Epic.

"The first chapter sells the book; the last chapter sells the next book." - Mickey Spillane

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There are a number of components that need to be kept in check when crafting a true series that can expand across multiple rides culminating in one grande experience. The Epic is not only a series but an artfully woven piece that allows each component to stand on it's own as well as hold it's place in the larger narrative. This is analogous to crafting one large ride with such detail that it would be impossible for the audience to find the seams between the pieces.

As every journey begins with a single step, the same is true of the foundation for the series. The first narrative introduces the characters, setting and a problem that can be solved within the confines of the first ride while hinting at a larger arc. This is the same as crafting a 'hook' in the first piece. It draws the audience and leaves them wondering what comes next. The largest issue in crafting this element is maintaining the cohesiveness of the solitary ride. If the first piece ends with a less than satisfying ending to tie-in the next ride it will greatly reduce the chances of having the audience continue on to that next ride. The balance of the Thriller elements needs to be complete.

The subsequent steps in the series behave as the consistent thrilling ride with multiple twists, turns, ups and downs. Each narrative in this greater piece can focus on a multitude of sub-events that help the audience explore the world and characters through various trials. These serve to develop characters and demonstrate their place in the world, each is a complete ride in-of-itself yet they hint at something larger.

The timeline of a series is very fluid and often has been subject to influence from publication. While a piece can be constructed in such a way as to move through periods of time out of internal chronological order the strongest come from a consistent sense of progress. Typically timelines for installments in a series have gaps between those installments varying from months to years. These gaps permit writers to 'refresh' characters and even add additional elements to each new installment. The failure of this pacing is the audience may forget the previous ride and the Epic will lose some of its impact. Some series actually carry the narrative from one to the next with no time in between installments.

An Epic is defined by the over arching plot or theme that the audience needs to experience on a small scale before they finally reach that conclusion at the end of the series. Because the satisfaction of the excitement must match the suspense and tension of the ride, many series focus on a grande-scale world changing event. Like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series, the characters start on a small-scale adventure and end by changing the world. A great many Urban Fantasy and Thrillers rely on these as the tropes to make an Epic series. Just as many also fail because they do target such world shifting problems that breaks the audience's connection with the ride. Believability falls to the wayside and there is no recovering. Not every Epic needs a world changing event, it can still be as small as changing the world of a single character. In the series Veronica Mars, the entirety of the first plot arc centered on finding the true killer of the main characters' best friend. The arc did not change the world but changed the world for the protagonist.

Crafting a perfect thrill ride that keeps the audience enraptured can be a challenge to keep that tension and excitement balance. The key to crafting the Epic is scaling. Every component is a cohesive thrill ride set at a given scale that alludes to something that drives the characters. Rapidly shifting scale from one installment to the next can break believability and sever the connection between audience and attraction.

Drawing the Thrills

2011-07-18T12:40:00.000-04:00

Fear, Thrills, Excitement…

As with any ride that is artfully crafted, participants are intrigued by the anxiety of not knowing what will happen next. The steady pressure of this anxiety, this fear creates a tension and through it a suspense that drives the narrative forward.

"Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." - Stephen King

The suspense may drive the piece forward but without a release the characters and audience will be too fatigued by the end of the piece to enjoy the ride. Many seek out thrills to experience that rush, the race of their heartbeat, the fear of the unknown and the feeling of relief that comes once they've overcome that obstacle. It is a psychological need to understand, a fascination with that which they can not comprehend because it is so different from our everyday lives. That fascination stems from a need to find out how much fear the individual can tolerate and ultimately the sense of satisfaction that comes from being able to endure that anxiety.

In a roller-coaster it is the anxiety of not knowing what comes next that makes the ride so appealing but it is the excitement that makes the ride satisfying. The longer the anxiety is permitted to build, the more tension the participants will feel and by extension the greater the satisfaction will be for the release of that tension.

While the tension of a ride may continue to build the conditional stress experienced is still subject to the individual's tolerances for prolonged anxiety. This means that while a ride may layer anxiety and tension to keep applying pressure the individual has physiological tolerances to that stressor. The individual can become exhausted and in terms of a narrative this means they will put the story down. Exciting moments are release points for the tension. If the excitement does not address the current anxiety or tension in any way then it will not serve as a release but another form of tension.

Thrilling moments are derived from an equal balance of anxiety and the satisfaction of that release. Like a roller-coaster, if the ride climbs to an epic height the drop, excitement, should be of equal height unless there is a need to keep partial stress. This can mean a greater satisfaction from the climax of the ride however, it also means greater chances of fatigue along the journey.

Thrills are created by provoking emotional anxiety both for the character and the reader through exploring that which they can not understand. What is it like to have someone close murdered? What is it like the have two people fall in love with the same person? What is it like to catch a criminal? Stop a supernatural horror? People look to experience a thrill, something that they do not experience on a routine basis. To deliver that thrill, it needs to come in equal parts of tension and excitement. If you reduce the tension, the excitement will not have the same impact. If you reduce the excitement, the satisfaction will fade with it. The perfect thrill is one that is built with suspense and has partial releases (pay-offs) until the close.

Romance example: Antoine has a crush on Jayne but she doesn't know he exists. Antoine set about trying to get her attention. (Tension) After a period he finds a means of talking with her. (Partial-Release) Jayne smiles at him passing in the hall. (Partial-Release) Mean Ex-BF threatens Antoine, they walk away together. (Tension) Antoine confronts EB. (Tension) Jayne admits she's in love with Antoine. (Release)

Supernatural Thriller example: Antoine discovers people are disappearing. Secretly has crush on Jayne. (Tension) Discusses with friends and friends confirm more disappearances. (Tension) Starts working with Jayne to find missing people. (Partial-Release) In-fighting about how to proceed as friends disappear. (Tension) Find clues about disappearances, in-fighting between them due to tension. (Partial-Release, relationship tension) Antoine admits crush to Jayne, interrupted before Jayne can react. (Tension) Antoine saves Jayne form supernatural threat. (Partial-Release- still relationship tension) Together they stop the threat and Jayne admits to being in love with Antoine. (Release)

Ultimately, if you build too much tension without at least a partial release it is akin to queuing in line for hours to get on a roller-coaster that goes down one dip and dumps you off at the gift shop.

Assigning Stressors

2011-07-11T22:23:00.001-04:00

As the narrative roller-coaster unfolds it is not simply the suspense and excitement that drives the piece forward but the tension, the taut emotions that consume both characters and audience

Every piece begins with anticipation, presumptions about events and serves to draw an emotional connection between the audience and the ride. It is that emotional connection that a creator can draw upon to influence perceptions and elevate their work beyond the initial hook.

An audience's connection begins with anticipation as the first conflict is assigned to the character. This is the prominent conflict that is designed to both introduce the audience to the characters and test the characters. Psychology describes this conflict as a stressor and the emotion associated with an unresolved stressor is the foundation of every narrative, Tension. Through the introduction of this unresolved stressor the narrative is compelled forward and providing the connection has been initially been established the audience will be driven to find a resolution for the stressor based upon the General Adaptation Syndrome model.

In the General Adaptation Syndrome model physiologists describe stress as taking place in the three phases of Alarm, Resistance and Exhaustion. In the alarm phase the body will react to initial stressor with adrenaline and commonly the 'fight or flight response.' The Resistance phase takes place under a sustained tension and represents how the individual will either cope or remove the stressor. As the final phase of the GAS model exhaustion takes hold on the subject and the body's systems are compromised. Abstracting this concept to the characters in a story, these stressors can not only develop new conflicts but also represent additional depth to the characters. As the tension continues to mount across time for the characters it can have a profound impact on their behavior.

A story is a taut ride, a thrilling roller-coaster that takes unexpected turns and drops to keep the audience enraptured. The suspense is born of anxiety, a tension that is drawn in such a manner as to keep both the characters and audience moving through the story. Applying different stressors can keep tension high, keep the audience engaged, but as with any stressor, if there is no relief exhaustion can set in and break the piece.

Drawing the Paranoia

2011-07-05T09:42:00.000-04:00

Suspense, anxiety, fear….

While every story is its' own thriller, a roller-coaster of suspense, tension and excitement it is the writers' ability to wield the elements to enhance the connection between the narrative and the audience that defines the nature of the piece. Through closer examination of these elements it is possible to not only further enhance a piece but also further define the audience of a piece.

"Being prepared for almost anything, he was not, by any means, prepared… for nothing" - Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol.

Suspense is an imperative to any piece, it defines the need for an audience to continue through a story. It embodies the questions that need answers. Will the character fall in love with the protagonist? Did they do the right thing by buying that house? Who committed the murder? Will they stop the antagonist? These are only a few of the many questions that are crafted for not only the audience but for the characters in a piece to answer. These are the driving force that keeps a piece moving forward but what is the defined use?

The element of suspense is a feeling of uncertainty and strong anxiety about the outcome(s) for certain actions. Most commonly it is utilized in the build-up right before a grand or dramatic moment to enhance the impact of that moment. In a romance it can mean the silence before the love interest responds to the almighty ILY from the protagonist. In a mystery it can be the interrogation of a suspect, while in a thriller it can be a race to stop something from happening. There is more than one way to utilize suspense in a narrative though.

One of the most powerful uses of suspense is not genre specific but it does require an artful use and a delicate balancing act. Suspense can be established and rather than releasing the tension through excitement, the excitement of the piece only serves to further enhance the suspense. In classic horror and thriller fashion it is known as "Nothing is Scarier." In short this trope means that as the suspense builds it is more powerful if the excitement or release moment comes without an actual release. This same device can be utilized in any genre, it is not horror or thriller specific but these are genres that use it openly. In a diametric example, Romance this could mean the protagonist admits the ILY to the interest but before the interest can respond something intervenes. The audience is left with that suspense while something adds an additional layer to the suspense.

There are roughly three variants of this device that are very common to horror and thrillers. These are the classic, full and has been variants. In the classic horror example suspense is built as the audience anticipates something to jump out from the dark and does. This is almost viewed as cliche now and it utilized in almost every horror and thriller. Abstracting this is simply suspense building up to a release point that is inevitable and often expected. The second full variant of this is often the most powerful of the three variants. The suspense is built as the audience anticipates something bad to happen, a monster to jump out of the dark but something intervenes to prevent release point. The audience still anticipates the attack, the monster but it doesn't come. Abstracting this variant we have suspense building to the point of release but the release point never comes. This is a very powerful element for most mystery, thriller and horror narratives. The final is the has been variant and is now quite common in horror stories. Often this is seen horror movies as a character expecting something in the darkness, another character distracts them and then the 'whatsit' attacks. Abstracting this variant suspense is built to the point of release but something intervenes to delay the release point.

Suspense is the key element in a taught story. It is the basis for many thrillers and horror stories but the elements are not exclusive to a single genre. As a writer draws the suspense of their piece it is possible to turn any story into a suspenseful page turner regardless of genre. What are the suspenseful elements of your piece?

Sustaining Believability

2011-06-28T09:20:00.000-04:00

"The characters have to be true to themselves. The events need to follow a logic that fits the story. A single flaw and the magic is gone. The story dies." ~ Sam Lake

When a writer crafts their work they know that the story will not stand on it's own. More often than not, their work will be a piece of a series. While each piece needs to be complete in-of-itself with the ability to stand on its own, it's little more than a chapter of the larger story. Just like the singular story, the series will be it's own ride with its' own pacing, its' own suspense, tension and excitement. Unfortunately the most difficult part of crafting a larger story from the pieces is sustaining the continuity, the connections, between the pieces.

As the individual piece is crafted the writer often focuses intently on creating a believable, cohesive story that is wound so tightly that the audience can not foresee the dips in the ride. On its' own, the piece is a solid ride but as the audience expects it to lead to the next they are often disappointed. The connections between the first in a series and the next are jarring transitions. Why?

In the past, when a writer published a series the time delay between one piece and the next could exceed a year or more. This delay meant that when the next piece was released all of the recurring elements including setting, characters, themes and such would need to be re-introduced to the same detail that they were in the first piece. In addition to re-introducing the elements from the first in the series, the changes and events of the previous story(s) must also be reflected. Now, the delay between pieces has been shortened sometimes down to a matter of months between each. This means fewer details are re-introduced and repeated. Yet, there are still jarring transitions between most pieces in a series.

The largest failing for most when crafting a series of works is maintaining the same elements that are observed in the introductory piece. The tone can shift from one work to the next or more jarringly, the characters shift dramatically. While they act within the framework of the current story and it helps propel the current story, they are completely different characters from one piece to the next. These elements shift so dramatically that they do not match the overall work.

While some works were never intended to be part of a larger story, most were devised as continuing 'adventures,' a means of taking the favored characters and carrying them on so that the audience has more time with them. The strongest series are treated the same as other artistic mediums. Diptychs, Triptychs and so forth. One piece feeds into the next and while they are strong alone, they are even stronger when viewed as part of that series.

Drawing the Transitions

2011-06-21T13:54:00.000-04:00

In any medium, be it a narrative, sculpture or movie, a story is being told. There is a 'narrative flow,' a pacing that establishes the tone and emotions. If that flow is broken, then so is the narrative. A single flaw and the magic is gone, the audience is lost and so is the piece.

If there is such a weight upon the flow of a piece then it is quite easy to see just how integral transitional elements are to the narrative. In film these elements are called transitions. These are a means of connecting one unrelated scene to another so that it appears to belong in the narrative and keeps the 'narrative flow' moving at the same steady pace. Transitions can be utilized in a number of manners in film, from the cross-disolve or cross-fade that blends the two scenes together to the Hard Cut that ends one scene sharply and launches the next or even the classic 'fade to black' transition. Each transition is selected to suit the two scenes and fit tightly within the determined narrative flow.

The same transitional elements that are used in film are often utilized in narratives as well. When the writer settles upon a genre, a tone and flow for their piece the transitions between the scenes are predetermined by these elements. Selecting the proper transition to match the elements often becomes the largest source of contention.

A Cross-Disolve or Cross-Fade in film is when the first scene slowly begins to fade out while the next scene begins to fade into focus. While there are many variants of this type of transition it is very common in any piece be it film, paint or print. In writing a cross-fade is when the writer begins closing a chapter by adding elements of what will happen in the next scene. Establish the characters involved, the setting and even the start of events that will unfold in the next. A concise example of this cross-fade is a transitory travel element. The characters are in a race to a location, at the end of the chapter the involved characters begin the journey and at the start of the next chapter they arrive at location. This transition should only be used to show that time has passed.

The Hard-Cut or Jump-Cut is far more common in films and narratives where pacing is absolutely paramount to the piece. The jump cut is what is called 'hard transition,' this means that it is the abrupt end of one scene and the beginning of the next. Most authors utilize this transition in their work because it is the easiest way to show end and beginning of scenes. This is common because this transition does not interfere with pacing and it permits the story to move location to location without wasting time in explanations. An example of this in writing would be when characters are informed of a situation at another location, the scene ends and the next scene begins at that location. Through the negative space between the scenes the audience can infer a transition without the need to slow and follow the explanation.

The 'Fade-to-Black' transition is far less common today than it was in years past. Although in film it is still found in many shows that have a dramatic moment right before a commercial. The fade is very successful for building suspense in both film and narrative. This transition is far more common in third-person narratives than others because of the 'head-hopping' that can occur. Much like shows, in writing the transition is applied to add suspense and then switch scenes. Authors commonly utilize these 'fade-cuts' with title cards. These usually end a scene with a dramatic moment for the character then start the next scene with a title card of sorts that tells location before diving into following a new character.

Transitions in a creative piece are integral to brining an audience under the creator's spell. In writing, it's not just about creating cliffhanger endings at the end of every chapter, it's about the integration between that cliffhanger and the start of the next scene. If you misuse a transition it won't only disrupt the narrative flow but also break the creator's spell. This can prevent a good story from becoming a great story. Transitional elements in any creative piece can actually elevate a piece beyond it's initial conception if they are well implemented. Just look at the transitions in the Brightfalls webisode series.

How well are your transitions integrated? Do you think of the transitions or just the flow?

Defining the Absence

2011-06-12T21:11:00.001-04:00

When any creative piece is crafted the artist must analyze and interpret a number of elements to bring their vision to life. Just as a painter or sculptor must consider the aspects that they must insert into their composition they must also consider how they will use what they will not include.

The Negative Space of a composition is just as integral to the piece as every brush stroke or chisel mark. The artist can use it to add depth to the composition, further define the structure of the piece and act as a transition between the elements.

As an artist sculpts their piece from the void they select the elements that will serve the piece best whether by insertion or omission. The negative space is not a simple void but strategically implemented space that can bring the composition to life. Sculptors often utilize the negative space of a piece to draw the shadows and light the piece with emotion much like a writer can wield implications through omitted events. That which is omitted can bring events, actions and even emotions for characters into sharper focus.

While the negative space defines the piece, the structure and shape of that space can be molded to guide the audience's perception. In the visual arts this can be done to define the focal point of the piece, while a literary perception on this can be called a theme. A specific attempt by the creator to shape a piece towards one singular point, one event, that the creator wishes to convey.

The most common use of negative space in any creative piece is it's use as a transitional element to prevent inconsistencies or detract from the piece. It is not only more powerful to bypass the 'mundane' parts to keep the piece cohesive but by leveraging that negative space a piece can enhance the emotional impact of what is crafted.

In writing, negative space is just as prevalent as in any other art. When characters are describing traveling to location and the next scene is the characters at that location the journey to that location is implied, it is negative space. When characters act according to their past history but do not explain it, it is implied even though it is omitted. These omissions in the writing are actually the negative space in the piece.

In any creative piece what is sculpted and what is omitted are equally important elements. While there is an extensive amount of attention that is given to what is crafted, it is imperative to understand that what is omitted is still integral to the structure of the piece and has its own impact.

How do you use the negative space? Do you arrange your piece with the impact of that space in mind?

Abstracting the Antithesis

2011-06-06T09:51:00.001-04:00

Antithesis, Synthesis, Logic...

In a narrative the writer will often go to extensive lengths to explore and understand the logic of characters. Information may be derived from previous events, details and psychological conditioning of characters but it is often a question of where does the author stop displaying the information openly?

While a writer can be absolutely transparent with their main character's motivations it is ultimately necessary for them to keep information from their audience to construct a sense of emotion. Whether it is love, happiness or even fear, the only means of preventing a narrative from reaching an early conclusion is to withhold information from the main character and the audience.

As a story unfolds, the writer may have all of the motivations penned but to keep the level of tension high they do not reveal these to their audience. When the main character and audience are left with the question of 'Why?' it should not be answered right away and in-truth, in a horror or suspense it probably should not be answered at all.

Stephen King once wrote that nightmares exist outside of logic and there’s little fun to be had in explanations; they’re antithetical to the poetry of fear.

Questions are the driving force in a story. The narrative thrives on the antithesis of knowledge that the primary characters hold regarding the primary question. The characters journey to answer the defining question is the heart of any piece. Every step that the characters take will yield its own questions but the singular driving question should never find its' answer until the story draws to a close.

The driving logic behind characters' actions and their motivations can assist the audience in connecting with the piece but it is the absence of that knowledge, that logic, that can make an emotion resonate through a story. In the end the audience will demand an answer and to a degree it must be given but there is more power to be found in withholding the entirety of that logic. A narrative is not about the logic, the explanations, it is a story about the quest for those explanations.

How much information do you give your characters? Your audience?

Diagnosing Realism

2011-05-31T09:51:00.000-04:00

Every story is created in a manner that the author is comfortable with presenting to their audience. It is wholly their creation and their perspective on a world of their own devising.

Their own creations may represent their unique perspective but every narrative that has ever been presented to the world has been subject to both editors and publishing guidelines. A filter is applied to their work so that it can be presented to their audience.

One short-hand method for authors to add tone or apply a 'gritty-realism' to their work is to utilize elements of everyday life from gut-wrenching violence to sex scenes so detailed an artist could count the freckles to extensive use swearing that could put a sailor to shame. These elements bring the audience into a 'real world' and pull them in with their spell.

Or do they?

In many instances authors may use these elements as a means to apply realism to the world but are they really necessary? The power of writing is that it lets the audience take control with their imagination. The audience is what truly brings the piece to life. If too many of these elements are laced within the narrative what does it accomplish? Interestingly enough, not what one would think.

As these elements of 'gritty realism' are laced throughout the piece it may assist in world building but as the levels of these elements increase the author is actually decreasing their potential audience. In most instances of 'harsh language' it is actually superfluous. Much like adding extensive dialect to a piece, adding language is the same as repeating a detail. Not only can the audience already understand the details they may actually grow tired of it. This is why editors and publishers may filter these elements. They want a piece to reach as wide an audience as possible.

Adding 'gritty realism' to a piece can work really well but the levels of these elements will actually dictate the potential audience. Is it really wise to keep reducing the size of that audience?

The Objective Struggle

2011-05-24T10:46:00.000-04:00

Endeavor, Strive, Struggle....

As a writer crafts their story from the void of blank pages they maintain narrative cohesion through the basic elements. They keep the piece focused, driven with deep motivations for each of the characters. They gradually escalate the pace to keep the story moving forward. The subplots are interwoven with the story in such a precise manner that the main plot would fold without them. The reader can not resist, they are pulled into the narrative and swept away by its spell. They hurry to the completion of the story but begin to wonder. The spell draws to a close and the audience is released but they soon forget about it.

What happened?

Far too often a writer will forget one of the most important elements in a story. A point. An objective.

As the creator perfects their premise they need to have an objective in mind for the premise. The point of a narrative is not only to capture their audience with an elaborate and entrancing spell but to alter the characters within the piece. Every step along the journey, every character caught up in the primary premise and even the premise itself should have an objective.

In the narrative the journey is broken into scenes and chapters, stages along the way that push the characters towards completion. It is here that many will often falter. There are scenes that must be enacted to progress the overall premise but they should each have their own objective. This is also where objectives can become confusing. Introducing a new character or exploring the recently introduced characters can be a piece of this objective but not the entire objective. These stages of the journey can envisioned as primary objectives and sub-objectives. In a mystery this would be a pivotal clue that is discovered while a couple of secondary characters that are pivotal later are introduced would be a sub-objective of a chapter.

Just as every stage of a story is assigned an objective, every character that is introduced must also serve a purpose. Sure there are characters that can be introduced whose objective may seem missing to the audience but if they have a solid objective, then it will be apparent later. Nothing can be more jarring for the audience than being introduced to a character that does not serve a purpose. Now whether these characters support the main characters or have their own agenda is irrelevant. They must have their own objective in the story. An objective can be as simple as adding background details in a piece or as complex as expanding on the details of the primary premise.

The largest error for most writers, most spell-crafters, is failing to address an objective for the primary premise. The creator was a genius spell-crafter capturing the attention of their audience and keeping their attention but when they reach the end of their piece the audience should not be left wondering what was the point of the story. There are many different objectives that can be assigned to a premise but the end result of a narrative is that the character that the audience followed is no longer the same as they were in the beginning of the piece.

As a story is crafted it is necessary for the writer to not only establish the world, characters and premise but to establish the objectives for every element of the piece.

What are your objectives for your characters? Chapters? What about your plot?

Orchestrating the Thriller

2011-05-16T00:46:00.000-04:00

Regardless of the chosen direction for a narrative, all works at their core are an amusement ride. An attraction that an audience wants to experience. A thrill.

Every piece contains three primary elements to compose the ride; suspense, tension and excitement. Infusing the elements into the piece in varying amounts can dictate the ultimate direction for the narrative and define its very genre.

A narrative begins with a solitary question. A singular hook that draws the audience in and drives the individuals in the piece forward. In a mystery it is often a crime scene and the question is 'why?' In a thriller it is often the same question, the same 'why?' However, it is also often accompanied by a consistent threat. A 'who's next?' that the audience continually asks. While for a romance or drama it is 'will I find love?' or 'will I ever break from this routine?' This question is imperative, it's the start of the ride.

Once the audience is on the ride it becomes a matter of alternating elements to maintain their interest. Like a roller coaster ride, the more unpredictable the journey the more the audience will be captivated.

In a thriller, the audience is given an event that captures their interest, an event that serves as a form of excitement. These events come in the form of close calls, near-death experiences and quite often fight or chase sequences. The excitement of these events is used sparingly like dramatic drops on a roller-coaster track.

All of the radical drops in a coaster would not matter were it not for the tension that comes from the rise to the top of each or the suspense of not knowing when the drop will occur. In a narrative, the characters are led from one event to the next under intense pressure. Whether it's an investigation or characters clamoring for survival, the pressure keeps the story moving.

While there are only certain elements that can be used to perpetuate the story, there are a multitude of ways that they can be implemented. The intervals between the elements can leave room for unpredictably or a rapid pace that leaves the audience breathless. The elements can even be hidden, revealed only at the last possible second to enhance their impact.

All narratives are inherently thrillers to a degree, the audience is driven forward by the events, the climbs and the drops of the ride. How do you keep the thrills coming?

Diagnosing Dialect

2011-05-10T10:16:00.000-04:00

In crafting a narrative it is imperative to draw the audience into a world that is both believable and relatable for those observing the narrative unfold.

The primary means of creating believable worlds are the details that are infused into the world. Details that range from the style of vehicles to the very culture that the protagonist experiences. Every detail has it's place in creating the world. The more details that are explored the more believable the world becomes while setting the tone of the piece.

An often used technique to infuse detail is to add dialect into both dialog and perception of the individuals in the narrative.

The use of regional specific phrases or words in a narrative can add a sense of realism to characters. It can add depth and even set the tone. Used properly, it is an ideal means to reiterate the setting without actually stating the details time and again. Adding an Irish accent, British slang or even a southern drawl can add that touch more to the world. No longer are characters disconnected, one piece of dialog can evoke a sense of culture and a place within that world.

That is, if the dialect is applied to the narrative properly.

More often than not, the use of dialect in both dialog and perceptions is misused. Dialect becomes both a distraction and detracts from the narrative, jolting the audience free of the creator's spell.

Once the culture and setting have been established it is desirable to sweep the audience away into a wave of ever increasing developments. Adding dialect to every other line or even in some instances, to every line of dialog is no different than infusing every line with repeated setting or cultural details.

Reliance on the use of a dialect for perception and dialog usually results in poor character development. Interjecting a thick accent of an over sampled region or culture often conveys 'stereotype' to the audience. As that interpretation is absorbed by the audience it becomes drastically difficult to convey any further character development for that character.

A common practice for adding dialect is to add improper grammar and misspelled words to emphasize a dialect. This creates a secondary problem. Not only does your audience rapidly grow tired of reading this approach but most will outright reject reading this style.

"...There's ain't nuthin I's can do 'bout that, she's busted mistah" The grungy mechanic smiled at me through his crooked yellow teeth.
"Ser I dun think ya understan meh, I's needs to get ta the mill, liken ta hors ago..."

In this style it doesn't seem too bad but when you read page after page of this, an audience is more than likely to drop the narrative and find something more enveloping. Not only will this likely melt your processor and make finding real spelling errors neigh impossible but it's not very engrossing because the audience needs to constantly assess what they are viewing and translate it into what they understand.

"...There ain't nothing I can do about that, she's busted mister." The grungy mechanic smiled at me through his crooked yellow teeth. His accent was so thick it took me a moment to understand.
"Sir, I don't think you understand me. I need to get to the mill like two hours ago." I pleaded.

In this variation the dialect is clear but also audience friendly. If the setting and dialect is established early in the piece then there is no need to reiterate the dialect except in the more 'drawn' situations.

Whether it's a regional piece using accents or even a historical period piece so long as the dialect is established with the world early in the piece there is no cause to constantly re-state the detail.

Do you use dialect in your piece? How do you implement it?

Abstracting the Threads

2011-05-02T22:38:00.000-04:00

Paths, lines, strands, threads....

In every narrative there is a primary premise that the creator wishes to convey but a narrative is not confined to the limits of its creator. A narrative is a web of lives, individuals with their own motives, aspirations and obligations.

As a writer begins to define their piece, they reveal the individuals that are involved in the primary premise. The main individual who the audience will follow is brought forward and the writer gradually exposes the intricacies of the individual's life. Their job, aspirations, personality, psychology even their pets are introduced to give the audience a clear portrait of them.

Revealing the individual's portrait in such detail assists the audience to sympathize and ultimately identify with the individual. This may be a conscious effort on the part of the creator however, this portrait is needs to be created with such detail because it will be the foundation of the primary premise. This one individual's life is the core on which the story rests. While the primary premise will eventually consume their life it is important to note that their life is it's own unique thread.

Every individual is their own unique thread, their own life, and as each is introduced to their place in relation to the main individual their thread is woven into the whole. As the individuals are introduced and new dynamics explored, new aspects of the primary individual are revealed to paint a truer portrait. Each strand, each life that is revealed is woven together with the primary thread to strengthen the whole.

While many writers distinguish plots and sub-plots that are woven into a story it is imperative to identify that every individual, every life has it's own plot, thread, and a fate. It is the act of twining the threads of fate that drives a story forward.

In crafting a story are you 'adding sub-plots' or are you twining the fates?

Delving in Details

2011-04-26T09:13:00.000-04:00

In crafting a narrative extensive emphasis can be placed on sculpting believable worlds from the nothingness of a blank page. A single flaw and the magic is gone, the story fades, dies.

Often a writer will build their world upon the structure of our own. An decisive and easy way to draw in an audience is to give them something that is familiar. A great many writers use this tactic so they can draw on what they know and give their audience something to relate to immediately. Through this method, a writer can focus their attention on building the story without much care to where it takes place in the world.

The reliance on letting the audience infer the believability of the world becomes a linchpin for the story. Even if the writer is crating a world from scratch their reliance on 'reality' and the knowledge of the world determines the audience's immersion within their world.

"...the devil is in the details..."

In a narrative it is neigh-impossible to create a truly alien or unique world because writers utilize their knowledge of our world as a foundation for that world. This is where flaws can break a story, kill the narrative. Whether by choice or sub-conscious the details of a work are echoes of a writer's knowledge. While this may not be wholly visible to the writer these details are virtually transparent to the audience.

In a crime fiction an author should know that firearms are never called 'guns' but weapons, they should know the weight, the action, procedures. In a colonial romance it should be known that all houses had low ceilings, people ate with knives instead of forks, etc. In a horror, the motive should make sense for the antagonist even if it is never revealed to the audience. The writer should understand the psychology of their characters, they should be true to themselves. A writer must understand that their audience may know more about their world than the writer. Even the slightest details can break the immersion.

The only way for a writer to overcome these obstacles is through research. Understand the world before they try to extrapolate.

How do you overcome the details?

Abstraction of Interactions

2011-04-19T00:16:00.002-04:00

Interactions, acting, relationships...

As a writer crafts their piece from consciousness, the narrative only comes to life once the characters have been properly sculpted. Each character is etched with the finest detail, complex psychology and a believable persona. The work begins to come to life but detailed behavior alone cannot carry a narrative without character dynamics.

Every individual has their own persona, their own psychology, that drives them and their actions. While it is possible for a single character to carry an entire narrative, it is their actions and interactions with elements within the piece ultimately reveal how believable a character is. Whether internalizing against external forces or even internal conflict, it is the ability of the individual to react to a stimulus that allows an audience to perceive a character.

Utilizing external stimulus such as conflicts, events, weather, even other characters as a catalyst is a premiere means of exploring an individual's psychology.

Characters are the actors of a narrative, the living creations that a writer takes a possessive responsibility for in the piece. The quality of the acting is determined by the psychology of the actors. Are their motivations believable? Do they react to situations in manner? Are the convincing? Do they have a strong stage presence? As any director, a writer can know exactly who their stars will be for a piece and if their chosen talent doesn't match the vision that they had then the piece will never have the satisfaction or completion. It is that desire for the perfect vision that a writer's actors have to essentially live up to for the piece.

No amount of perfect premise or precision acting can save a piece from a director that demands their character act out of character. As in many instances a director will have a character develop a relationship, a love interest, for the sake of piece regardless whether it fits the piece or not. In many recent pieces, a strong character will develop a relationship with a an 'anti-character' (a character that is the complete opposite of the main character but not an antagonist) for no other purpose than to add a romance element to the piece. Even worse, some directors devalue their characters entirely by using casual sexual encounters to fill the 'romance' quota for their piece. While relationships can take many forms and all can help develop a piece, the director needs to take special care that they are building and not exploiting characters.

When a character has been well sculpted, detailed, and has been defined through their relationships with other characters, they become individuals. Individuals you can feel for, relate to and understand. Far too often writers craft strong characters, some even believable but the greats introduce us to individuals. Through those individuals it is no longer a story, it becomes a rolling journal. Individuals make it possible for an audience to fall for them, support them and when their relationships fail they feel their own hearts broken.

Are you creating characters? Or are you introducing us to new individuals?

Palpable Pressure

2011-04-10T21:18:00.003-04:00

As a narrative begins to unfold the writer's choices of motivations and settings will ultimately dictate the atmosphere of the piece.

There are a multitude of avenues for an author to indirectly reflect the atmosphere within a piece whether it is the mental state of the characters, the state of an environment or just a consistent pressure on the characters through events. The atmosphere of a narrative can determine whether the narrative is a page-turner or a casual read.

The mental state of a narrative's characters can be instrumental in establishing the atmosphere in a story. Viewing the world through the eyes a character with a bleak outlook will inherently bring an oppressive and dark atmosphere to the narrative. Just as well, a character that is unstable can add a sense of instability and uncertainty to the piece.

The choice of settings and the general state of those environments can serve to engross the audience with an almost palpable atmosphere. Are the characters interacting at a casual coffee shop that easily vanishes into the background? Visiting the standard fare of iconic landmarks? Settings that only serve as a stage for the scenes and easily vanish into the background. Or are your characters in a weathered old boathouse? A secluded small town locked away in the wilderness? Environmental settings that add to the overall tone.

Events within a narrative follow a steady rising flow like a wave that will eventually come to crashing end with the audience. It's the intervals of those events that can determine the pressure on the characters. A lengthy space between events can create a strong tension while short spaces and rapid pacing can establish a sense of urgency.

The strongest examples of indirectly building atmosphere include Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, Stephen King's The Shining, Dean Koontz's Phantoms and even TV shows like the X-Files or Twin Peaks. Each of these excelled not only because of design but the subtle and indirect approach to building atmosphere.

Establishing an atmosphere directly can be extremely difficult based upon the chosen genre. In many Urban Fantasy pieces the author will choose dark settings and lace the story with numerous deaths but the atmosphere seldom rises to consume the piece and envelop the audience. In most instances it is a failure for the events to have a sense of weight. In many instances of directly establishing atmosphere it almost always depends on the overt setting.

The atmosphere of a narrative should be almost palpable. It should consume the audience to the point that they feel they are living in that world.

Sculpting Character

2011-04-05T09:06:00.000-04:00

Instruments, tools, devices...

When a writer crafts their work they often regard characters as instruments in piece. A vessel for the audience to watch the narrative unfold. The creator will sculpt characters based on the demands placed upon them by the narrative.

As the writer begins sculpting they will define each character they will examine the influence of each character like a conductor chooses the best instrument for the piece. The characters begin as a list of roles, features and finally their influence. Are they a protagonist? Antagonist? The wise old man that will gift the protagonist with knowledge? Each character will have their roles defined and emphasized to blend smoothly within the piece.

Much as a conductor knows what instruments are available for a piece and how they will blend into the score a writer will often choose from the Jungian Archetypes. The psychologist Carl Jung defined the 5 potential archetypes as the psychological framework for universal prototype ideas. Every person, every character contains these psychological elements but the degree to which each archetype is emphasized will determine the reactions and ultimately the presented personality. These archetypes are described as the self, the shadow, anima, animus and persona.

The self is the filter, the means of controlling the psyche and facilitating individuation. While the shadow is the reverse of the Ego and the Anima/Animus are the male/female images within the psyche. Finally is the Persona, the outward appearance of the individual psyche to the world. In regards to characters, these archetypes can be visualized as the Child, the Hero, the Wise Old Man/Sage, Trickster and so forth.

While the characters are sculpted and chosen for the piece as a shopping list of qualities most creators will refrain from diving into the psychology of the characters. They begin with their archetypical roles and proceed to flesh out the characters through physical descriptions, selected commentary and influence. Instead of bringing the characters to life they are animated and it becomes reflected in the audience's reaction. Characters will struggle and bend to comply with the narrative at the behest of the writer. This is where characters will twist and perform actions that will assist the story but will not match their personas.

A number of creators will often sample personas that they experience in life and use them within the piece. Often these are the strongest characters. Sampling from the natural world, characters inherently have their own developed psychology and will ultimately feel more at home in a piece than the artificial characters sculpted from lists.

When a writer sculpts their characters for the piece they must make allowances for the personas, the psychology of the people in their narrative. When a character takes an action outside of their psychology it is akin to a sour note played from the orchestra. It will immediately jar the audience free of piece.

The Obstinate Author

2011-03-29T20:49:00.001-04:00

In writing just as in any other professional field there is a sense of business etiquette.

While the digital revolution has made it easier for authors to find their work in publication I can't help but wonder if that long battle to publication is what instills a sense of writing maturity. Is it the mountains of rejection letters? The months of revisions? The cold editors that shred your work? Or is it the critique partners that help you understand you're not perfect and help you move forward?

In the drive for publication writers fight a constant uphill battle to see their work in print and ultimately fight for it to succeed. If a writer is ever to succeed they need to have a dogged determination and obstinate nature. When the world is raining down problems and roadblocks at every turn, it's that nature that allows them to persevere. Unfortunately, that determination may also compromise their ability for their works to succeed if they do not know how to separate their nature from their work.

What has spurred this deviation from the writing analysis was actually a post I discovered from Smart Bitches. An author that used smashwords to reach publication did not find a kind review from BigAl's Books and Pals. While many authors hope for the best when placing the work before a reviewer every writer knows there will be praise and there will be pain. There's no getting around it. Not everyone in the universe has the same taste. The best a writer can hope for is that the praise outweighs the bad reviews. Unfortunately this author could not separate herself from the review. This is an excerpt from her comment on the review:

The book is out there doing well without your comments. My first book is great! and I intend to promote now without your ball. Face it AL, you did a booboo, and you can't correct it!

I know its you AL talking, stop hiding and stand up and be a man!

I want this review removed or its just considered abuse.

Hmm never did get involved in your forum for reasons, now I know why.

Writers are invested in their all of their creations. After spending countless hours translating thoughts into words, virtually living in the world of their dreams it can be jarring to have others criticize that world. If you've had a long battle then you've already experienced the criticisms. Essentially you've hardened yourself against such things.

Once a writer has assumed their platform they have to accept that all of their actions will be visible to both the publishing community and to their readers. A few callous words can easily render a hard-built platform to rubble.

The digital revolution may be re-shaping the publishing world but it is also letting the world make the decisions about the quality of both of writing and of authors.

Sustaining Curiosity

2011-03-21T22:27:00.000-04:00

First words, sentences and chapters.

In crafting a narrative there is an extensive amount of emphasis that is placed on the opening of the piece. Perfecting the hook of a narrative is one of the most important components of a piece but when the hook is set what comes next?

Whether it's the theme, conflict or the gestalt of the piece that piques the interest of an audience the piece doesn't end after the hook. The creator must continue to evolve their piece but also match the design of the hook. In many instances a vast amount of effort will go into refining the first chapter or hook so that an audience will be engrossed. Unfortunately the same effort is neglected for the proceeding chapters.

To sustain the curiosity of the audience it is necessary to orchestrate the premise in such a way as to nudge the reader to follow a character through a series of events. This is no different than taking the first hook and replicating it across pages where every page leads to the next.

The standard methods of creating narrative flow ensure cohesion between components however, the most notable methods to maintain interest in the piece is to never duplicate a situation or event. Every chapter should open with a new situation and not re-visit the events that brought the character to that point.

A supporting method to continue the cohesive flow of the narrative is to end each chapter with the hook, a 'cliffhanger.' If an audience is continually asking 'what is next' then it is possible to sustain their curiosity.

Every narrative is it's own mystery carefully crafted to sustain the curiosity of the reader. Like a guide casting breadcrumbs to lead their party to an unknown destination, the creator keeps the plot hidden to give them a chance to speculate. When the final pinnacle is reached it will ever the more breath-taking.

Drawing the Spectacle

2011-03-13T15:45:00.000-04:00

Conflict, carnivals, spectacles...

At the core of any narrative is the conflict whether that is conflict between characters, external factors or even within a solitary character. The conflicts are the attractions for an audience, they're the rides that either draw or turn away participants.

Like a carnival, the core attractions will have a cohesive tone to attract the primary audience and convince them to participate. The core attraction in the narrative is often one of primary narrative themes; good versus evil, man versus nature etc. The premise conflict is the primary spectacle to draw the attention of an audience.

The creator of the work is no different than the ring master or the carnival manager. Every attraction has it's purpose, if it under-performs than it shall be cut. To the writer these are the revisions.

Once the audience can identify the major attractions they begin to explore the carnival. Not every attraction will suit every participant but every attraction should be able to obtain its' own crowd. These smaller attractions are designed to hold the attention of attendees until the they can experience the major spectacles. These attractions are often conceptualized character conflicts that examine both external and internal contention. Relationships, feuding friends moral dilemmas all orchestrated to maintain the attention of the masses.

As the attractions are selected and assembled the arrangement becomes key. If there are too many attractions the participants will grow tired before experiencing the full extent of the project. If there are too few attractions they will lose interest quickly. Spacing the attractions out at regular intervals will keep the interest of participants and maintain the tone.

When the architect begins crafting their piece, they must ask is this a sufficient spectacle to draw the crowd? Are the attractions enough to entertain? Is the main attraction a ride that others want to take?

Defining the Scope

2011-03-07T07:42:00.000-05:00

Much like a painter who uses both broad and elegant brush-strokes to draft their work, a writer chooses subtle and overt elements to craft their narrative. As the narrative is created often the author can unintentionally define the scope of their work.

Through overt references, a writer produces long, broad brush-strokes to give frame to the entire piece. Elements such as genre and even antagonists can define the scope of a narrative. The broad brush-strokes can determine the appeal of piece for an audience. Is it the right tone? Genre? Any number of larger strokes can be used to draw in an audience or turn one away but the details can ultimately determine the success of the narrative.

After the large sweeping brush-strokes frame the piece the finer work comes into focus. The first detail that comes into focus is the main character. Their gender, attitude and especially their voice can determine the gestalt. Are they male or Female? Are they a hard-boiled detective or a devoted wife? The minute strokes used in detailing a character will ultimately determine the relatability of the audience to the piece.

While the audience inspects the piece they begin to identify the details surrounding the subject. The very backdrop,setting, will assist the audience in seeing the subject in greater detail. Is it a rural landscape or a city?

To bring out contrast in the work complimentary colors are chosen to support and define details. In a narrative the colors of the piece are tone and conflict. Respectively as the colors are selected and added to the piece, the piece brings out appeal and contrast. While tone must remain intact for piece, conflict can be spread throughout to add points of interest and keep the attention of the audience. Misuse of color can result in the failure of a piece, the narrowing of scope either subtly or drastically. Is the antagonist aiming for global destruction or Hell bent on destroying the lives of a few? Are the conflicts well constructed so that they are part of the piece or almost random?

As the audience takes a step back to observe the piece as a whole, they look at it with their own perspective to bring their own interpretation of the work. When perspective is applied, the piece either comes to life as the creator intended or fails due to the inconsistencies in the gestalt.

Through broad strokes to frame the piece and details to define the subject of the piece a narrative's reach is determined. Its breadth and scope both for the narrative itself and for the potential audience.

Crafting in Dreams

2011-02-28T07:31:00.000-05:00

In crafting a narrative dreams can be elemental for the author, the characters and even the premise of the tale.

In countless instances authors have cited dreams as the instrumental step in crafting their best work. The author assembles a narrative from the various scenes that have come to them while sleeping. The dreams come together as a road map with each of the scenes as pit-stops along the journey. An entire outline for a narrative born from nothing more than dreams.

Often when an author hits writer's block they turn to dreams as a method to combat their blockage. Every dream affording the writer a new component to a story. How many narratives are born of the restless imaginations of sleeping authors?

Dreams are not limited to the inspiration of writers to crafting narratives but dreams can also provide insight and even motivation for characters within the narrative. Dreams allow characters to embrace different aspects of their personalities that they many not show otherwise. Just as well characters can find motivation within their dreams. Characters can reason out elements to the narrative or even have an epiphany regarding the events so far.

Dreams can be utilized to develop characters and explore motivations or even desires however, the ability to influence plot remains one of the greatest uses of dreams in narrative. Characters can become delusional with waking dreams. Entire segments of the plot can be erased as nothing but dreams. Using dreams as a core element in a narrative can allow dramatic and unexpected changes within the tale. Much as Lewis Carrol explored the depths of philosophy through a dramatic and symbolic world a writer can twist the very world to suit the narrative.

Through dreams authors can free their imaginations from everyday conventions and craft wholly unique narratives. Whether its the sculpt of the plot or the manipulation of characters and worlds to convey the narrative, dreams will always remain the most powerful device in a writer's kit.

Attaining Direction

2011-02-24T07:50:00.000-05:00

A narrative is an assemblage of concepts that the creator wishes to convey within the confines of a world.

Development of the primary concept begins with establishing the supporting elements of both characters and conflict. These elements become extensions of the original idea that permit the author to explore different aspects that would not have been possible otherwise.

Through characters the author can explore the emotions and thoughts that surround a founding idea. In every action, thought and emotion the characters can reveal a different perspective. Characters are principles and perspectives through which the author can explore. A nyctophobic character that fights through the darkness to save another can emphasize the primary concept that a person can do anything to save another more than attempting to describe the concept.

Just as characters can emphasize the emotions around a singular premise, the conflict that drives these characters can identify aspects of the idea. Through conflicts the characters can be tested and emotions elevated to identify the concept behind each character.

Every narrative is born of a founding idea that the author wishes to approach and it is every subsequent element that they explore that allows them to develop the primary concept.

Setting in Tone

2011-02-21T07:37:00.000-05:00

Style, Tone, Distinction...

As with any project, the ability to find distinction for a narrative lies in the assemblage of elements and how they are woven together. Where a rising wave of events can sweep up the reader and the style of the story can enhance the characters to provide distinction, the tone of a narrative can determine if that first chapter is finished.

The tone of a narrative is at its very essence the attitude of the project. An attitude that is reflected in prose, setting and even the thoughts of characters.

Prose is set in such a manner to reflect near perfect grammar and eloquent phrasing that can easily be consumed by an audience. Often overlooked is the attitude with which the prose is crafted. The words may be right, the grammar perfect but how is the message said? Is there a cynical undertone to the prose? A tired exposition? The tone of a narrative not only reflects the story but the creator's attitude towards the project.

Narrative tone can also be reflected in the thoughts of the characters. It becomes more than crucial to understand the psychology of the characters within the narrative. How a character views their world can set the entire tone for a scene or narrative. The attitudes of characters reflect the premise and their situation. When a characters' attitude is derived from the the creators concept and not the psychology it detracts for the audience.

While the attitude of author and character needs to reflect the premise of the narrative, the actual settings within the narrative can further the tone. Whether a constant rain or thunderstorm each can be symbolic of a dark tumultuous premise. Abandoned buildings can reflect sadness, isolation and stress. Every setting within the narrative reflects the tone as a psychological element.

Every narrative is reflected in the creators' tone, their attitude. It is within that tone an audience can decide to keep reading or drop the story.

Crafting the Style

2011-02-17T08:12:00.000-05:00

As a project comes to life out of the emptiness of a blank page the creator is challenged to produce a work that will resonate within the psyche of readers and define itself as a unique perspective.

Out of the mountains of narratives that are produced, every reader has a desire to discover something that stands out.

While there are many elements a writer can choose to emphasize to impose distinction on their creation, among character, premise and emotion the strongest can be the simplest. Style.

When looking at the most distinctive stories the first thing that strikes the reader is the style of the narrative. Is the main character a trench-coat wearing detective? Are they a sharp dressed executive? A goth girl & sassy witch? Do they ride the bus or drive a Porsche? Do they live in an apartment or a motel?

Every element that the writer expands upon further distinguishes the world and characters. The objects and settings around the characters become extensions of the characters. If a character needs to be revealed as resourceful and a bit 'rough around the edges' then it can be described through segments throughout the narrative or it can be explained in a battered pick-up truck that they drive.

Genres are born of distinction, unique styles that a number of writers manage to perfect. Once the genre is created it becomes subject to saturation and what was once distinct becomes the standard cliché. Rather than rising to distinction the narratives fall to the wayside adding to the mountains of projects.

While every narrative has the ability to rise from the mountains of material, it is style that can elevate a project and engross a reader.

Writing the Tide

2011-02-13T18:48:00.000-05:00

As every tide has an ebb and flow so does the narrative. It is upon the writer to establish a strong tide that the reader can ride to it's inevitable resolution.

Narrative pacing is no different than waves in the ocean, each consists of a multitude of variables that determine the shape, size and power of that wave. A simple change in one variable and the wave is broken, the narrative falls.

At the core a wave has two primary components; the crest and the trough. In narrative guise these are the conflict and the resolution. The power of these elements is what will establish the narrative to the reader, drive them to pick up the book or pass it by in the store.

Diving deeper we find that both the crest and the trough have multiple sub-elements that create the illusion of two solid elements.

While the crest is the core conflict, it is also born of three driving forces; the strength of force, the distance crossed (the Fetch) and the duration.

Establishing the strength of force, the motive, for a character establishes how grand the wave will rise to for the conflict. Was a loved one murdered? Did a husband cheat? This component will establish just how strong the conflict will resound through the narrative.

The Fetch or distance crossed will echo the events that the character endures to reach the conflict. As the events unfold there is a steady climb towards the conflict with each piece playing an integral role in the escalation.

As the motive establishes the conflict and the Fetch unfolds the events that build the conflict, the duration of the events can often cause a mis-step. Too few events and the motive loses impact, too many and the conflict will be weakened, hidden among the events of the Fetch.

When the elements merge together the rise to the inevitable crest, a powerful and poignant moment that establishes the strength of the narrative. As the the narrative reaches its crest it begins it's descent into the ultimate resolution or trough.

As in any resolution there is the descent from the crest and the impact. The descent creates the shape of the resolution. It blends together the events that led to the conflict and prepares the reader for the impact. Providing that the components shaped a strong wave, the impact will leave the reader with a satisfying conclusion as the wave breaks upon the shore. Just as readily the reader will anticipate the next wave as the wave withdraws in preparation for the next.

A strong narrative tide has the ability to carry your reader through or leave them adrift.

Crafting the Abstraction

2011-02-08T07:38:00.000-05:00

There are no shortage of ideas for stories nor limitations on possibilities for how a writer can craft one.

Every story begins with the premise, the concept that the writer wishes to convey. The process of exploring that concept is an abstraction on the part of the writer. It is taking that premise and deriving the base traits. At the core, a premise is a character, their motivation, the emotion and the steps taken for that character to evolve.

The plot is sculpted with care to gradually reveal the premise to the audience however, sculpting the plot of a project can be one of the most deceiving tasks in all of writing. While some writers have the ability to apply their stream of consciousness to keyboard and attain a desired result, for the remaining 99% of writers it means your third grade teacher was right. Create an Outline.

Creating a plot is no different than a sculptor taking chisel to stone. The idea is in place and it is now just a question of what steps are needed to make it tangible?

After establishing the motivation for your characters it becomes a matter of deciding what conflicting emotions will represent that character best within the premise of the project and narrative structure. It is finding the one emotion and countering it with the opposite in rising measure through the plot.

Narrative structure can be divided into five acts that are integral to establishing drama. These include the Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action and finally the resolution.

Each act can be defined by a series of moments that influence the base emotions. Establishing how the base emotions evolve and integrate with each subsequent act further strengthens the overall premise.

Writers are sculptors who use words to craft a world from the void of a blank page.~

Writing the Instigation

2011-02-03T07:52:00.000-05:00

Instigation, inception, opening, the beginning.

The beginning of any project is also the crux of the project. The first words, first sentence, paragraph, even chapter become the measure by which a project is evaluated. While it is important to consider the inception of a story from the carefully chosen words used to open it, it is even more important to consider it from the internal perspective.

When a story opens it is with characters and most importantly a singular moment that is responsible for instigating the story. Concepts may breathe life into a story, give it a theme and purpose but when examining the story from within it is important to identify the true instigation for the story.

The characters in a story have lives that begin at birth and end with their deaths. It is the writer's decision to choose the moment a that is the opening of a story. Where does an ordinary character's life diverge to the point where their life merits a story? Is it important to show how normal their life is through fifty or sixty pages of normalcy before the event? Or is it more important to start with the moment that instigates the story and move forward?

First words are chosen and continuously refined but what about the moment? What about the instigation of the story? The moment can be defined as the 'hook' for your audience but what makes it worthy of note in your character's lives?

Opening with your main character in the middle of a crime scene is more poignant than having them in a diner drinking coffee.

When you present a story it's no different than placing your character on a precipice. Your audience will want to know where they go from there and then ask how they got up there in the first place.

Writing the Motivation

2011-01-30T19:18:00.000-05:00

In writing, establishing motivation can often be quite difficult both for a writing project and for characters in a story. Quite often a great idea and good story can fall victim to poor motivation.

A strong motivation comes from the most basic of questions; Why? Why should you write the story? Why is this story unique? Why is the main character on their quest? Just Why?

Personal motivation for creating and crafting a story can come from a variety of sources but understanding what is driving you to write can be far more powerful than simply acknowledging you want to write the next great American novel.

Examining your motivation from a psychological stand point can be quite difficult but drilling down to the core reason can also be empowering. Knowing that you're writing the story because it's an emotional outlet or because you want to know how the lives of the characters will turn out can be the determining factor when a project seems far too daunting.

Just as well is establishing motivation for a character in your story. Far too often a great story can fail because a character's motive is not fully realized. When someone asks why is a character trying to kill another the answer should never be as simple as 'because they don't like them.' Simple motives equate to simple stories and while a simple story can be very successful, no reader likes to get into a plot and receive a childish 'well because...' as an answer.

Finding the core motivation can mean the difference between success and a forgotten venture. Even a brief dive into the psychology of a character or situation can be more beneficial than accepting simple motivations. Dig, dive and understand.