tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37083420.post1632555890786386065..comments2024-01-27T16:10:28.502-08:00Comments on Tara Maya's Tales: Scene HelperTara Mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09095632631554776002noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37083420.post-80153071042243888462012-06-13T22:47:37.042-07:002012-06-13T22:47:37.042-07:00Sounds like you've got a good system going to...Sounds like you've got a good system going to make progress.<br /><br />I remember that scene by Scott. It did work well :)<br /><br />......dholedolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37083420.post-25034657636137935892012-06-13T14:26:18.424-07:002012-06-13T14:26:18.424-07:00I like your advice about having the Plot Puppets d...I like your advice about having the Plot Puppets dislike the protagonist. I've too often seen the reverse, to the detriment of the story. There's a character who exists only to be a loyal confidante, or worse yet, a yes-man who mouths praises about the protagonist, when it's Author's cheap way of trying to convince the Reader to believe this about the protag. IT's a way of Telling Rather than Showing (yes, that; sorry) but somehow because it comes from a third party, we're to believe it. "Oh, he's so handsome," "Oh, he's so kind." How much better to have a jealous husband sniff disdainfully, "He's got less hair than I do. And I bet he rented that car." <br /><br />Sometimes liking the protag can cause conflict too, however. For instance, the main rival of the hero in my story is quite attracted to the heroine. Jealousy never gets old. And since my characters are often literally trying to kill each other, if they like each other this can create more conflict than if they hate each other, as they "should." <br /><br />Sometimes, alas, my side characters are off doing their own thing, not directly interacting with the heroine or hero or anybody. Then I still have to think what to do with them....Tara Mayahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09095632631554776002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37083420.post-49585188651648738872012-06-13T11:36:04.183-07:002012-06-13T11:36:04.183-07:00I like the Scene Helper(tm). I'm pretty anal a...I like the Scene Helper(tm). I'm pretty anal about having to have an outline and knowing the ending of the book before I write much at all, but I've never had a good or thorough method for revisions. I've certainly never had a checklist for scenes.<br /><br />(I miss the Lit Lab, too! Thanks for calling that excerpt "delightful!")<br /><br />The thing I do with side characters (especially Plot Puppet characters) is <i>always</i> have them dislike the protagonist, at least a little bit. They serve the dual purposes of advancing the plot and adding friction to the narrative. Sometimes they dislike the protagonist's good characteristics, sometimes they dislike the protagonist's bad characteristics. Whatever you want to highlight at the moment. But any character who doesn't emotionally interact with the protagonist is just a prop, and those are Not Allowed!scott g.f.baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05726743149139510832noreply@blogger.com