I thought each of the exercises were interesting, but here's the one's I found to be the most helpful:
"Gifts to Yourself"
The description alone stood out for me - especially the part about "deleting superfluous details". Through outlining a lot of the important details, it better helped me interpret and analyze elements of the story - something I was unable to do by simply reading through it. There's a number of issues with my story in which more detail should be at one point, and less at another. By reading through it, I would analyze it as a whole, and not the individual elements and important details. It got me thinking about adding new scenes here, or emphasizing/downplaying certain details in my story. A number of the ideas generated from this exercise is making its way into my final draft.
"Magnifying Conflict"
This was another big one. I realized that my story is lacking an emphasized conflict, that being of my main character with himself and his morals. My story up to now has been a simple chronology outlining actions and events, like retelling a story to a family member, or sharing an event with a friend. To me, conflict is an important essential to fiction because it makes it more meaningful, and more involving the reader. So through this exercise, I got a clear understanding of what's basically essential - stressing a high level of tension, adding the idea that the characters need to make choices by presenting the issues arising with each, etc.
"Writing Outside the Story"
This was an exercise I did to help better gain the feel of my main character. I really felt like I was writing in his own words and not my own because I feel I've established the fact that he's a news reporter who is having trouble dealing with his own morals as he goes about his daily work that is sometimes not a very pretty sight. So I've definitely strengthened that element to a point where the characterization I feel is a little more believable.
"Ways to begin a story" I thought was a good resource if you're stuck on how to start your story, but I am currently satisfied with my own as I am sure others in the class are of theirs.
That's all, I'll probably be uploading my paper late tonight, and by late tonight I mean early Sunday morning as I take my time working out the kinks. It's been a good semester!
-Kevin
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Week 4 - Dialogue scene
"REVIEWING THE HEIST"
Richard Marcheza strolled through the meeting room, late. He had a lot on his mind. In the room were ten sets of glaring eyes, upset over his tardiness and anxious to hear of the plans. They were going to steal a brand new prototype weapon developed by an independent company wishing to bank big on it.
Richard began his briefing of the heavily guarded warehouse the weapon was being stowed at. "If they're going to hesitate to sell it, we sure as hell won't hesitate to steal it." This statement made Richard proud having recited it to his fellow criminals, but the others weren't so obliged by it. They wanted facts of the heist itself - especially one guy by the name of Tommy.
"Get to the point, Marcheza, enough with the smalltalk! We're still very skeptical about how this heist is going to be a successful one that involves preferably no casualties on our part!"
"Relax, Tommy. The plan is foolproof. I have anticipated every potential happening and mishappening. There will be no failure as long as you all succeed in your duties." Tommy rose from his seat.
"Which are WHAT Marcheza, you keep talking and talking in circles, and we've been sitting here waiting for an hour anxiously awaiting to hear what it is we're supposed to do!"
"I'll get to that, if you take a seat!" Richard Marcheza was in the process of booting up a laptop computer and setting up a nearby projector as he was being shouted at. All the while, he was thinking of his innocent family and unfortunate choice of career path. Oh well, he thought. Once you're involved in this line of business, there's no getting out.
"Here."
Richard presented the plan for his heist the way every criminal does nowadays - through a PowerPoint presentation and verbal summary. He detailed specific duties for each mobster present. The getaway driver, who's breaking in, who's on watch duty, who's overseeing that their radio equipment and transmission stays encrypted, and the inside man's duties. A cellphone went off. It was one of the mobsters.
"What is this world coming to," sighed Tommy.
Richard also joined in. "You best put that away, and if I hear that ring once more---". Another cellphone went off. This time, it was Richard's. The room erupted into frenzy, all the while Tommy wondered to himself what happened to the old days of crime.
Richard Marcheza strolled through the meeting room, late. He had a lot on his mind. In the room were ten sets of glaring eyes, upset over his tardiness and anxious to hear of the plans. They were going to steal a brand new prototype weapon developed by an independent company wishing to bank big on it.
Richard began his briefing of the heavily guarded warehouse the weapon was being stowed at. "If they're going to hesitate to sell it, we sure as hell won't hesitate to steal it." This statement made Richard proud having recited it to his fellow criminals, but the others weren't so obliged by it. They wanted facts of the heist itself - especially one guy by the name of Tommy.
"Get to the point, Marcheza, enough with the smalltalk! We're still very skeptical about how this heist is going to be a successful one that involves preferably no casualties on our part!"
"Relax, Tommy. The plan is foolproof. I have anticipated every potential happening and mishappening. There will be no failure as long as you all succeed in your duties." Tommy rose from his seat.
"Which are WHAT Marcheza, you keep talking and talking in circles, and we've been sitting here waiting for an hour anxiously awaiting to hear what it is we're supposed to do!"
"I'll get to that, if you take a seat!" Richard Marcheza was in the process of booting up a laptop computer and setting up a nearby projector as he was being shouted at. All the while, he was thinking of his innocent family and unfortunate choice of career path. Oh well, he thought. Once you're involved in this line of business, there's no getting out.
"Here."
Richard presented the plan for his heist the way every criminal does nowadays - through a PowerPoint presentation and verbal summary. He detailed specific duties for each mobster present. The getaway driver, who's breaking in, who's on watch duty, who's overseeing that their radio equipment and transmission stays encrypted, and the inside man's duties. A cellphone went off. It was one of the mobsters.
"What is this world coming to," sighed Tommy.
Richard also joined in. "You best put that away, and if I hear that ring once more---". Another cellphone went off. This time, it was Richard's. The room erupted into frenzy, all the while Tommy wondered to himself what happened to the old days of crime.
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