tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post3384955584392040640..comments2024-03-05T11:26:21.204-06:00Comments on All the World's Our Page: Boxing-In Your MuseUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-52612381233873824062011-03-20T01:08:55.607-05:002011-03-20T01:08:55.607-05:00@ Susan - absolutely. Only when we know "the ...@ Susan - absolutely. Only when we know "the rules" inside out and back to front, and the reasons why they exist in the first place, can we proceed to crash on through them. Elegantly, of course. :-)Rachel Walshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15406943046329566026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-13829043191951530602011-03-20T01:06:59.060-05:002011-03-20T01:06:59.060-05:00@ Zan Marie - oh yes, when I first opened up STORY...@ Zan Marie - oh yes, when I first opened up STORY I found it quite impenetrable. Now, I'm getting a lot from it. I think the difference is time, and the fact I'm in a different head space now than I was then - deconstructing and revising, as opposed to blissfully creating. Hope to get back to the latter state very soon, though!Rachel Walshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15406943046329566026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-91150143001476133432011-03-20T01:03:05.907-05:002011-03-20T01:03:05.907-05:00@ Deniz and @ Adina - what I am writing is definit...@ Deniz and @ Adina - what I am writing is definitely suspense. My story fits many of the parameters of a typical serial killer story, including the involvement of the police, but with enough differences and twists and variations that what I've come up with something is a sufficiently fresh take on the convention. Or so I hope! :-)<br /><br />@ Adina - oh, thanks for the reminder about The Surgeon of Crowthorne! Excellent book, that. I will have to dig out my copy and refresh my memory.Rachel Walshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15406943046329566026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-29864424533433688702011-03-20T00:28:23.774-05:002011-03-20T00:28:23.774-05:00Sounds like what you really want is something whic...Sounds like what you really want is something which ISN'T police procedural at all, but more suspense. If you just follow the basic rules for suspense writing (which allow a great deal of freedom in how and when they're applied) you will be free to tell your story however you want, with as many twists as take your fancy.<br /><br />Reading a book like the Surgeon of Crowthorne by Simon Winchester (if you haven't come across it yet) shows the breadth of ways in which this sort of subject matter (ie the story of a serial killer) can be dealt with.Adina Westhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08860528131098237473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-34606046568405596352011-03-17T16:26:36.855-05:002011-03-17T16:26:36.855-05:00Rachel,
Good stuff to consider! I think we SHOUL...Rachel, <br /><br />Good stuff to consider! I think we SHOULD work within the bounds of our genre and know what the limits of our craft are. It's good discipline, it's good craft, and it gives one great freedom to bound around within the walls. But it takes some study and a lot of reading (in your genre especially) to really understand the conventions. <br /><br />And of course, once you know the rules and you're comfortable with them, you can bend them, maybe even break them. <br /><br />SusanSusan Montgomeryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03194055286314636481noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-9968730541143121802011-03-17T08:31:49.886-05:002011-03-17T08:31:49.886-05:00Rachel,
You're making me reconsider buying STO...Rachel,<br />You're making me reconsider buying STORY. I looked at it a few years ago and put it back on the bookstore shelf. Maybe I wasn't ready for it. ; )Zan Mariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00166450116524323462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-73621842735340244512011-03-17T06:45:47.717-05:002011-03-17T06:45:47.717-05:00Hey Rach, I'm just impressed that you can put ...Hey Rach, I'm just impressed that you can put your story into a nutshell!! You're already halfway there [g]<br />I'm not sure how much help I can be at this stage. I *think* my MG (Austin's story) met most of the of the requirements for a story for that age group, but of course, the genre for that is rather fluid.<br />I'm still not sure if Rosa's story properly follows the arc of a historical romance. I think I'm holding off deciding until it's edited to the point where I can offer it to betas. And, er, let them tell me if I've utterly failed.<br />If your story flows for you, does it really need to follow the exact same pattern as other serial killer stories? Since, if it doesn't, you could just call it suspense, maybe?Deniz Bevanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17134553551048836979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-76722674502886188952011-03-17T03:39:40.319-05:002011-03-17T03:39:40.319-05:00@ Rogue Mutt - well, alls I can say is each to his...@ Rogue Mutt - well, alls I can say is each to his or her own. Live and let live, you know? And if what you're doing is working for you, well, more power to you.Rachel Walshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15406943046329566026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-20508179712594806512011-03-17T03:33:00.265-05:002011-03-17T03:33:00.265-05:00@ Claire - Absolutely! And I do like me some somer...@ Claire - Absolutely! And I do like me some somersaults. :-PRachel Walshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15406943046329566026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-68213942134023885472011-03-17T03:31:33.846-05:002011-03-17T03:31:33.846-05:00@ Christine - great post of yours there. And I agr...@ Christine - great post of yours there. And I agree with all the points you make. Seems like I'm preaching to the converted! :-)Rachel Walshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15406943046329566026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-13274396761657425982011-03-17T03:29:59.492-05:002011-03-17T03:29:59.492-05:00@ Kristen - ah, yes, I'd never thought of that...@ Kristen - ah, yes, I'd never thought of that as an example, but you're so right.Rachel Walshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15406943046329566026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-55836823354852704142011-03-16T21:42:59.356-05:002011-03-16T21:42:59.356-05:00Why don't people just write what they want any...Why don't people just write what they want anymore? Yeesh, all these self-help books and conferences and yadda, yadda, yadda. Makes me sad people can't just take off and training wheels and write on their own.PT Dillowayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09394481476862013009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-90044443912083369062011-03-16T21:05:23.581-05:002011-03-16T21:05:23.581-05:00Great post, Rach, and great point too, Kristen. I ...Great post, Rach, and great point too, Kristen. I think the challenge of producing something unique while recognising that what works is often tried and true in structure is exciting. In many ways, it's good to have the stabilisation of those underlying genre requirements- it gives you a solid base to bounce off, and then you can turn as many somersaults as you like :)Claire Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15286952159573145712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-53891241702994132232011-03-16T21:01:18.219-05:002011-03-16T21:01:18.219-05:00I talk about this in an earlier blog of mine:
http...I talk about this in an earlier blog of mine:<br />http://writercoaster.blogspot.com/2010/12/heros-journey.html<br />I love love love writing with a structure in mind. Structure doesn't write a story for you, so the risk of it taking away creativity is pretty nill. On the contrary, I find it extremely useful while looking for weak points in my arch. It also helps me understand what scenes are going to be significant and need more attention. For me, structure is an absolute inspiration--not to mention most people are writing an archetype and they don't even know it. Writing an archetype without being aware of its laws and form, is a lot like speaking English without ever studying it. You're doing it, sure, but not as well as you could be if it were *intentional.*Christine Tylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08711726941768571495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-79165770273678424442011-03-16T17:57:17.461-05:002011-03-16T17:57:17.461-05:00What is interesting to me about this is thinking o...What is interesting to me about this is thinking on film censorship during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Writers were pinned down by stringent censorship rules so they had to be creative. The result being wonderfully witty and subtly sexy dialogue. So yes, limitations can absolutely force the writer to new creative heights. :)Kristen Callihanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01448274676402616525noreply@blogger.com