It's been an absolute pleasure going to the Moto meetings once a month. Our discussions span a variety of topics in the art and culture of writing, including formulating good storylines, character development, dedication to drafts, copyright, etc.
This past Wednesday, as we were discussing someone's piece, it became apparent that we were divided in how we think an author should visualize their story. One half of us contended that in order to write a terrific story, even if it ends abruptly, the author needs to have the whole story clearly laid out in their mind. The other half of us contended that the author doesn't necessarily have to have the whole story mapped out, since they may want to involve the readers' perspective in shaping the "rest" of the story.
So what is this bigger picture in the mind of an author: Is it the entire story, including words not included on the page? Or is it many different stories, some finished, some unfinished?
Perhaps this has to do with how we treat/understand time. If time and the events that happen in it are predictable, then we can see the bigger story. If time and events in it are unpredictable, then the bigger story is difficult to see in one go; it unfolds more and more as each event transpires.
I found this discussion very relevant to The Global Eye series. I did not initiate that story with the whole story in mind. Rather, I wanted to see what kind of spin others could put on it. And the more we wrote for it, the more I began to see the story unfold. Strangely however, since I have been developing the entire story in mind, I cannot seem to write another short episode... trying to though.
This past Wednesday, as we were discussing someone's piece, it became apparent that we were divided in how we think an author should visualize their story. One half of us contended that in order to write a terrific story, even if it ends abruptly, the author needs to have the whole story clearly laid out in their mind. The other half of us contended that the author doesn't necessarily have to have the whole story mapped out, since they may want to involve the readers' perspective in shaping the "rest" of the story.
So what is this bigger picture in the mind of an author: Is it the entire story, including words not included on the page? Or is it many different stories, some finished, some unfinished?
Perhaps this has to do with how we treat/understand time. If time and the events that happen in it are predictable, then we can see the bigger story. If time and events in it are unpredictable, then the bigger story is difficult to see in one go; it unfolds more and more as each event transpires.
I found this discussion very relevant to The Global Eye series. I did not initiate that story with the whole story in mind. Rather, I wanted to see what kind of spin others could put on it. And the more we wrote for it, the more I began to see the story unfold. Strangely however, since I have been developing the entire story in mind, I cannot seem to write another short episode... trying to though.
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