July 2013
Small, in a Big Way
07/29/13 08:34 PM
My mother made dolls and my father built dollhouses and together they created some amazing miniatures, but as elaborate as their designs were, they never came close to this.
Feel the Sensation
07/22/13 08:33 PM
I saw this video on haptic technology on Slashdot this morning. Disney has created a device that allows you to feel air movement when using motion control gadgets.
It’s not pretty - but that’s right now. How long can it possibly take for this to show up on store shelves for consumers’ personal use.
Thrillerfest 2013
07/14/13 08:32 PM
Alexandra Sokoloff
I just got back from Thrillerfest 2013, held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan, where I picked up a lot of great information. It was my 7th Thrillerfest and I always learn something new.
One session, given by thriller writer Alexandra Sokoloff, discussed how novelists can adapt a formula used for TV and film scripts to their books - to keep readers hooked. She was a great instructor, and I’d like to share the highlights of her lecture.
Most films and TV shows follow the same type of plot point outline that divides a story into eight sequences. Each block should end with a mini climax - it could be a bold statement made by a character, or something as simple as asking an unanswered question; having a phone ring; or a knock on the door (on TV, is usually comes right before a commercial break). The key is to keep the audience/reader wondering what happens next. This works for a half hour sit-com, a 1-hour drama, or a 2-hour film. For a 400 page book, a sequence would cover about 50 pages.
ACT 1
Sequence 1
Call to adventure
Seq. 1 mini-climax @15 minutes
ACT 1
Sequence 2
The status quo has changed
Seq. 2 mini-climax @30 minutes
ACT 2:a
Sequence 3
The hero devises a plan
“hero is winning”
Seq. 3 mini-climax @45 minutes
ACT 2:a
Sequence 4
Something goes horribly wrong
“game changer”
Seq. 4 mini-climax @ 60 minutes
ACT2:b
Sequence 5
The hero is tired and depressed and losing hope
Seq. 5 mini-climax @75 minutes
ACT 2:b
Sequence 6
All is bleak
“worst moment”
Seq. 6 mini-climax @90 minutes
ACT 3
Sequence 7
The hero takes a stand…
“Storm the castle”
Seq. 7 mini-climax @105 minutes
ACT 3
Sequence 8
Hero faces greatest nightmare
“new way of life”
Sequence 8 Climax @120 minutes
Is this formula written in stone? Probably not for established writers who know when and why to break the rules; but if you’re just starting out, you may want to stick with it. Just tweak the times of the mini-climaxes to coincide with the length of your book.
Same old, same old...
07/02/13 08:31 PM
I saw this quote online and it made me feel guilty. I’ve been going through my manuscripts trying to route out weak verbs, but I doubt I’ll ever be perfect. I know that because I used one of the following offenders in my first sentence.
“Most people use twenty verbs to describe everything from a run in their stocking to the explosion of an atomic bomb. You know the ones: Was, did, had, made, went, looked… One-size-fits-all looks like crap on anyone. Sew yourself a custom made suit. Pick a better verb. Challenge all those verbs to really lift some weight for you.” — Janet Fitch