Plot? What Plot?

Posted by danleone on April 21st, 2007 filed in writing

I am having a major writer’s block crisis and I am reaching out to both of my readers (BoMR) for their infinite wisdom and guidance.

Approximately two years ago I began writing words with the intent of making those words coherent enough to amass them into a book. I was cruising right along (write along?) and I even had some reasonably interesting characters and about 100 pages of stuff. I almost called myself a writer. I mean, hell, I would even call anyone a writer that can fill up 100 pages of “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Insert hard stop here! Because this is where I stopped writing about 6 months ago.

I have spent the last 6 months thinking about writing. I have spent the last 6 months looking for software to help me organize my writing. I have spent the last 6 months reading about writing. I have spent the last 6 months with my laptop in my lap and “The Son of His Father” opened in Word. You are getting the message here, right? I spent the last 6 months NOT writing.

There are at least two reasons why this is happening. The first no one can help me with. I am mortally afraid of writing. I believe that writing is somewhat equivalent to running up and down the street naked (without the accompanying screams of children and cars careening off the road as they shield their eyes). Each word is like an item of clothes which is why I have managed to put on 150,000 pairs of pants….just in case.

The other reason is the reason I am reaching out to BoMR. I have no written anything in 6 months because I realize that I have abso-freakin’-lutely have no idea where this story is supposed to go. I do not know what happens next. I am sure you are saying “Hey, Dan, you are writing a book that you created and you have no idea what is supposed to happen? Didn’t you have this stuff worked out in advance?” Nope…I am plotless.

Allow me an opportunity to explain a little what my story is about. I grew up in a section of Newton Massachusetts called The Lake. The Lake was very different the other sections. It was populated mostly by blue collar Italians whereas Newton was very affluent and populated with Not Italians.

My story takes place there. It is not an autobiography, but my memories form the point of reference for this story. it is about a man named Dino but he goes by the slightly more anglicized Dean, who is working in some big city as some nondescript middle manager. He is a tad self-centered as he muddles through his less than fulfilling existence. One day, he gets a call that his father has died back home in The Lake (by the way, there is no Lake in The Lake. Weird). Dean has spent a lot of his time running away from his Italian-ness. He was always embarrassed by his heritage and he was the only member of his family to leave The Lake. Of course, he returns for the first time in a few years to attend his father’s funeral. Once there, he realizes that not much has changed. It feels like he has stepped back in time. With that is a lot of mixed emotions. He feels both resentment for the barrage of stereotypes and a small part of him actually misses this life. He doesn’t fully realize this yet, but it is bubbling up inside him. He attends the funeral and the post-funeral feast…..screeching halt.

What now? At this point in the book, absolutely anything can happen. Dino can go to Italy to visit his father’s birth house. He meets a woman in The Lake that teaches him that he is not the center of the universe. His father could have a secret that gets slowly uncovered drawing Dino back to The Lake or the Russians can drop a bomb on the town. I have no effing idea.

Right now, this story is not much more than a hyper-sentimental journey and eventual transformation of a self-centered man.

OK, here we are. Dino has just buried his father and risen from the table after the feast. I am now reaching out to BoMR: WHAT THE HELL DO I WRITE NOW?!

Thanks for listening to me.

Ciao for now.

  • Share/Bookmark


8 Responses to “Plot? What Plot?”

  1. Stephanie Says:
    April 21st, 2007 at 10:03 am

    Okay, he carries his plate into the kitchen. He is walking toward the hall closet to retrieve his coat, when the doorbell rings. He approaches the front door and can see through the glass that it is “the girl”. The one that got away, the first to break his heart, whatever. She had heard about his father and wanted to pay her respects. Its unfathomable to him, but she looks exactly the same. His heart leaps into his throat and he wants to turn tail and run… Just a thought.

    Also, Dan, I highly recommend Stephen King’s book, “On Writing”. He talks about writer’s block, and just about writing in general in a very relatable way.

    You’re going to feel inspired again. It just may happen when you least expect it.

    Steph

  2. danleone Says:
    April 21st, 2007 at 3:32 pm

    Thanks for the comment Stephanie. In fact, that is one of the scenes I started writing except that he sees this woman in a cafe. He is on the phone with his boss who expects him back to work the next day and essentially Dino is telling him to take this job and shove it when “she walks in.” He ends his call with an “eff you too” and hangs up. This woman shared the same heritage as Dino but instead of running away from it, she has embraced it…and becomes a successful professor of astronomy or some other esoterica. They eventually go to Italy together and then the Russians drop a bomb on the village. LOL.

    Thanks for your words of encouragement. In fact, I do own Steven King’s On Writing on audiotape and just listening to him read from his own book is very inspiring.

    Just Me

  3. Stephanie Says:
    April 22nd, 2007 at 3:41 pm

    Wow, fancy new diggs! I like ‘em!

  4. jodi Says:
    April 23rd, 2007 at 4:15 am

    Being a “writer”, I understand this dilemma. Too much so. About 5 years ago, I put in serious effort in screenwriting…world wind writing. Which graduated into completing rewrites for resubmissions for other screenwriters, who have moved on and up in that genre.
    Me? I have 12, yes, twelve of my own little scripts sitting, glaring at me. One I had submitted, the reader had asked and pointed out changes, so I dubiously sat down and began to rewrite.
    THat was two years ago.
    I know what needs to be done, and it makes sense in my head, until I go and actually open up the script. Ugh…My goal is to finish it this summer and continue on with my other 5gazillion writing projects. :D
    My suggestion? Let the characters speak for you…Dont write yet, do not force “them” to produce. Play it in your head, move through the motions and be each character.
    See where it flushes out.

    Peace and it will come, it will,
    Jodi

  5. danleone Says:
    April 23rd, 2007 at 8:22 am

    Hello Jodi and thanks for your comment.

    It is good to know that I have someone that understands the issue I am having. I am only jealous that you have “5 gazillion writing projects” whereas I have 1 self-imposed project!

    Thanks for your insight. I have sat in the exact cafe that my main character would be sitting in and ordered the same drink he would drink and even got on the phone as he would be doing according to my plot so far. It actually helped. Now, I just need to translate the thoughts in my head into words on paper!

    Thanks again, “Jode-eye”

  6. Jodi Says:
    April 23rd, 2007 at 11:55 am

    What about ‘other’ characters what about their motives, and such…
    I have a script very similar to this plot line. Yet, my protagonist is female and there is a murder involved.

    Hmmm…Do you think that maybe, jus maybe, this pause in “his life” (your story) is where he would be in the story? Where am I going, what will I do now, I am and want to be there and here…
    Unfinished business? Old friends? Loves? Hates?
    “of course, he returns for the first time in a few years to attend his father’s funeral. Once there, he realizes that not much has changed. It feels like he has stepped back in time. With that is a lot of mixed emotions.” – old friends? Is there someone else that he runs into and has these discussions with? That his perception is viewed through another’s eye? Not necessarily a love interest of the current, maybe the past?
    Sorry I am babbling…

  7. danleone Says:
    April 23rd, 2007 at 12:42 pm

    DON’T STOP BABBLING!

    Your advice is invaluable. I am so pumped to go home tonight, open my laptop, launch Liquid Story Binder…..and then watch Jack Bauer kill everyone on 24!

    Thank you so much, Jodi!

  8. Meg Says:
    April 24th, 2007 at 6:05 am

    Dino should go back to Italy and his roots (borrow from your own trip there when you sat underneath your cousins as you drove madly through the windy mountain roads). He needs to find his roots and his Italian-ness and what better place than his father’s village. I think it should be a coming of age novel even though Dino may be 30 years late doing it.
    Dino needs to find out that he didn’t fall far from the olive branch – which could be a metaphor for finding peace within his own life.
    Love the new layout, btw.

Leave a Comment