Comments on: Plot? What Plot?

By: Meg

Meg — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 13:05:15 +0000

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.

By: danleone

danleone — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 19:42:12 +0000

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!

By: Jodi

Jodi — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 18:55:55 +0000

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…

By: danleone

danleone — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 15:22:32 +0000

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”

By: jodi

jodi — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 11:15:18 +0000

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.
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

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 22:41:41 +0000

Wow, fancy new diggs! I like ‘em!

By: danleone

danleone — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 22:32:06 +0000

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

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 17:03:30 +0000

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