tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post6596611335842589156..comments2024-03-29T07:16:30.418+00:00Comments on MOODY WRITING: Making Scenes Interesting In The Nowmooderinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-47851515481214139222012-12-10T19:02:59.828+00:002012-12-10T19:02:59.828+00:00@Jay - You would think after what she went through...@Jay - You would think after what she went through she might have some sort of emotional reaction. mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-72415974166772045392012-12-10T17:42:00.613+00:002012-12-10T17:42:00.613+00:00One thing that leaves me uneasy after reading a bo...One thing that leaves me uneasy after reading a book is seeing a character that ends up being quite static by the end. I think that's what bothered me in the Hunger Games.<br /><br />Katniss goes through so much, and in the end, she's the same person. Jay Noelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04757777693161610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-37037327902933817012012-12-09T18:05:58.400+00:002012-12-09T18:05:58.400+00:00@Lynda - I do the same although usually after the ...@Lynda - I do the same although usually after the first draft so I have a better idea of what I'm writing about.<br /><br />@Elise - Cheers.mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-77523390376868894502012-12-09T15:02:06.347+00:002012-12-09T15:02:06.347+00:00I like the idea of looking at a character's em...I like the idea of looking at a character's emotional state at the beginning and comparing it to the end of the scene. I need to do that with my wip. Thanks again Mood, another great post. Elise Fallsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14734537117333738468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-87943136090406466802012-12-08T00:03:05.954+00:002012-12-08T00:03:05.954+00:00Great post. When I'm planning I include the ch...Great post. When I'm planning I include the character emotional arcs from scene to scene (which draws the map of before, now and later). Lynda R Young as Elle Cardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09975442291393246148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-15741788079895263312012-12-07T20:32:24.090+00:002012-12-07T20:32:24.090+00:00@Rachna - putting things in place for later, and m...@Rachna - putting things in place for later, and making sure it feels like the story's going somewhere, is a big part of each scene, I think. But not as important as making sure the scene has stuff going on right now.mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-20784058084402867302012-12-07T16:20:54.866+00:002012-12-07T16:20:54.866+00:00I too feel that the trick lies in finding a perfec...I too feel that the trick lies in finding a perfect balance of Before, Now and Later. I concentrate a lot on Now and Before, tending to skip the Later part.Rachna Chhabriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16900999965919504282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-87723539286983363482012-12-07T11:04:52.999+00:002012-12-07T11:04:52.999+00:00@Golden - a change in emotion is a good way to mak...@Golden - a change in emotion is a good way to make sure something happened.mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-18010766293598486172012-12-07T02:06:23.407+00:002012-12-07T02:06:23.407+00:00So, the trick is finding a balance of the Before, ...So, the trick is finding a balance of the Before, Now, and Later, with emphasis on making the Now interesting--right? I like your point about character emotions, too; it's nice to see a reaction over the course of a scene.Golden Eaglehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08721520451194318436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-81961999704854818542012-12-06T21:58:17.288+00:002012-12-06T21:58:17.288+00:00@Diane - it all depends on what you're used to...@Diane - it all depends on what you're used to. If you read a lo of (good) present tense writing it feels just as natural as past tense. But most people are exposed to past tense and nothing else, so when they first encounter present tense it feels weird.mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-36950826073803700562012-12-06T21:37:54.125+00:002012-12-06T21:37:54.125+00:00I'm one of those who are not very comfortable ...I'm one of those who are not very comfortable reading first person present. It always feels forced to me, like the old Dragnet timelines:<br /><br />1:30 pm, I head to the gym, meet the blonde. We eat a sandwich.<br /><br />4:45 pm, The cops show up and hand cuff my mother. I'm pissed.<br /><br />It's just weird. I think it's much easier to write in past tense and still put the reader in the scene and give the story a more nostalgic feel to it.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15901684621715980573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-75452037619433551502012-12-06T21:28:51.882+00:002012-12-06T21:28:51.882+00:00@Michael - that's one way of doing it, althoug...@Michael - that's one way of doing it, although it's still possible to write first person present tense and have a character doing stuff that feels flat and uninteresting. And then there's quite a lot of people who aren't too keen on present tense.mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-62551135725411323392012-12-06T20:56:17.244+00:002012-12-06T20:56:17.244+00:00I think a big way of accomplishing this "now&...I think a big way of accomplishing this "now" feeling is to write in first person, present tense. Then no matter what page you are on, it's happening now.Michael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-23715793968251128122012-12-06T18:13:45.455+00:002012-12-06T18:13:45.455+00:00@Alex - well, depends whose hands they are.@Alex - well, depends whose hands they are.mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-89653968702492602222012-12-06T18:11:28.311+00:002012-12-06T18:11:28.311+00:00I'll avoid a page and a half of soapy hands!I'll avoid a page and a half of soapy hands!Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com