Hi all:
I have this thing I bought years ago called _The Observation Deck: A Tool Kit for Writers_. It looks kind of like a Tarot deck (or I guess plain old card deck--but I'm in Sedona, so Tarot comes immediately to mind) and it functions kind of like those colored index cards we filled out last week, to help when you're at an impasse or need a new approach or inspiration.
Anyway, I thought I'd draw a card every day, post it here, and comment on what it might mean (there's a book that comes with the deck that does this, but I've lost it, so I'll create my own commentary).
I missed yesterday, so there are two cards for today.
And they are (drumroll):
November 1:
"Create a sacred space"
To me this means think about setting, describe it in detail, or literally create a sacred space for your character, maybe like what is sometimes called a "liar" for killers in mystery fiction (the killer's home in _Silence of the Lambs_, for example).
November 2:
"Build a history"
Not much commentary needed: backstory, obviously.
Hope this helps someone!
Cordially,
Cassandra
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KillerCassandra
40,133 / 50,000
Nov 12, 2009 - 23 19
xx
----------KillerCassandra
40,133 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 10 38
Two cards in a row have been about character development, so that's what I've been doing.
But the card I drew for today is about plot and action:
November 4:
----------"Create a conflict."
KillerCassandra
43,472 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 16 16
Thank you for posting these, Cassandra!
The sequence of cards you drew have actually been helping my word count along fairly significantly, as I've found that my planning for the early parts of this novel haven't been the best so far.
The only thing I would say that may be a snag is that since these are copyrighted materials, it may be a no-no, so unfortunately it may be something that we'll want to stop posting on the forum, but if you wouldn't mind bringing the deck to our write-in at the Campus Coffee Bean tomorrow, that would be great! (I'm not 100% sure if it's a no-no, as fair use may allow small postings.)
46,005 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 17 30
My character's just been chucked into the conflict, so today's is oddly appropriate. These are cool!
----------I'm going to kill myself doing this, aren't I?
7,819 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 18 16
I don't think copyright will be a problem. She's just posting what the cards say and sharing her own interpretation. It's not like she took the while book and published it on a website.
-----------Allison
DFTBA!
www.nerdfighters.com
40,133 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 22 08
Well it's tomorrow back east, so here's the card for November 5
"Observe a ritual"
This is easy for me, because part of my book is about a secret society with an initiation ceremony.
But I think a ritual can be anything, even, like, drinking coffee in the morning, if you do it a certain way every time. . . ?
----------KillerCassandra
46,005 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 20 17
I... sort of wrote in a ritual? Basically, my writing started with the heroine waking up and trying to push her foot into "the cool spot between the wire that leads up to the fire alarm and the wall," which she alludes to doing a lot. But it's quickly broken by her realizing she's not in her own bed...
----------I'm going to kill myself doing this, aren't I?
40,133 / 50,000
Nov 12, 2009 - 23 19
xx
----------KillerCassandra
40,133 / 50,000
Nov 12, 2009 - 23 19
xx
----------KillerCassandra
40,133 / 50,000
Nov 10, 2009 - 21 33
November 10:
"Follow the scent."
To me that means either write about smells or track a character as she/he moves through a landscape or an experience.
----------KillerCassandra
39,401 / 50,000
Nov 10, 2009 - 22 02
Very cool of you to post these for us. Thanks!
----------"Life is grand. Love is real and beauty is everywhere." --RCPM
40,133 / 50,000
Nov 12, 2009 - 23 20
xx
----------KillerCassandra
40,133 / 50,000
Nov 12, 2009 - 23 35
I just read a comment in this thread that implies that someone behind the scenes is worried about copyright infringement for these cards.
I'm confident there was no such infringement, and I certainly didn't mean to break any rules! (I do wish the person who had the concern had expressed it to me directly, though. It's kind of weird suddenly to see one side of a conversation about yourself in which you are being discussed in the third person!)
But I'll stop posting, of course.
I've edited (erased) all the messages I could. I'd erase the whole thread, but I don't know how to do that. If anyone does, please do so.
Thanks!
----------KillerCassandra