Yet more advice from a writing course this time on the scene.
The scene is a self-contained unit of story. You can write the scene by:
Setting
Character
Action
You can consider the book as if it were a film.
Short scenes keep people’s attention. This enables the quick switching of narrative between characters.
There is a single viewpoint for each scene – that character’s point of view. It is filtered through the thoughts and emotions of that character.
Do not switch between viewpoints in a scene – it is always through one character’s eyes.
Classically a scene has only one setting. However it can contain several settings or even a moving setting (in a plane, on-board ship and so on)
The beginning of a scene is a critical moment which you should use to capture the reader’s interest.
One technique is to begin the scene as if in the middle of something (in media res).
This could be the middle of some action (a fight?), some dialogue (an argument?) or anything which can hook the reader.
Chunks of description are a riskier way of starting a scene as it can risk boring the reader unless done well.
Description should be broken up for a more successful beginning. This could for example make use of dialogue between short pieces of description.
The aim is to grab the reader’s attention as soon as you can.
Where the scene is dark add moments of light relief.
The ending of every scene is as important as the beginning. Ideally the scene should end in such a way that the reader wants to read more.
There are different techniques to achieve this. The main character of that scene can fail attempting a goal. There could be a reversal for that character. The character may have to end one course of action and consider another.
However you choose to end the scene the reader needs to be left wondering what happens next and wanting to read on.
One method of achieving this is to hint at what is to come for example plans to achieve an outstanding goal.
The book then becomes like a series of short stories each of them linked together.
in which Sue lists out the most intriguing old ruins she has found recently – often with land or to-die-for features.
I love this website.
Whilst I have spent way too long in my life looking at crumbling old ruins my first love is for things mechanical.
Every week I spend a daft amount of time perusing classic car sites and auction sites looking at heaps of rust – those which someone with enormous resources might just restore to working order.
Sometimes I even see some post restoration.
I now think that a wreck of the week based on cars, vans, trucks and so on would be an idea.
Like Wreck of the Week it won’t exactly be weekly. I am considering that I’m only going to look at it if it causes me some interest.
I find it awe-inspiring how much anything with the Ford badge attracts now.
I started out with a profound love of everything with a griffin on the nose (Vauxhall). It seems I chose unwisely based upon the values that Ford cars now attract.
This one is a 1964 so 54 years old at present and with the appealing CND rear light arrangement.
There is a large amount to do with this one.
The seller states that he has only the shell.
Such that although it is declared as a 1500cc this is largely moot – someone will be supplying a suitable engine from elsewhere.
The car was last on the road in 1984.
But given there is no running gear – a seized engine or rusted on brakes are not going to concern you.
The shell, does not look as doily-fied as many such vehicles.
If you stick around to read probably many I shall feature on this blog.
But the seller does state that the front panel needs replacing. Whether such things are still obtainable after all this time I do not know.
Thankfully it has a V5 – so you would not have to wrestle with registering it.
However availability of spares for a 54-year old car may not be optimal in my experience. Especially items like front wings and interior for example.
The registration number is listed as historic, 4 numbers and 2 letters, xxxx NU. But it is hard to know if this is sufficient to justify the final bid which was £2,050.00 after 43 bids.
This in anyone’s book is very healthy interest.
It would be interesting to see if the car pops up again post restoration. Firstly to know how long it took to restore (surely measured in years rather than months). In addition to know how much a restored one of these would fetch.
At least you can say that it would be something that was nearly entirely of your own building. There is so little left of it.
I can remember as a child being forced to apologise to people when I hadn’t any feelings of being sorry. In some cases I actually believed the other person was at fault.
I found that apologising has to come from within. Apologising when you do not mean it is empty and encourages feelings of revenge.
Research indicates that refusing to apologise is as beneficial as apologising. Refusing to apologise allows a person to feel more powerful and energised. The worst position is to sit on the fence and do nothing.
Some research shows that people who fail to apologise are happier than people who apologise.
In some circumstances apologising is damaging for the other person. For example if you reject someone with an apology this is more hurtful than plain rejection. The person is feeling both hurt and the need to forgive in the same moment. They need the time to process the hurt before considering forgiveness.
There are some benefits from choosing to apologise however. People prepared to apologise are viewed as more trustworthy. (Even where they apologise for things they cannot be responsible for – such as the weather).
Choosing to apologise may not be without consequences. These can range from embarrassment to admission of guilt. Admission of guilt can lead to other consequences: job loss, imprisonment, court cases and so on.
Every apology has to be considered. If you decide to apologise then at the very least you want your apology to be effective.
A recent counselling article indicates that apologies should contain the following elements:
Acknowledge the offense clearly – for example I did drive your car without your permission.
Explain it effectively – for example I waited until you went to work and took your keys from the dresser.
Restore the offended parties’ dignity – for example – it’s your car and I understand you will be mad that I used it.
Assure them they’re safe from a repeat offense. – I will not take your car again.
Express shame and humility – I feel very bad that I did this to you.
Make appropriate reparation – I will pay you for using the car and for the petrol.
Research indicates that apologies should offer assurances that the behaviour will not reoccur. They should contain sympathy for the victim. (An acceptance of responsibility coupled with a request for forgiveness).
The request for forgiveness may need to be withheld in some cases – when the victim needs time to process feelings and may not feel at all ready to forgive yet.
The timing of the apology is important. Apologising too soon may not have left the victim time to process feelings. Too late and the apology might appear to be insincere.
The key to a great apology lies in 6 key components:
Expression of Regret I’m sorry I ate all the French fries
Explanation of what went wrong I was hungry and ate them all
Acknowledgement of responsibility It was entirely my fault
Declaration of repentance I am really sorry
Offer of repair I will buy you some more French fries
Request for forgiveness. (However this is not applicable in every case – see text) please forgive me
These can be summarised as:
Tell the person how you feel I feel bad about what I have done
Admit the mistake and the impact of the mistake I ate the French fries and you went hungry
Repair the situation I’m going to buy you some more French fries
There are several examples of apologies that did not contain these key components. These have made the situation worse and/or made the victim(s) feel worse than prior to the apology.
A poor apology can lead to a desire for retribution by the victim. This could lead to a worse situation than if no apology had ever been offered.
The best apologies take into account the needs of the victim. This will require humility and empathy.
As a volunteer counsellor I am always on the lookout for techniques that may help my work with clients.
My supervisor suggested this technique.
I have used it with several clients. On each occasion I find out something new and/or interesting.
This technique enhances my awareness of the client. Frequently it enhances our relationship as well.
Discussing people (and tasks) and their relationship to the client can create insights. The life space diagram makes visible people and tasks in the client’s life.
It also teaches me a great deal about how they are thinking.
The process is as follows:
Encourage the client to draw a circle for their life – encourage them to make this as large as possible. Ensure that it uses as much of the paper as they are comfortable with (as there will likely be a lot to put in it).
Suggest the client put themselves somewhere in the circle. Where they put themselves might be important – it might not. (It is also a starting point for conversation.)
For example, many people seem to put themselves near to the centre of their own world. However I saw one client who put himself in the top left hand area of the circle.
It might be that this can be a discussion point – what made them choose there? Was there a reason?
Ask the client to put in anyone else who is important. The positioning is usually important – is their partner close to them in the circle? Is somebody else closer? What is the relationship like with those furthest away?
One client fenced himself in with people tight up against him as if he had no air to breathe. We discussed this and he did feel that he was responsible for everyone and everything. He also felt it was more than he could cope with.
Ask if there are other people. (This may include people who have died). Get them to include these extra people in the diagram. Observe where the client puts the new people. Is it close to them? What caused them to fail to include them in the first place?
Are there people that occur outside the circle? What is it about them that causes them to be outside the circle?
Review the diagram – how much space is there? Is life pretty full or pretty empty? How does the client feel about that? (This might be a starting point of future goals for example.)
Put in squares for work, hobbies and tasks – how does this look in comparison to the number of people? (In nearly-all life space diagrams I have seen these squares outnumber circles [people]). How does the client see these areas? Are there enough activities? Is there too much responsibility? How balanced is their life? Is there too much work/too little work?
Put in triangles for things that concern the client.
How many are here? Does the client have too many concerns? Are they weighed down by them? Is there enough challenge in their life? Are they bored?
Quite often aspects of the client that have not come up will appear after this activity. (Every time I have done this I have learned something beneficial).
Representing things in pictures makes the process more accessible to the client. They may never have considered their life in this way before.
It may increase their awareness of areas in which they would like to make changes.
I hope that this is also a useful tool for you. Whether you are receiving counselling, performing counselling or curious about your life.
There is nothing to stop you completing a diagram for yourself. See if you learn something.
It stood out because of the parallels between the way this method suggests you manage challenge, and counselling practices I have observed.
Sadly for me the whole thing falls down through its focus on people of greatest ability; I think this is a mistake.
These people are certainly the highest earners and therefore unsurprisingly the focus of an enterprise like Thrive Labs http://www.thrivelabs.co/ which Priya Parker is running.
Elitism over life-changing advice ensures that Priya’s business gets to pay the bills but the very brightest are only going to be a percentage in any population.
That would leave 499 out of every 500 people who are not benefiting from this technique.
For every Einstein there are hundreds that made sure he had roads to drive on, bread for his sandwiches, and cotton for his shirts.
This needlessly restricts the audience for such advice. Given this is very like a standard CBT technique which is designed to work for everyone.
When I saw this video I thought about the aspects of its message that involved challenge.
Important and creative parts of the counselling process involve challenge.
Counselling homework involves facing your true self and your fictions.
Challenge is key to making positive change.
Priya indicates self-challenge is critical in leading a life you will be happy to look back on in later years. Her strap line is “quit your life and reboot”.
The video had no associated transcript: you may want the edited highlights rather than the entire talk.
These are the highlights that stood out for me:
People hate their jobs. They apply themselves and work hard but they stay because they are afraid to leave.
People would like to make better life choices.
The anxieties of the “brightest” is a public problem.
Everyone has fears I wonder what those who are not thought of as the “brightest” are to do about them?
There are various methods to address these anxieties. These methods also attempt to identify need in the world and recruit people to address that need.
There are different levels of need in the world: whilst one man’s challenge is to resolve drought in sub-Saharan Africa, another man may content himself with fixing the neighbour’s car.
1. The Obituary Test
Imagine that your death is being announced. Write your own obituary.
(Presumably you are not allowed to use latitude here. For example I would probably start out “Phil was a bang up chap who everyone loved…”)
The aim is to drive out how you would like to have lived
(I’m guessing this does not allow for: “like Ozzy Osbourne”).
2. The Passion Comic Strip
A number of people believe that they have no passions. This method will help you to identify your passion.
Interview five to ten people who know you well. Ask them when it was that they saw you look most alive. (Think Wallace meets Wensleydale.)
(I wonder if all such moments would be suitable for sharing?)
Draw a comic strip:
The reason you use drawing here is that:
Drawing utilises a different part of the brain to writing. (This seems to assume that you have the capacity to draw.)
Images are more powerful than words. (In what way images are more powerful is not described.)
Most people’s drawing skill is rubbish so you will not be able to take yourself too seriously once you have seen the resulting comic strip. (Again a valid counselling technique.)
3. Get Comfortable With Discomfort
This strikes me as like CBT in terms of challenge which indicates that almost anyone could participate in this activity.
Quitting life is scary hence you need to develop “discomfort muscles”.
(You will still feel the fear but you also need to be able to manage it).
In a queue (say at a supermarket checkout) start singing – keep singing even when you can feel your heart pounding.
Take yourself to dinner alone AND take no reading material. Take no phone. Do not make any excuses. Book it; turn up; eat a full dinner alone with nothing to distract you from your discomfort.
The backward elevator test. Walk in to an elevator, face the back. Keep facing the back even as everyone in the elevator gets uncomfortable.(What prevents people dragging you off to certain institutions, thumping you or reporting you to law enforcement agencies is not detailed in this video.)
4. Give Yourself a Life Sentence
Critical questions:
What do I value?
What is my purpose?
What do I want to be?
There are three parts to a life sentence:
What are the qualities or values I want to bring with me?
What is it that I actually do?
(Given you’re on The Procrastination Pen this might be a valid question).
To what end? (Why do you do this)?
This is regarded as the hardest of the methods but it is the most effective. It needs a large commitment of time. Generally with someone who knows you well.
Once completed this is useful as a filter – everything in life will take you closer or further away from your life sentence.
If it is part of the life sentence you do more of it. If it falls outside the life sentence you do less or stop doing it altogether.
5. Dwindling Cash Experiment
How do you know how much is enough money for you?
Not merely how much do you need to live but how much do you need to feel comfortable?
The test is to understand what it is like to live on different incomes by experiencing those incomes.
Sit down and calculate how much money you spend in a month. Take out this sum. Hold it in an envelope (say under the mattress)
.
(Given I work in security this sounds needlessly scary why not store it in the safe instead.)
Week 1 – take out 40% of the amount you withdrew; spend it on what you like.
Week 2 – take out 30% of that original figure and spend it.
Week 3 – take out 20% of the original figure.
Week 4 – take out 10%. (This assumes a four week month).
So if the total amount is £5000 a month.
In week one you have £2000 to spend.
In week two £1500.
In week three £1000.
In week four £500.
The lack of knowledge about how much money is enough creates fear. This enables you to work out how much is enough for you.
(£1 ½ million monthly would do me nicely.)
6. Help Somebody Else
Work out which five of your friends do interesting work.
(Assuming that you have five friends).
Spend an hour with them problem solving their stickiest problem.
This assumes you are capable of solving this problem –perhaps for the purposes of this the attempt is sufficient.
This is beneficial because:
– It creates a habit of “how can I help” – a habit which is helpful to society. It has also been established that helping others is good for your well-being as well.
The Procrastination Pen 