{"id":20348,"date":"2018-11-02T01:00:07","date_gmt":"2018-11-02T08:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=20348"},"modified":"2018-11-02T05:29:45","modified_gmt":"2018-11-02T12:29:45","slug":"the-journey-is-the-story-by-catharine-bramkamp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2018\/11\/02\/the-journey-is-the-story-by-catharine-bramkamp\/","title":{"rendered":"The Journey is the Story by Catharine Bramkamp"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TheLet\u2019s welcome back monthly columnist\u00a0Catharine Bramkamp<\/a>\u00a0as she shares with us \u201cThe Journey is the Story.\u201d Enjoy!<\/p>\n

***
\nWhile teaching at the Scene and Plot Boot Camp with C.S. Lakin<\/strong>, I read Story Genius<\/em> by Lisa Cron<\/a>. Our first boot camp — three focused days in Tahoe, concentrated on plot. During the second book camp (still in Tahoe, I know, I live a hard life), we worked with our participants to deconstruct the perfect scene, then build their own. Story Genius<\/em><\/a> offered a\u00a0third element. (There are many elements, but I\u2019m making it simple). I\u00a0shared it in the boot camp and I\u2019m sharing it here.<\/p>\n

How the Journey Changes The Hero<\/h2>\n

That third element is how the story, not the hero\u2019s journey, changes the hero.<\/p>\n

Readers read books and watch films because they want to be the heroine. They want to\u00a0experience what the heroine experiences.<\/p>\n

Lisa Cron cites the Fifty Shades series<\/em><\/a>\u00a0as proof that being the heroine is more compelling than plot, believability, or the quality of the writing. Fifty Shades<\/em> is extreme example, but instructive.<\/p>\n

We want to live in that life for a couple of hours. We want to be someone else for an afternoon.<\/p>\n

Our brains are wired to be inside a story, live the life of the hero. We need it, we crave it. And we clearly are willing to buy even bad books to get a good experience.<\/p>\n

A Good Story<\/h2>\n

A good story offers the reader a long walk in another person\u2019s shoes. Want to travel somewhere else? Pick up a book.<\/p>\n

Want to understand a time?\u00a0 Pick up a book.<\/p>\n

Want to get a grip on a whole culture? Yeah, pick up a book.<\/p>\n

For a writer this means paying attention to how<\/strong>, why, and when your character changes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many of us create this naturally; we have a character who will grow because she must.<\/p>\n

If you are fortunate, your character starts chattering away in your head. She will tell you what she wants, what she needs to change, and how her journey will effect that change.\u00a0 Lucky you.<\/p>\n

Experts Statements<\/h2>\n

There are many famous, brilliant authors who will blithely explain that they just write and you should too. I LOVED Lisa Cron\u2019s comment\u00a0that expert storytellers, the ones who are gifted, bestselling novelists, are terrible instructors.<\/p>\n

Experts often make statements like: drive in the fog and the story will unfold. I\u2019m paraphrasing, which, for a new author, is very unhelpful advice.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s\u00a0much like Simone Biles explaining that\u00a0a\u00a0triple flip on a two by four is easy.<\/strong>\u00a0You just do it.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t believe Simone, and don\u2019t believe the gifted writer. Creating your believable character and their story is work. It\u2019s good work, it\u2019s fun, but it\u2019s work.<\/p>\n

Conscious and Deliberate<\/h2>\n

Most writers need to be far more conscious and deliberate about the process than merely driving with their eyes closed.<\/p>\n

To help a character with their story, the essence of a book, the character needs to begin their journey believing one thing (or many things), and\u00a0through plot challenges, fire, and sharp sticks, learns and grows, so the end of the book finishes up the plot with a bang and delivers the big Ah Ha moment for the hero:<\/p>\n