Writing In Paradise

Here we are in Chautauqua New York, where Tananarive is receiving their famous award for her novel THE REFORMATORY. What a beautiful place, what an amazing woman with whom to share life’s path. She is a LIONESS, and reminds me every day to be a LION.

Tananarive gives her speech tonight, and we get home tomorrow. My first job will be to be sure everything is on track for the CREATING UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS workshop coming up Saturday. I’m excited because one view of story is simply the interaction of plot and character. Or of humanity and the world that humanity lives within and perceives. Its so connected to those most basic questions:

Who am I? (What is a human being)

What is True? (What is the world and existence, and how can we know?)

There is a very real sense that “Plot” is nothing more than the way a specific human being deals with a specific slice of reality. Could be conflict within themselves, between each other, or between a human being and the environment…preferably all three!

This means that you can start ANYWHERE in that dynamic sphere. Give me four points, and I’ll draw you the rest of the sphere. Tell me a human being and what they want, and you are led to questions about how the world is organized to offer resistance. Tell me a particular world situation, and I’ll ask who is the perfect…