Writing Seminar - Day 3

The session opened with the comments and feedback from Markus on the text that we submitted to the seminar forum at itsagreatstory.net and was participated by every one with interest.

The points of interest in the art of story telling came out in the discussions that followed. They are:

1. The opening of the story, especially with a striking first sentence, in order to hook the reader and set the tone for what follows.

2. The inciting incident that happens early in the story that drives the rest of it. This location of this incident in the story need not always be at the beginning (In Lion King it occurs quite late in the story).

3. The story follows the classical path (in most cases) where the protagonist goes through several obstacles and conflicts before coming to a conclusion.

4. There needs to be a progression in the conflict and the obstacles such that the conflict intensifies and the nature of the obstacles varies and becomes increasingly difficult for the hero to surmount.

5. There must be a dramatic need for the hero which must be established early on and that will work as the motivation for him to forge ahead in achieving the end he desires.

6. In the flow of events in the life of the main character it is important to show that there is a gap between the expectation and the result - this forces the reader to take interest since there is a turn in the situation as a result of unexpected consequence. It is this gap that propels the reader forward. It is the way once scene moves to the next - at least in the classical style where the story progresses in a linear fashion.

We have also discussed ways of tackling the story from different view points. There are essentially three view points, and each has its own benefits and disadvantages.

1. First Person - the personal point of view, cannot delve into the motivations of other characters

2. Third Person - a person in the story reveals the story and therefore may not be reliable; also it cannot go into the character's mind

3. Omniscient - the presiding intelligence that can play god, but needs to keep out so as not to interfere with the flow of the narrative

The resolution and ending of the story plays an important role in the whole drama. It must leave the reader satisfied and not leave a bad taste. The story may have raised the expectations and has not fulfilled them in a satisfactory way. It is in this context that we talked about the "Fading" of the story.

The session ended with the viewing of the last act of The Lion King. The scene opens with Simba returning to the land of his birth and what was once promised to be his kingdom. He finds desolation everywhere and it saddens him a great deal. "Show, don't tell" has been aptly used here.

As he nears the cave he witnesses the altercation between Scar and his old mother and reveals himself dramatically to his arch enemy. Scar humbles him by reminding that Simba was responsible for his father's death and in pushes him to the edge of the cliff - a scene that the viewer once again witnesses ("the mirroring").

Hamartia - the tragic flaw in Scar's character - goads him to reveal his evil design in pushing Mufasa to death. Simba hauls himself up and charges at Scar, thus reversing the roles.

The Lion King progresses linearly, as it should for a children's story, but has in it all the elements that make up a classic story of trust, betrayal, guilt, call of duty, return of the hero, overcoming the challenge and re-establishing righteousness.