90
28
The fully engaged writer must
extend operations to the two
levels of story.
There are two levels of story. Various terms are used to de-
scribe them, but, for shorthand, I’ll use Outer and Inner.
The Outer level (sometimes called plot) is a record of the
events that happen to and around the main character.
The Inner level (sometimes referred to as story) is the
record of what happens inside the character as a result
of the plot.
When you are outlining your novel, or drafting your
scene ideas, or simply brainstorming, give equal thought
to both aspects.
Here are more terms to describe the two levels:
Outer: action
Inner: reaction
Outer: motion
Inner: emotion
Outer: goal
Inner: growth
Outer: attain
Inner: become
Z4273i_066-099.indd 90Z4273i_066-099.indd 90 9/24/09 11:20:55 AM9/24/09 11:20:55 AM
91
How much emphasis you give to each level in your
story depends on what kind of novel you’re writing.
Generally, the character-driven story pays closer atten-
tion to inner growth, while a plot-driven story is more
action oriented. But within these general parameters is
a wide swath for you to determine exactly how you want
the story to feel to the reader.
In your pre-writing, deepen your Lead’s inner jour-
ney by answering the following questions:
1. Who does the Lead need to be at the end of the
novel in order to be “whole”?
2. Why is it important for the Lead to be whole in
this way? What “life lesson” does it teach?
3. Where is the Lead now (broken)? Describe.
4. Why is the Lead this way? (Look to the past.)
5. Has the past created a “wound”? How does the
wound manifest itself in the present (behaviors,
attitudes, reactions)?
6. What is preventing the Lead from being whole?
7. How will the Lead be forced to change (or refuse
to change)?
8. What must the Lead sacrifi ce to become whole?
9. What fi nal scene or image will prove the change?
Z4273i_066-099.indd 91Z4273i_066-099.indd 91 9/24/09 11:20:56 AM9/24/09 11:20:56 AM
92
Let’s take a familiar example: Rick, played by Hum-
phrey Bogart in Casablanca.
1. At the end of the fi lm, in order to be whole, Rick
must rejoin the larger community—his country
and its war effort.
2. The lesson is clear. No man is an island (a famil-
iar theme when you have an antihero, which is
what Rick is).
3. The Lead is in the desert (literally) running a sa-
loon, sticking his neck out for nobody, and not even
caring if he dies (“Go ahead and shoot,” he tells
Ilsa at one point. “You’ll be doing me a favor.”).
4. Rick is this way because the woman he loved most
in the world betrayed him (or so he thinks).
5. This wound manifests itself in Rick not caring
what happens to others, in too much drink, in
cynicism about everything.
6. Rick is prevented from changing because there
is no one who can truly reach him. Not even his
friend, Sam. Or the women with whom he has
occasional fl ings.
7. Rick will be forced to change, or to resist change,
when Ilsa shows up in Casablanca with Victor
Z4273i_066-099.indd 92Z4273i_066-099.indd 92 9/24/09 11:20:56 AM9/24/09 11:20:56 AM
93
Laszlo, and Rick’s help is the only way those two
can escape the clutches of the Nazis.
8. Rick sacrifi ces his own happiness. Ilsa has agreed
to leave with him but he insists she get on the
plane with Victor, and even puts his own life on
the line by shooting the Nazi, Major Strasser.
9. In the final shot, Rick goes off with his new
friend, Captain Renault, to rejoin the war effort.
He has been resurrected. The antihero comes
back to the community.
No matter what kind of novel you write, attention
paid to both levels of story will elevate your manuscript
above a mountain of slush passing before the bleary eyes
of agents and editors.
Z4273i_066-099.indd 93Z4273i_066-099.indd 93 9/24/09 11:20:56 AM9/24/09 11:20:56 AM
..................Content has been hidden....................
You can't read the all page of ebook, please click here login for view all page.