Saturday, May 15, 2010

How to Write a First Draft Quickly

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Update: Well, shoot!

May have been some miscommunication between Janice and me...and I've been scatty enough lately to suspect it could be on my side!

When the post goes live, I'll connect us to it.

In the meantime...I went to see How to Train a Dragon with the kids this afternoon. I thought it was really good--for adults, too.

And, being me, I couldn't help but parse it into successful components. :)

I noticed a great protagonist who doesn't fit in and feels he has to prove himself to his village--which he does, in an unusual way.

I noticed an underlying theme--that maybe we just misunderstand cultures that are different from ours. It lent a little depth to the story.

I noticed several plot twists and characters behaving in surprising ways that really lent some punch to the film.

There was an interesting setting that could be used in different ways--to look ominous, to look peaceful, to make it possible to hide a dragon.

And...if you get the chance, watch it in 3-D. :)

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Today, I’m over at YA author Janice Hardy’s blog, The Other Side of the Story. I’m posting on “Working Quickly Through a First Draft.”

Hope you’ll pop over and visit. :)