[Clarion West 2k1, week 4: a pivotal day in a pivotal week]

Wednesday. Again, I got very, very little sleep. Again, I managed to get my reading and crits done for class and got to class on time.

Highlights from Connie's lecture, continuing the discussion about plot complications:

* Obstacles. This kind of plot complication is a hurdle in the characters' path. They must be a natural outgrowth of the nature of their goals/backgrounds.

* Unintended Consequences. The actions that should result in a certain good or bad effect might produce a different outcome. For example, the droids in Star Wars are kidnapped by the jawas. This should be a bad thing, right? But, it has the unintended result of saving them from capture by the Empire, which would be even worse. Another example. You need to get to America from Europe and time is of the essence. Your tickets to board that speedy new ocean liner are delayed in the mail, so you miss the trip that would have gotten you there on time. But, since the ocean liner happens to be the Titanic, and the unintended result is that your life is spared.

* Raising the stakes. You can raise the stakes by creating a shortage of resources: the good guy runs out of bullets in the middle of the fight scene. The helpful sidekick gets taken out of the action. The radio, your character's only link to civilization, goes dead. The carriage turns into a pumpkin. *Time* is a particularly useful resource to constrain in order to raise the stakes. Getting back to Cinderella: she's gotta get in, make a great impression, and get out before midnight, or she be walkin' home.

For the second time this week, Connie was generous enough with her time to have lunch with us. We tried an Indian cuisine restaurant which was happy to accommodate us. I think there were 13 of us or so, this time. Great conversation was the order of the day. Then, it was back to work.

I had promised myself yesterday that I would get right down to work after lunch: to read and critique the four new stories, to wash my laundry, and to finish writing my story that was due on Thursday morning. [Note: the possibility that I would get bumped from this slot was again averted thanks to the wonderful efforts by my fellow Clarionites who really pulled together to make sure that everyone was happy with the schedule change. I very much appreciate how well everyone is pulling together to help out.]

Sometimes, however, real life has a way of inserting itself. I found myself needing to take some time away from Clarion to attend to personal matters, and didn't get back to the dorm until around 10pm or so. I read and critiqued two of the four stories, and then began working on my story at around midnight. (I'd already written the first 1,300 words on Monday and Tuesday.)

By 6am, I'd finished my 4,700 word ghost story, "Jessica's Love", and resumed reading/critiquing the other stories for the day. One of my fellow Clarionites was kind enough to glance over the manuscript to make sure it was coherent (she had just gotten *up* for the new day).

I stretched out on my bed for an hour and a half nap at 6:15am....

[to be continued]