Comments on: “Have a Body Hit the Floor”

By: Noble Smith

Noble Smith — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 03:14:40 +0000

I have been reading your blogs for a while and I finally had to comment. This is such excellent advice! I wish that you had been one of my writing teachers in college. But you did inspire me to become a historical fiction writer. Reading Gates of Fire (fifteen years ago) made me want to learn more about the ancient world. In that story men face the ultimate stakes and refuse to lose their souls through cowardice.

By: Tim Rodenberger

Tim Rodenberger — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 04:33:20 +0000

Draft #2: “Raise the Stakes”

By: Tim Rodenberger

Tim Rodenberger — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 04:28:22 +0000

Oh man! You’re not only teaching great writing techniques, you’ve prescribed a solution to life’s greatest problem: the Amateur. As we write our life story we should have bodies dropping all over the place. Why don’t more people Turn Pro? Because they don’t realize what they have to lose. It’s the very same Soul Destruction you speak of. Case of the Blues, old friend? You’ve lost something, find something else to lose. Why isn’t the lady I’m so fond of getting back to me? Obviously, she doesn’t have much to lose. Give her a body and watch it hit the floor! I have a saying posted in my office: “Today is my Deadline.” Much like D.D. Falvo’s response, I will replace that with “Find Something to Lose.” You’ve written a powerful article. Thank you

By: TLRay

TLRay — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:46:56 +0000

Snap Steven! I just started re-watching the Soprano’s as well, for expressly that purpose. Excellent writing. I write novels and although massive amounts of reading, helps, I learn so much about story structure and character development from watching a good film or series.

As always, excellent stuff, thank you for being here for us all!

By: Jerry Ellis

Jerry Ellis — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 21:30:40 +0000

Bravo, Steven! Your post really hit a nerve with me today and not just for its overview insights. Your note about one of your characters’ head blown off in New Orleans did the trick. Why? I opened a new thriller–coming out in March–with my character running for his life down crowded Bourbon Street on Mardi Gras Day. He’s chased by the Voodoos. They want his life as well as what he has taken from them. My hero, Cherokee, soon discovers he must protect not only his own life but that of the USA. Is his very soul at risk as well? Of course. Though the author of six books, I have read only one book on writing in my life: WRITING THE BLOCK BUSTER NOVEL by Al Zuckerman. It has much in common with your post today. No, I am not meaning to plug his book. He, as you know, founded Writer’s House in NY many years ago. He and I parted company long ago but he did one hell of job in selling my first book at a heated auction. That was my lucky break because my “stakes” where high, both my soul and life–it seemed–on the line.

By: Ceejae Devine

Ceejae Devine — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 17:20:14 +0000

A link to your article was posted on Writer Unboxed Facebook page by Vaughn Roycroft.

Decided not to be a passerby and take a minute to say thanks for sharing your experience.

I wrote a young adult novel that has a “complete story,” but, after Twilight and Hunger Games came out, I knew it was too tame. I will be processing this information and see if I can figure out how to punch it up…thanks! (I moved to another genre and did punch up my style in a series of essays…so have made some progress in honing my style anyway :–)

–Ceejae Devine

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 17:16:20 +0000

Just watched David Mamet’s “Red Belt” again last night. This film is also an amazing example of utilizing both stakes, loss of life and destruction of the soul, with all his characters, and as the underlying theme. Thanks for the inspiring follow up!

By: D. D. Falvo

D. D. Falvo — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:22:23 +0000

Awesome advice– going to put your flanking catch-phrases “Have a body hit the floor.” and “Destruction of the soul.” on a post-it.

By: Jeremy Brown

Jeremy Brown — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 15:51:06 +0000

Perfect timing. And when the wisdom is this rich, any time is perfect.

By: David Y.B. Kaufmann

David Y.B. Kaufmann — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 15:29:19 +0000

I’m glad you clarified what you meant by “life and death,” since “destruction of the soul” can be a seemingly minor thing. For an 8 year old, getting to school and finding out he has peanut butter instead of tuna fish in his sandwich can be a “destruction of the soul” moment. How to make it through the rest of the day?

Also, it is possible to cheapen the conflict if too many bodies hit the floor, unexplained. The story might become a Monty Python-esque parody.

Finally, one problem with journalism today is the story: the journalists too often write the facts to fit story, a rather Procrustean bed for narrative. The example you cite, though, is the opposite.

Here’s to lots of bodies dropping – appropriately, and metaphorically.