How To Combine Writing Tools To Enhance Our Storytelling
By Matthew L. Hart
Writer & Humorist
Author of:
Uncle Matty's Halloween: Jokes, Bits & Anecdotes
"Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time."
"Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time."
- John C. Maxwell
Now that we're familiar with all the tools in The Writer's Toolbox we can start to combine writing tools to enhance our storytelling.
First, we'll spin the wheel on the Protagonist Pallette to discover who our protagonist will be.
Let's begin!
Our Protagonist is:
"Frank, the painter"
To get us writing something right away, let's also draw a First Sentence Stick.
Our First Sentence is:
"Your mother lied to you. That's the truth."
Now, let's flip the timer and use our First Sentence to get us going about Frank, the painter.
GO!
"Your mother lied to you. That's the truth." Frank blurted out, with regard to the quality of his pupil's latest work. He'd had enough of this know-it-all kid's bad attitude and constant interruptions. Frank felt it was time to knock the chip off this young man's shoulder, even if the little snot did show some small bit of potential. "It'll make him or break him." Frank thought as he grabbed a brush from the cloudy water of a mason jar. "Better to break him now, while he still has a chance to recover." Frank had not considered himself a cynical old painter. Not until this very moment. Without thinking, he swiped the damp bristles across the full color wheel of acrylic paints, which he had previously dabbed onto his pallette just before being interrupted so rudely. The brush could have picked up any single color, or all of them, or non at all. He raised his brush for a close examination. "Humph." He exasperated, quite curiously. "It appears I'm in my blue period." With a single swift backhanded swipe, he left the innocence of the canvas to yield against a broad blue stroke as bold as his disapproval.
TIME!
Okay. Not bad. We're rolling right along.
Now let's add a Sixth-Sense Card to incorporate our senses into the scene.
Our Sixth-Sense Card reads:
"a beekeeper's outfit"
Let's take a moment to think about how we can insert "a beekeeper's outfit" into our scene. When we're ready, we'll flip the timer and write descriptively for three minutes.
When you're ready,
BEGIN!
Each stroke came easily to the jaded master. The boy's condescending remarks had now become muted between sniffles. "Only a bruised ego, my boy. You'll be fine. Now, stand still. Chin up!" Frank instructed. As a matter of help or humiliation, the painter had the boy dress up to model for him, wearing a beekeeper's outfit. The boy did this without protest, knowing that the prize was worth the fight. For the prize was a chance to study with the world-renowned, Frank Alfonsi, and, the fight? Well, that was with his very own ego. "Chin up! There's a good lad." Frank never thought he was too hard on his pupil. Perhaps, maybe even too soft. "Stop your crying. Your tears are not fit to clean my brushes. Now, be still!" The boy had soon learned not to question Frank's methods. Even Frank's critics could not argue his results. The depressed shades of blue across the textured plane gave the piece a look that was out of this world. To cast your gaze onto an original, Alfonsi, was to be, as if transported, to another dimension. The wet, dabbing sounds of his short and uneven strokes, were transcendent tones to Frank's ears. They were like blue notes of jazz that seemed to emanate from the original energy of the big bang itself. To look too closely at the subject of this exact piece, would be to get lost in a kind of fractal of color. From a distance, the beekeeper's outfit was merely shaded blue but, under closer examination, the truth was revealed; a true kaleidoscope of different colors. And, it was truth, that Frank Alfonsi had spend a lifetime to reveal. And, it was truth, that his young pupil hoped to learn for himself. Later, his critics would announce, "Even a beekeeper's outfit could be enjoyed by all levels of existence, with all those in any space or time. It is, truly, a multidimensional masterpiece, fit to grace the halls of Heaven. This piece, 'Boy With Hives'. This, is, Alfonsi!"
Okay, so I flipped my timer twice. That'll happen. In fact, I encourage it!
Here, you can see how using each tool with the other, will help you add different levels of complexity and texture to your stories.
If I had time to continue this piece, I would next spin the wheel on the "Goals" Palette to determine what Frank's goal could be and then flip the timer and continue writing.
We would then look for opportunities, as they see fit, to continue using the tools at hand. Perhaps another Sixth-Sense Card to add some texture, or a Non Sequitur Story Stick to add a plot twist.
Honestly, if I had all day, I might churn this story out as a short booklet! But, the day must go on.
For now, I'll spin the wheel on the Goals palette for ya!
Our Goals palette reads:
"to be young again"
I hope you collaborate with me on this story and write Frank, the painter's next scene, as he decides that he wants 'to be young again'.
Did you follow along with this game and writer your own story?
SHARE YOUR OWN STORY FEATURING "FRANK, THE PAINTER" OR COLLABORATE WITH ME AS FRANK DECIDES "TO BE YOUNG AGAIN" I HOPE YOU SHARE YOUR WORK WITH US IN THE COMMENTS BELOW
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