In which work goes forth and the snowstorm cometh

[rolanni]

I have one more section of Fifth of Five to read, but, having read two-thirds of what's there to read, I can say with confidence that it is Not Awful, it's merely Not Done.

So, working on that.

It snowed Friday night, and Saturday it rained.  The plowguy called early to say that, unless we needed to go out, he was going to defer plowing until the rain stopped, so that he could remove crusty snow, leaving a walkable surface on the drive (as opposed to remove the snow, and letting the rain create a driveway skating rink).  I retired to my office to work, and went out this morning to remove crusty snow from the steps.

The only flaw in this plan was that the car was frozen shut, and no suasions of mine would budge any of the doors.  Steve mixed up an alcohol and warm water brew that did get past the ice seal, but it was a frustrating several minutes.  My last car had a remote starter.  May see if we can get an aftermarket remote installed in this car.

Going forward, the weatherbeans are calling for a snowstorm starting 2:00 am-ish, and continuing until early evening, leaving from 6-9 inches (locally up to 11 inches) of snow behind it.  The plowguy, when he came by this morning, wanted to know if we had to "get out" tomorrow.

No, I said; we're working tomorrow.  He sighed and produced a sort-of grin.  Yeah, he said; me too.

So, that.

Partly as by-product of the on-going effort to write sell-copy for "Degrees of Separation," I've been thinking about what "makes" a story.

Certainly, a story has a beginning, middle, and an end.

A story shows growth, or change.

A story illuminates action.

. . .all the stuff you learn in Writer School, sure.  But -- what "makes" a story?  Certainly, I -- and I am not alone in this -- have received reader reviews, and reader letters, indicating that in Story A "nothing happens."  What they mean by that varies widely, from "there were no gun fights in this story," to "I had to read description and dialog," to "we already KNEW how this was going to end, so writing down the middle was pointless," to "I didn't like this."

So, what "makes" a story?

The answer, for me, is that the characters make the story -- long story, short story, middling story.  People, what they do, why they do it, how they feel about it, are intensely interesting to me.  So, those are the kinds of stories that I tend to write.  This does not, note, preclude gun fights, or space battles, or car chases, but I maintain that a story without a car chase...can still be a story.

Well.

Peripherally on topic:  In case you missed it, "Block Party," by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller is available, free to read! starting on the Baen.com front page (you need to scroll down past the new books section).  Share it with a friend.

Here's a picture of the author, working at home, something I am now going to go do more of.

 photo by Steve Miller

Comments

[rjlona]

Definitely look into the aftermarket remote starter. They often have better range than the ones from the car manufacturer. Best Christmas present I've gotten in years!

[theowlunderground]

I worked from home for 4/5th of my career (medical transcription), and I can attest that your picture highlights the joys of working from home: Your commute is very short and does not involve cars, traffic, or going out of doors. You can wear (or not wear) whatever you want. You can work in comfy chairs with your feet up and lap robes on and listen to music if you so desire. You can have munchies and bevvies whenever you like. Best of all, kitties can help you work.

Ice and locks

[crussel]

The best solution I ever found for frozen doors and locks is a dry lubricant called 'Tri-Flow', which is really big in the bicycle world as a chain lubricant. It's teflon-based and doesn't either gum up (WD-40) or clump up (graphite or moly based lubricants), plus it is non-conductive. Squirt it in and on all the hinges, locks and keyholes of the doors and you won't have another frozen door all winter. (I admit, not tested in Maine or Manitoba, but very much tested in a really bad Michigan winter many years ago.)

what makes a story

[(Anonymous)]

after being a reader for umpteen million years, I still have no idea why some stories appeal more than others. All I know is that your stories speak to me and I will buy them without hesitation. Merry Christmas and have a great New Year.

Twain on Story

[(Anonymous)]

“A man who is not born with the novel-writing gift has a troublesome time of it when he tries to build a novel. I know this from experience. He has no clear idea of his story; in fact he has no story. He merely has some people in his mind, and an incident or two, also a locality, and he trusts he can plunge those people into those incidents with interesting results. So he goes to work. To write a novel? No--that is a thought which comes later; in the beginning he is only proposing to tell a little tale, a very little tale, a six-page tale. But as it is a tale which he is not acquainted with, and can only find out what it is by listening as it goes along telling itself, it is more than apt to go on and on and on till it spreads itself into a book. I know about this, because it has happened to me so many times.”  Mark Twain, Pudd’nhead Wilson and Other Tales