Leadership and Long Copy

Bondi Beach Report: Cloud, pause in rain, swell, a preponderance of beards, Vans and rolled up chinos.

Listening to: My inner monologue.
Writing Status: Day's writing complete, happy.

Has advertising lost its way, or have our attention spans been shortened so that we are no longer appreciative? An example of outstanding long copy, for Cadillac. 

Upping the Stakes

Bondi Beach Report: Cloud, rain, little swell, nothing to see here, move along.
Listening to: The appropriately titled Rainydayz Remixes by AmpLive (of Radiohead's In Rainbows)
Writing Status: Wandering, coming up with a plan.


My writing status today says it all. I have a support character I really like. I want him to facilitate a few key plot point as well, so I like him even more - he's useful as well as affable. I want to take him all the way on my protagonist's adventure. I want them to become fast friends, because I want to be friends with him. The problem is that he's not integral to the story right now. He doesn't increase the stakes.


This brings me to my point. How does one increase the stakes?


It is not my intention to describe what stakes are. We should know this already as living breathing conscious humans. Stakes are simply what a character's got on the line: what he/she may win or lose.


As writers we want to write about interesting characters. We need to invest them with desires. Ever met someone without any interests or desires? That's right, they're boring as bat-shit. We sort of feel for them - at least I do - but I do not really want to join them on their day's journey. I couldn't think of anything worse. So why would I want to read about a similar character - a guy/girl who doesn't want anything?


When you meet someone and you ask 'what's news?' and they tell you they are embroiled in a court case, are in the middle of a potential relationship breakdown, have lost a prized possession, are negotiating a publishing  contract, any of these things, you are probably going to be a little interested. Something is on the line.


But that's not enough. You figure everything will work out, or perhaps you don't really empathize as mcuh as you could. That's how we're wired, at least when it comes to the plight of another (I would argue a typical person's neurosis makes them ever more so cynical about their own circumstance). We have to make an effort to be more compassionate, empathetic, caring, all these things. To some it might come naturally but in my experience these people are the exception rather than the rule (and beware the dreaded people pleasers - their empathy may not be what it seems).


Instead of relying on the reader to make and effort to care, the writer must do that for them. That involves upping the stakes.


What if, in the case of the missing prized possession used as an example above, it was a possession that was crucial to the protagonist's existence. What if the possession (to use a well-worn example) was a briefcase full of money. The character, like most of us, is partial to lots of money, so he/she certainly wants that briefcase back. Ok, so I am a little interested now. I'd read that article in the newspaper, before flicking to the sports section.


Attach that briefcase with the character's strong desire though, such as he/she needs to deliver it to a street gang or forfeit his life and I'm now more interested. The stakes have been increased.


What if the briefcase has been stolen by a rival gang. What if this rival gang are going to use the money to hire more thugs who they intend on moving into the main character's neighbourhood, placing more pressure on his business to make protection payments. Now the main character really wants the briefcase. If he manages to avoid being killed he's still going to be under pressure.


Now that's all well and good, we know what's going on here. It's a relatively familiar tale. It's passable. I'll read that. But what's going to make this great? Elevated stakes of course. How do you take that even further?


One way would be to invest in the predicament: raise a moral dilemma:


If the main character gets the money back he/she will have to give it to the street gang. They're going to use it to buy more drugs and entrench more innocent victims in drug abuse, like his addicted mother. So he/she may save his life but he'll entrench his/her beloved mother into her addiction, and others like her as well.


The other way to raise the stakes is the obvious one: throw tension and stress at your character in the form of opposition. Make it difficult for him/her to achieve their goal. (The rival gang stealing the briefcase is an example of this). The gang that captures his mother now threatens her life: if he/she doesn't get the money back to them the gang will kill her. His/her main opponent has put even more pressure on the protagonist - the stakes have been raised.


Now I'm a lot more interested in the contents of that briefcase and how the main character is going to get it back, and that's not even allowing for good writing! And that involves, for one, a decent sequence of events in the form of scenes. The set-up scenes, complications, then the pay-off, ensuring there is some resolution to the predicament. Then we raise another stake, then another, and another until we reach the final resolution.

Writer's Food Pyramid

An exert from the book

I am a little nervous about putting this out there, but fear (unless appearing in the guise of an armed murderer) is to be welcomed as a signpost pointing the way to growth. One must overcome and abandon the dreaded ego. So here goes, just a couple of paragraphs:

##He stood and assayed his surroundings. Red and silver maples, sycamores, and swamp white oaks stood in the direction his European carriage pointed from its embedded station in the muddy grass just off the Parkway. The sound of the cars zooming behind him, not one of them had stopped, not a single caring or curious individual had come to his aid. He assessed his appearance in the streaked side mirror. His soiled collar all askew, tufts of grass protruded from behind it springing from his nape in an area that rendered them impossible to dislodge without disrobing. It was evening and too cold to be without a jacket, even for a moment. His face was streaked in greenish brown. He observed his hands were of the same hue, the turfed sludge extending up past his wrists, over his double cuffs and underneath the sleeves of his ruined jacket. His now mired, dishevelled car with its jagged rear parts and immoveable vulgarity, he noted, was analogous of his own appearance. 

He reached a muddy mitt into the inside pocket of his jacket and flicked open the phone. He dialled his insurance company. After briefly holding he was directed to higher powers and a polite supervisor who advised him they would send a towing service imminently. He reminded them of the car in question and they guaranteed him the best towing company, the safest most expedient service appropriate for the most valued of customers. He completed the relatively painless transaction then dialled home.##

I Believe

I believe there is nothing else than this moment, enjoying it for what it is: an opportunity for fun, forgiveness, passion, grace, compassion, love, empathy, friendships, revelry, letting go, profound conversation, light and meaningless drivel, fun, excitement, laughter and most of all, us.

I believe the ultimate compassion is for one’s self – all compassion flows from acceptance and nurturing of one’s own condition.

I believe that tomorrow may be a better day but today could be the best day, ever.

I believe in sorting out your own rubbish before attempting to help others but in doing so recognising that only the truly enlightened can eliminate their own suffering, which may take lifetimes to complete.

I believe love can be difficult but in itself is not painful. Your pain is your own pain, so own it.

I believe true happiness comes from within, and unhappiness also – do not blame others for your suffering.

I believe positive thinking is fine, unless you don’t believe it – that’s suppression and it will manifest itself sooner or later, when you least expect it, probably at an important time, and it might hurt others. So experience happiness as well as unhappiness to its fullest. Allow, accept, observe and nurture.

I believe that people can only hurt you with words if you believe on some level that they are true.

I believe helping others won’t help yourself, and your good deeds may never be reciprocated –we should give to give, not to receive.

I believe I am my own worst enemy. Who else is there? The universe and its occupants are not conspiring against us – this is not Hollywood.

I believe we fall in love with a reflection of ourselves but that true love is acceptance of the other as a person, not your projection of what that person should be, or was. We are not each other’s saviours but we can be loving companions and support each other as we work through samsara.

I believe that people who take you for granted may not know that they are, but that this is no excuse and neither is it your responsibility or a reflection of your intrinsic worth.

I believe expectation is the cousin of disappointment.

I believe you get out of life what you put in.

I believe in following your passion – there is nothing else.

I believe that suffering is inevitable but recognise that your suffering won;t cause the world to stop - if you wallow you may miss an opportunity to be present for something uplifting and beautiful.

I believe you should be conscious of how your words and actions impact others but that, as long as these aren’t consciously or unconsciously nasty, ill-conceived or malicious, you are not responsible for their pain.

I believe that believing something doesn’t make it real. It may be dogmatic thinking – be conscious of that.

I believe nature is our most precious commodity. Appreciate it, love it, bear witness to it in all its grandeur, and love even the smallest sound, smell, motion or action arising from it. Nature can anchor you in the here and now.