Michael's original questions: "What is it about the kernel of a story that hooks you? How do you go about envisioning a larger story? What is it that makes you conclude that you want to write the full story (book, play, etc.)? Aside from my intrigue with this question, I think the answers can shed some light on how what we call "aesthetics" is incorporated in the actual making or developing of a work."
Note: Michael's focus here is not on the execution, the actual writing, but on the choosing of the original "subject". l'll interpret the last line of Michael's query this way: How much does any of us let ourselves be guided by general precepts about what makes a work in our genre worthy, even, some might put it, "artful"? Here's a generalization about playwrights: A creator in theater has to work constantly to reconcile two possibly conflicting impulses: He wants to do what satisfies himself AND he wants to accommodate the audience's needs and desires as spectators. Many visual artists, dancers, poets, et al may say that doesn't apply to them: Some may say they create a work solely "for themselves". Others may say the "boss" is the work. Michael wrote: "The painting "takes over" only because as I paint, I make decisions, which then foreclose some options and open others. The "direction" of the painting comes from choices I make." I feel I understand this. I might have written: "The play "takes over" only because as I write, I make decisions, which then foreclose some options and open others. The "direction" of the play comes from choices I make." All of which suggests we "choose the subject" over and over again -- while working on one piece. The subject can change radically as a writer writes. At each potential fork in the subject road, the writer chooses again. He may end up at a destination that was not on the original itinerary. I certainly have done that. I wrote four full-length plays. The "original" choices of the KIND of subject varied. Here's what ran through my mind as I chose the "subject" for my first produced play. The idea for that first produced play was a "situation", and it was easy to come by. Theater "insiders" advised me that my first should have a subject that is easily recognized, and its central concerns "accessible". So I made the setting a publishing house, and the propelling motor the impending death of the grand old owner and CEO, and the necessity to pick a successor. Many generic elements came to me at once: I needed contrasting competitors for the job, and the contrast should be one of a realistic businessman versus a man of "sensibility". They would have opposing teams of supporters. (To lend things the ambiguity Chris wants, I wanted the "right" choice to be not clear-cut, with each candidate having ostensible strengths and weaknesses. I like the thought of the audience leaving the theater discussing -- even arguing about -- the play.) The choice would be made by the new owner -- the old man's daughter. She will initially make a mistake, and then correct it in a surprise ending. I was quite aware of the generically familiar form of the story -- the king dies, etc -- but that didn't faze me. Whole books have been written to prove there are only seven basic plots, or fourteen, or twenty-three. The challenge would be to draw believable, interesting characters, all of them v aried, but all with brains and humor. I'd then have to show them making character-driven decisions right on stage. All of the decisions had to serve in the building of a good story. The aim was to write a box office success because the "insiders" had told me that the more "adventurous" plays I seemed to want to write would scare off producers -- until I'd shown I could win a popular audience. I keep saying first PRODUCED play, because I'd actually written another play before it -- an "adventurous" one. But that script ran into a problem -- in fact, two problems -- before I'd even shown it to a producer. More on that in the next posting. ************** Plan your next getaway with AOL Travel. Check out Today's Hot 5 Travel Deals! (http://travel.aol.com/discount-travel?ncid=emlcntustrav00000001)
