tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post4889658845086693301..comments2024-01-12T00:48:48.031-06:00Comments on Go Teen Writers: The Dramatic QuestionStephanie Morrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-68940410759913494192016-01-21T19:22:55.916-06:002016-01-21T19:22:55.916-06:00The dramatic question for my book is probably: Wil...The dramatic question for my book is probably: Will Avartes save his friends and redeem himself, or will he let them die and hold on to his precious life.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06820137664285521182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-12742696365156947562015-08-15T01:50:13.407-05:002015-08-15T01:50:13.407-05:00Hello! Thank you for your post! I read a lot of wr...Hello! Thank you for your post! I read a lot of writing "tips" blogs, yet this is the first time I've read one of yours. I must say yours is the most helpful I've come across in a long time! - At least for where I'm at right now. So thank you! :) My dramatic question for my (first) work in progress is:<br />"Can Beauty, Beast and the Beast's sister untangle themselves from the Wicked Wizard's Web and break their curses?"<br />I'm still working on names for the Beast's sister and the Wicked Wizard, which is fitting I suppose, since one of the themes is "What is a name?". The other theme explores "What is a beast?". I guess themes are a topic for a different conversation. Narnia4Aslannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-47223465840900415982015-08-01T22:02:23.498-05:002015-08-01T22:02:23.498-05:00Thanks! I just started this new story so I'm g...Thanks! I just started this new story so I'm glad to hear it sounds interesting. I just finished my other book and I'm feeling slightly lost. Thanks for the encouragment! Emma Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17789949390534981103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-54823266488439318152015-08-01T22:00:26.304-05:002015-08-01T22:00:26.304-05:00That sounds cool! I want to read your story;)That sounds cool! I want to read your story;)Emma Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17789949390534981103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-80287195187728558522015-08-01T17:22:12.288-05:002015-08-01T17:22:12.288-05:00Thank you for this informative and thought-provoki...Thank you for this informative and thought-provoking post, Shannon! Here are the dramatic questions for the two main characters of my historical fiction novel: <br />1) Will Conrad lay aside his pride and vault his fear in order to win the piano competition?<br />2) Will Julienne relinquish her prejudice of Jews so that she can accept Conrad's love?<br />I tried to construct the questions in such a way that intertwines plot and character arc. (And no, despite my references to pride and prejudice, I'm not in any way imitating Jane Austen. :-) )Sophia Zervasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-10574777911602985442015-08-01T14:41:38.676-05:002015-08-01T14:41:38.676-05:00Thanks, Shannon, your answers really helped Sorry...Thanks, Shannon, your answers really helped Sorry about the name mix-up by the way :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-38983711461504155442015-08-01T13:52:46.307-05:002015-08-01T13:52:46.307-05:00Hooray! Like I told Jonathan up there, when you ha...Hooray! Like I told Jonathan up there, when you have it figured out, or at least think you do, write it somewhere you can see it when you're writing. It will keep you focused.Shannon Dittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757781231485815876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-60593554680508357512015-08-01T13:52:03.289-05:002015-08-01T13:52:03.289-05:00Wow! Very deep. I wonder what happens when you re-...Wow! Very deep. I wonder what happens when you re-ask that question and include the name of your protagonist.Shannon Dittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757781231485815876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-39449231074037210052015-08-01T13:49:27.916-05:002015-08-01T13:49:27.916-05:00You all are so creative! Great job.You all are so creative! Great job.Shannon Dittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757781231485815876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-50229018764907636882015-08-01T13:48:51.892-05:002015-08-01T13:48:51.892-05:00Good job, Jonathan! Write your dramatic question o...Good job, Jonathan! Write your dramatic question on an index card and stick it where you'll see it when you write. It will force you to stick to a storyline that furthers answering the question. It will drop you into a plot.Shannon Dittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757781231485815876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-60316524556916814202015-08-01T13:47:19.704-05:002015-08-01T13:47:19.704-05:00Hey Anonymous. I DO have a sister named Sharon, bu...Hey Anonymous. I DO have a sister named Sharon, but I'm Shannon. ;)<br /><br />1. Could be. Not necessarily. If them learning to work together or "find the amulet" is the answer, then sure. It's sort of like Jeopardy, you know? Think hard. What question does your story answer? It is harder, I believe, with multiple protagonists. <br /><br />2. Of course. Absolutely. The primary goal, reworded, should be the question. <br /><br />3. Well. Let's start with this. Having multiple main characters means that you will (most likely) have multiple goals. You can definitely tell a story that way, and without muddying this more for you, I'll say this: the Dramatic Question should be used by a writer as a tool to help them write. It's not something to be graded by a teacher. So, if it helps you, write a dramatic question for each main character. But I bet, if you really think about it, the goals of each main character will funnel into one mail goal and that should be/could be your DRAMATIC QUESTION. Think of Frodo and Aragorn and all the important characters in Lord of the Rings. They all have smaller goals, individual goals, but they have ONE MAIN GOAL. Destroy the ring. So, the dramatic question would be something like, "Will the fellowship destroy the one ring and save middle earth?" Simple. Yes. No. This isn't an easy exercise, but if you can focus your story into one question, it will thrust your writing forward.<br /><br />3. Then that first goal is not the goal of the story. You're talking about something bigger, right? You may want to find a writer pal and bounce your story around for a bit and get their feedback.Shannon Dittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757781231485815876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-57336572161757042572015-08-01T13:34:51.364-05:002015-08-01T13:34:51.364-05:00Wow! Very interesting. Wow! Very interesting. Shannon Dittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757781231485815876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-9322602553595144882015-08-01T13:34:13.512-05:002015-08-01T13:34:13.512-05:00Ooooo!Ooooo!Shannon Dittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757781231485815876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-65147429137050950092015-07-31T22:30:05.008-05:002015-07-31T22:30:05.008-05:00Change it to another bird name:) Fans will probabl...Change it to another bird name:) Fans will probably love the connection if they make it! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-90163453990595704022015-07-31T22:28:41.584-05:002015-07-31T22:28:41.584-05:00It will depend book to book, which is why I say fi...It will depend book to book, which is why I say five main characters instead of five POVs. I've only written the first draft of the first book, but it was split between one character whose chapters were twice as long as everyone else's due to the nature of his voice, and the one the first book surrounded. However, the second book will surround a different character. <br /><br />You might also ask who has the most at stake, but the problem spreads over the series, involving the people it takes the longest to get to just as much as the characters it gets to first. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-26613666548426687942015-07-31T21:17:46.979-05:002015-07-31T21:17:46.979-05:00OMG I never even realized that! Thanks. I wonder h...OMG I never even realized that! Thanks. I wonder how i could use that. Although, ive been thinking about changing Robins name since i have four characters whose names start with R. That will get very confusing.<br /><br />~K.A.C.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-76856771926857046222015-07-31T20:56:53.459-05:002015-07-31T20:56:53.459-05:00Thank you so much for this post, Shannon! This is ...Thank you so much for this post, Shannon! This is exactly what I needed right now. I have a good idea for a story, but I don't have a question to drive it. Your tips are going to be so helpful in figuring it out! Thanks! :)Joyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02062621990781150650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-58409777858246807862015-07-31T18:31:35.501-05:002015-07-31T18:31:35.501-05:00Shadows of Ragnarok's dramatic question is: Is...Shadows of Ragnarok's dramatic question is: Is evil born or chosen?pgacnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01868397677690901418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-82108266041880741812015-07-31T18:29:39.759-05:002015-07-31T18:29:39.759-05:00Having five main characters sounds ambitious to me...Having five main characters sounds ambitious to me. I do have one question though. Which character do you spend the most time on?pgacnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01868397677690901418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-71801418011977804262015-07-31T16:15:47.700-05:002015-07-31T16:15:47.700-05:00It's intriguing how you name your protagonists...It's intriguing how you name your protagonists after birds.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-49181873720292514872015-07-31T15:07:32.238-05:002015-07-31T15:07:32.238-05:00I've never heard of the dramatic question, but...I've never heard of the dramatic question, but now that i know how to find it, i kinda understand my current WIP and other novels a bit better. Amazing!<br />The question for my completed, but not revised WIP would be: will Raven marry the prince and find a better life, even if she has to betray those she loves in the process.<br />The next novel in the series is: Will Robin pay of his debt to mother Ingrith and keep his sacred name?<br /><br />~K.A.C.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-22274490531957473462015-07-31T15:07:24.244-05:002015-07-31T15:07:24.244-05:00Yep. Totally awesome.Yep. Totally awesome.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03465957545134125403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-11225084647499607862015-07-31T15:07:03.435-05:002015-07-31T15:07:03.435-05:00Let's see...this is gonna be hard, because my ...Let's see...this is gonna be hard, because my first draft (which is almost complete!) is totally useless. Seriously. This story has NO plot. If I do a rewrite, I'll have to change everything.<br /><br />Well, this is the first time I've gotten so far, so no biggie.<br /><br />Anyway, I think the my dramatic question will be:<br /><br />Can Dorlin fight his fear of fire and accept himself as a Flameweaver before the Demigod gains ultimate power?<br /><br />This will most definitely change. DEFINITELY. But I'll keep the fear of fire thing: it's what ties the story together and makes it what it is. Anyhoo, this post got me thinky :). Thanks!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03465957545134125403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-43104714908566183482015-07-31T15:05:24.288-05:002015-07-31T15:05:24.288-05:00Hi, Sharon,
I have three questions for you. Firs...Hi, Sharon,<br /><br />I have three questions for you. First question: If you have four characters (all fleshed out, developed, etc.) with different goals, is your dramatic question the thing that ties their journeys together (like "can they find the magic amulet?" or whatever?) My second question is does the primary goal of the story have any bearing on the dramatic question. My third question is that if the answer to #2 is yes, then how do you come up with a dramatic question if your characters fulfill their primary goal only to be given another goal? I know this is confusing, but if you can provide insight, I would greatly appreciate it.<br /><br />Whatever the case may be, this post has caused me to think more about my character's goals, and what bearing that has on the story. Thanks for the amazing advice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-74036545078265073032015-07-31T14:13:26.128-05:002015-07-31T14:13:26.128-05:00I have multiple main characters, but as a question...I have multiple main characters, but as a question summing them all up would go something like ... <br /> <br />Can five teens work to knit time together, or will they destroy each other with personal vendetta? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com