Line by Line 06/17/20

#WritingCommunity,

You are invited to #LineByLineTime, A Mini Critique Hour hosted by @graestonewriter.

In the movie, Gore Vidal’s Lincoln, the president “runs the lines” of The Gettysburg Address with his aides, saying, “I have a short short short speech, which I will try out on the chickens, as the farmer said.”

(Marvelous, powerful movie that has haunted me all these years.)

Each week #LineByLineTime writers share lines from their WIPs. (Try it out on the chickens, as the farmer said.)

During the hour, there will be a focus question, a chance to share, and a wrap-up question.

…

June 17, 2020: 

Transitions are the glue that allows our WIP move from scene to scene, week to week.

We try to avoid, “The next day”, “Later”, and other time markers. The good transitions move us into the action of the next scene.

I am using Betsy Byars Good-bye, Chicken Little for simple examples of our Line-By-Line exercises. Byars wrote MG books for years, won prestigious awards, and knew her stuff. Chapter 10 ends with these words:

In the living room Mrs. Little began quietly playing ‘Silent Night.’ Jimmie closed his eyes and slept.

Chapter 11

“Mom, now the other goldfish is dead!”

You can’t tell with this clip, but we instantly know it is daytime, and Cassie has lost a goldfish, probably the second of two.

I hope you will join us Wednesday. Feel free to make helpful suggestions about other lines the group might explore in the future.

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