JMS on CompuServe (Jul 30, 1997) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*

[bbarrett at speedlink.com]

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 [ Summary of subjects in this section: ]
    Sb: #689046-DS9 = Babylon 5
    Sb: #689328-#DS9 = Babylon 5
    Sb: #689391-#but
    Sb: #689535-Bailing on Rebelcon?


 [ Summary: "Are you really the guy who owns the show and has the 
   finalle [sic] in an encrypted computer file at home?" ]

 #: 689560 S3/Star Trek: DS9
    29-Jul-97  23:51:10
Sb: #689046-DS9 = Babylon 5
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
 
      Yes, that would be me...and the finale's been filmed, so it's out of my
encrypted file at last.  Look for it at the end of season 5.
 
                                                                    jms
 

 [ Summary: In a Trek forum, a poster asks, "I was wondering when exactly 
   B5 will be airing in reruns on TNT or TBS." ]

 #: 689561 S3/Star Trek: DS9
    29-Jul-97  23:51:11
Sb: #689328-#DS9 = Babylon 5
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
 
      The show starts the weekend of January 4th on TNT, first with a newly
filmed prequel, "In the Beginning," then the original pilot, then the next day,
Monday, it starts from the very first episode of season one and goes straight
through, Monday through Friday, 5 nights a week, at 7 p.m. Eastern. The fifth
season starts mid-January.
 
      With the new airings on TNT, we will run through the entire first 4 years
in 18 week cycles, so everyone will have a chance to catch up and see the whole
thing.
 
      But this thread more properly belongs in the B5 section, so any further
questions should probably go there.
 
                                                                    jms
 


 #: 689391 S5/Babylon 5: General
    29-Jul-97  06:53:10
Sb: #but
Fm: CHAD UNDERKOFFLER

Joe:

I know you're busy with Season 5 concerns, but I have a question about writing,
and an insightful word or two  from you would really help.

After receiving my last story submission back in the mail yesterday, I sat down
and looked over the form rejection letter and my manuscript.  I finally came to
the conclusion that it's just a collection of scenes with no real story
underneath.  I do scenes fairly well, can come up with fairly creative
premises, my grammar and composition ain't bad, and I'm able (according to my
workshopping group) to show good characterizations...  but the most basic
kernel there-- the plot, I guess-- is really lacking.

My plots tend to be either skeletal or cliche. My characters really tend to
wander about: some merely run through the plot as if it were a rat's maze, not
really involved;  and those that *do* care and are involved in the plot seem to
lose all character depth during it.

Many of the Writer's Digest books I own seem to assume that the hopeful author
already has a plot, but needs characters.  I think I'm the oppposite. This
morning,  I pulled down Dibell's PLOT, dusted it off,  and am gonna re-read it
today.

Action in the story seems to elude me... other than purely external, physical
action.  I can't see the arc of a story: at most I see one leg of it. I'm
having difficulty putting together three sentence summaries of my stories.
("Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy shaves his head.")  Is there any way for
me to strengthen this authorial muscle?  Advice? Hints?

Thanx in advance, and if REF or any other writer wants to jump in, hey, I won't
mind. <g>

Rage
Ranger of Washingdome
"Mambo, baby, mambo!"


 #: 689600 S5/Babylon 5: General
    30-Jul-97  00:57:30
Sb: #689391-#but
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

      Basic approach: if you know your characters, then find out what they
want, how far they will go to get it, and how far someone else will go to stop
them.  From this comes structure, and from this comes plot.

      Put them in *motion*.

      As someone noted, "The king died and then the queen died" is not a story;
"The king died and then the queen died of grief" is a story.  Cause and effect.

                                                                    jms


 #: 689535 S17/Media Conventions
    29-Jul-97  18:43:37
Sb: #Bailing on Rebelcon?
Fm: ALAN L. RAVITCH

Joe...is that a definite that you're now NOT going to do Rebelcon?

Please advise!

Thanks!

:-) Alan


 #: 689601 S17/Media Conventions
    30-Jul-97  00:57:33
Sb: #689535-Bailing on Rebelcon?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

      Yeah...I notified the con people the other day.  I'm *really* distressed
by this, because it's the first time I've ever had to bail on a con due to work
commitments (or any OTHER reason, there's never been one before this).  But
given the distance, the work involved, the deadlines looming up ahead of me,
and all the rest...I can't justify doing it.  The show has to come first.

      And I'm *really* bummed because it's John Flinn's first convention, and I
really wanted to be there to see his reaction.

                                                                    jms



[END]

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