week 16: The Art of New Vision—Revision Revised

For my classic short story, i will be using steps 3,4,5, and maybe 6 to help it better. By using steps 3, and 4 I think that it will help me start and end my story better. step 5 will help me figure out what is and isn't needed in the story and if i do step 6 it will help me to find different conflict areas to build on and to create.

3.       For his novel A Farewell to Arms Ernest Hemingway wrote thirty-nine endings before finding the one he liked best.  For your story write three different endings, each one showing, in some way, how your character was changed by the action in the story.  What has to happen emotionally for your character by the end?

4.      Write three new openings for your story.  Each one should be at least a few paragraphs long.  In each opening, start from a different moment in the story—maybe even at the very end.  What new possibilities are created by these openings?

5.      Use scissors to cut up your story into scenes, summary, and flashbacks.  Lay the pieces out on the floor and count them.  Can some be combined, deleted, summarized?  Have you relayed important moments in the story through summary?  Do you notice missing scenes that should be there?

6.      Pump up every conflict you can find in your story and add in new ones.  Throw bigger obstacles in your character’s way.  Don’t be afraid to be extreme; you can back off from this later.  After a day has passed look at it again and see how much of what you’ve added does in fact work?