Caswell

Submitted by Virge on Sat, Aug 23, 2003 - 15:54
in

This afternoon I soaked up a creative writing workshop run by Brian Caswell. He is an exuberant character with a dry wit (and a healthy contempt for "Home and Away"). His presentation was engaging, particularly for the attendees like myself who became characters in his example stories. For half the session I was a two-timing boyfriend that caused a stand-up argument between two friends.

I found I could relate to Brian's approach to writing. He maintains that structure helps creativity. Completely free creativity produces a lot of ideas that sound great but leave you stumped for where to go after the first chapter or two. He only works on plot once he knows how his book will end.

A quick summary of his writing process is:


  • What if X happened? - create a problem that affects a character's life in such a way that their future must be fundamentally changed.
  • How would my character feel? - feelings and emotions come first.
  • What would my character do first based on how he/she feels?
  • Jump to the end and work out how you want it to finish - how do you want the reader to feel at the end?
  • Develop the plot with the end in mind.

Brian presented a brainstorming game preferably played with two people. The game used pace to avoid the intrusion of conscious thought processes.


  • First the players take it in turns to point to an object in the room and name what it is.
  • Then the players take it in turns to point to an object in the room and name it something completely wrong.
  • Finally the players take it in turns to point to an object in the room and name it somthing that doesn't exist.
Done fast enough, the game overrides your brain's natural inhibition and allows access to your wealth of subconscious ideas.

Brian maps out his stories into scenes as though writing for film. For each scene he lists the action (characters and setting) and the purpose (what it should make the reader believe).
Some of his writing tips:


  • Stories are not about events. Stories are about people.
  • Characters are only revealed under pressure.
  • In any scene, get in late and get out early.
  • Don't describe a scene before a character is in it.
  • The author provides 50% of the story. The reader provides the rest.
  • The reader should be asking questions and predicting answers. The reader should be thinking ahead.
  • In conversation, only 10% of communication is carried by words. Dialog should reflect this.
  • Well written dialog doesn't even need "he/she said".
  • Never give an objective description. Always use a character's point of view.
  • Never describe anything the character doesn't notice. What a character notices depends on how he/she feels.
  • Everyone interprets the world as if they were the the centre of it. Every character should do this and react accordingly.