Monday, September 10, 2012

Transition

     The dictionary describes Transition as a passage from one  stage, subject or place to another.
Transitions are a part of life, they change the world, and they change you and the people around you.
They can be as devastating as the death of someone, or as simple as starting school or moving to another part of town. Or in my case, across the country.

       Romance writers know all about goal, motivation and conflict. When you think about it most genre fiction, be it romance, mystery, or whatever starts because of some sort of transition.
Think about it, the stranger moving to town. The injured soldier, or the injured cowboy, each with a secret. What happens when that secret is revealed will change them. That is a transition. The person who moves to another town, hoping to hide something. Even a murder and the effect it has on family, friends, even the cops who are investigating it.

        That is a transition.
        
        I like to think of transitions when I am starting a story. I usually start with a situation.
In my current book, The Pink Lady, I started with the main character inheriting a house; what she decides to do with the house that is her transition. Everything that happens is part of the journey or passage to another place, be it physical or otherwise.

         That after all is the description of a transition

7 comments:

Judith Ashley said...

Transitions are a part of our life because we can't live our life without them. The passage of time is a transition and that happens to all of us.

You are right, a good story uses transitions to show goal, motivation, and conflict.

Thanks, Elaine.

Sarah Raplee said...

Great insight into transitions and Story!

Anonymous said...

(ahhh, blogger is having issues...)
Hi Elaine!
Would a transition be the same thing as an inciting moment?
Thanks,
Shannon (hopefully this one is going through :-)

ElaineCharton said...

Shannon-
Te inciting moment could be the thing that triggers the transition. At least that is the way I would interpret it. hope that helps.

ElaineCharton said...

Thanks Judith and Sarah!

Paty Jager said...

A great post about transition! And in a way easy to understand and put to use.

ElaineCharton said...

Thanks Paty!