Summertime Writing: Substituion In Stories

In the last innovation post, I tried to use the association method for story innovation. In this post, I'd like to try the SCAMPER method of innovation and creativity. I will do the first of the seven parts of the SCAMPER method in this post—Substitution.

1. State the original idea, problem, or question (source).

For this case, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Synopsis found at Wikipedia. I cut together pieces of the larger synopsis.

tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a hideous, sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment...the Creature tall, about 8 feet (2.4 m) in height and proportionally large. Despite Victor's selecting its features as beautiful, upon animation the creature is instead hideous, with watery white eyes and yellow skin that barely conceals the muscles and blood vessels underneath. Repulsed by his work, Victor flees when it awakens. While wandering the streets, he meets his childhood friend, Henry Clerval, and takes Henry back to his apartment, fearful of Henry's reaction if he sees the monster. However, the Creature has escaped.

Intelligent and articulate, the Creature relates his first days of life, living alone in the wilderness and finding that people were afraid of and hated him due to his appearance, which led him to fear and hide from them. While living in an abandoned structure connected to a cottage, he grew fond of the poor family living there, and discreetly collected firewood for them. Secretly living among the family for months, the Creature learned to speak by listening to them and he taught himself to read after discovering a lost satchel of books in the woods. When he saw his reflection in a pool, he realized his physical appearance was hideous, and it terrified him as it terrifies normal humans. Nevertheless, he approached the family in hopes of becoming their friend. Initially he was able to befriend the blind father figure of the family, but the rest of them were frightened and they all fled their home, resulting in the Creature leaving, disappointed. He traveled to Victor's family estate using details from Victor's journal, murdered William, and framed Justine.

The Creature demands that Victor create a female companion like himself. He argues that as a living being, he has a right to happiness. The Creature promises that he and his mate will vanish into the South American wilderness, never to reappear, if Victor grants his request. Should Victor refuse his request, The Creature also threatens to kill Victor's remaining friends and loved ones and not stop until he completely ruins him.

Fearing for his family, Victor reluctantly agrees. The Creature says he will watch over Victor's progress. 

2. SCAMPER

Substitute is about replacing parts of the story. Characters, description, setting, plots, or conflicts may be replaced with alternatives.
Combine
Adapt
Modify, minimize, or maximize
Put to another use
Eliminate or elaborate
Reverse

Substitute

• Genre

A common type of replacement is genre. Maybe instead of horror, replace it with a modern setting. What if this happened in the stone age. Or maybe Frankenstein happened in ancient Egypt.

• Characters

Characters may be replaced. Maybe Victor Frankenstein is a woman—much like the author Mary Shelley—Victoria Frankenstein. Or maybe he is an artist that brings to life a painting instead of a alchemy creature. A singer might bring to life a creature or being from a song.

• Setting

Already I mentioned Egypt in the ancient genre which would be a different location. What about in China if a alchemist were trying to make a kung-fu soldier. Maybe on Easter Island, those faces were their attempt at a rock golem.

• Plot

Maybe Dr. Frankenstein was trying to create his own bride instead of for the monster, more like the movie Weird Science. Maybe instead of the creature trying to kill him, the creature is constantly trying to save Dr. Frankenstein from foolish dangerous endeavors.

• Description

Maybe instead of describing things in letters, as Mary Shelley does, the book is described using text messages. Or maybe I take the original text and change portions of the text. Let me try this now.

From Frankenstein Chapter 1 (after the letters)

I am by birth a Genevese, and my family is one of the most distinguished of that republic. My ancestors had been for many years counsellors and syndics, and my father had filled several public situations with honour and reputation. He was respected by all who knew him for his integrity and indefatigable attention to public business. He passed his younger days perpetually occupied by the affairs of his country; a variety of circumstances had prevented his marrying early, nor was it until the decline of life that he became a husband and the father of a family.

Paragraph below is based on the above paragraph
Paragraph 1, Chapter 1 Frankenstein, 
©2019 by Ken Wickham, all rights reserved. This is based on Mary Shelley's original text.

I was born into a family, who are famous, originating from the Geneva Republic. My ancestors had been longtime government officials and ambassadors, and my father had held several public offices with honorable and with a great reputation. Everyone that knew him respected him for his integrity and untiring attention to public service. He spent the good amount of time early in his career constantly focused on the needs of his country; many reasons prevented him from getting involved in dating in his youth. It wasn't until he was already near retirement that he married and became a father.

Analysis of Substitution

This exercise was easier for me than some of the last exercise. I even enjoyed rewriting the paragraph of Frankenstein using my own words and description. So far, I really like substitution as a tool for innovation in story writing.

Story Mechanisms: creating a story profile instructions (part 7)

Click on image to enlarge

Story sheet after this session which includes this 2nd Conflict

This is the sheet of what has been created so far.

https://www.rpgnow.com/product/257257/Story-Mechanisms

Expanding the story part 3

So far in this series I've made a basic story structure sheet, began constructing a story by selecting the basic story elements, decided to star the main character Dakota, created an argument opening scene between Dakota and Rowan, wrote an inciting event, and created a first conflict from that inciting event.

Next, I'll roll for a second conflict.

Second Conflict

Why: flashback to original cause of conflict

What I will do with this writing challenge is maybe begin with Dakota going to try finding Rowan and then begin to question what happened. I will then do a flashback I will test to find out if Dakota finds out what actually happened to help explain why and maybe help for the final conflict.

Roll for difficulty challenge of second conflict.

Moderate, Inconvenient

This probably should use soul for social ability and investigate skill.

Roll for resolution for soul & investigate = (fair (0)+ fair (0)) + roll (6) =  A die roll of 6 automatically succeeds. Despite the challenge you succeeded with great effort and luck.




Several people knew Rowan a little bit.

Despite being mostly reclusive, Rowan did speak with a few.

Rowan would speak about the great historical Expansion-age as a great elvish time in history, almost a golden age. Most interesting to Rowan, was the ancient magical arts. Rowan tried to learn everything in books and at the site about magical use, historical battles involving magic, and even the dark arts.

Dakota, through great effort and a little luck was able to track down the last known home of Rowan.

Dakota walked towards the home that Rowan had been living in recently.

Several families lived in this part of the village.

Asking around, many didn't know Rowan's name, and was known however when being described.

Finally, Dakota found the last known home.

It was empty—not even a single piece of furniture.

Asking around brought no answer at first. Dakota however, persisted deep past nightfall. When Dakota was about to leave and go home,  one person finally nodded yes. One person described a few days ago, that same day that Dakota had hit Rowan, as the last day seen there.

Rowan had come home kicking at rocks, hitting the wall, and slammed the door shut.

The following day, Rowan packed up a handcart filled with belongings and left the home, heading towards the northern gate.



Next posts So far, the story has resolved the first and second conflict. The next post will go into the final conflict.

Story Mechanisms: creating a story profile instructions (part 6)

Click on image to enlarge

This is the sheet of what has been created so far.

https://www.rpgnow.com/product/257257/Story-Mechanisms

Expanding the story part 2

So far in this series I've made a basic story structure sheet, began constructing a story by selecting the basic story elements, decided to star the main character Dakota, and in last post created an argument opening scene between Dakota and Rowan.

Next, I'll roll for an inciting event. 

Inciting Event

Something important destroyed

Now I need to brainstorm. First, I'll write some of the prior keywords.

physical-based story
Dakota's social acknowledgment and self-actualizing from ugliness motivation
stop or destroy either the foe or the foes' giant ooze creatures
trying to attack an elvish village
archaeological dig, elvish ancient ruins, Expansions-age
character might be considered ugly
magical candelabra
stinky glob of ooze
"I'll kill you," Dakota heard Rowan say.

My main question is "what is the important thing destroyed."

Maybe it can relate to the archaeological dig. Maybe it can involve the ooze. Maybe it can involve the village.

I know! A archaeological golden statue is found.




Dakota scraped away dirt revealing gold.

Soon more frantic, Dakota quickly removed dirt until face to foot, a mysterious beautiful lady stood regal and powerfully looking at Dakota.

News quickly spread throughout the camp of the discovery.

Later that day, most of the elegant statue had carefully been uncovered from layers of dirt.

Dakota had even skipped eating.

What began as screams across the dig site soon amplified.

Looking towards the screams, a large bright blob slowly was moving this way.

Quickly standing, everyone moved away from the entombed room and moved outside.

The yellow ooze moved to the gold statue and surrounded it.

A sizzling sound and gray steam came from the blob and statue.

Dakota watched as the ultimate beautiful priceless find dissolved into molten blob.

The discovery was now gone.






Okay, now that sets the story up with a foe and a danger that Dakota must now be involved with.

First Conflict

What is needed to fight this foe?


The first conflict will be to try finding something to fight this ooze foe.

Difficulty Challenge: 1, easy; annoying.

Although the final conflict is going to be a physical one, this first conflict makes more sense being an investigation type conflict. I'll use my One-Roll RPG skill and stats mixed with my Flash RPG (RFRPG) and Three Conflict Chain RPG (3CC) rules.

I'll set up the challenge at the end of the inciting event.



Dakota needs stats.

I'm wording these using One-Roll Fudge RPG (ORF) terminology and stats, since I've recently made that game.

Mind: Good
Body: fair
Soul: Fair

Skill: Academics-archaeology: good (+1); fight-martial arts: fair (0); investigate: fair (0)

Roll for resolution for mind & investigate = (good (+1)+ fair (0)) + roll (2) = great (ORF) or +2 over the difficulty challenge for 3CC results Rolling over the difficulty by 2 means victory, with a twist. Although you succeeded roll for a twist to see what has changed.

Because of Dakota's fair

Twist

Rolling for twist result.

Twist in location.


Now time to write something out. The twist of location I'll fit into a different scene. Rowan will not be living nor staying at the same frequent location.

First a reaction scene





Dakota looked at pile of molten metal and gold. Dakota felt a sinking feeling—most of the excitement now turned to dread and hopelessness.

This was supposed to by my career-making discovery!

"Why did the blob eat the statue," one younger assistant asked.

Why indeed? "I don't know," Dakota simply said.

Dakota's mind filled with painful images, the glugging, slurping, and glurping sounds amplified.

And then the horrific event ended.

Dakota looked towards the ooze moving away from the area. Rowan stood and smiled—almost in glee—holding the candelabra up and nodding this way.

I need to find something to resist acid, Dakota thought. Or destroy it! Or stop —that person...

Dakota watched Rowan walk following the ooze off into the distance.




So, already Dakota should know who did it, what was used, and what caused ooze attack.
Dakota already solved how to fight the foe. And the character will now become an active participant in future conflict events. Rowan, however as a result of the twist, will not be easy to find.


Next posts
So far, the story has resolved the first conflict sort of by solving the first question quickly. The next post will go into the next conflict.

Story Mechanisms: creating a story profile instructions (part 5)

https://www.rpgnow.com/product/257257/Story-Mechanisms

Expanding the story

So far in this series I've made a basic story structure sheet and last time I began constructing a story by selecting a fantasy genre and the basic story elements, one of which I decided to star the main character Dakota that I created in October for Character Mechanisms.

Created last time

Based on the rolled results the story is a physical-based story where the main character must destroy either the foe or the foes' giant ooze creatures that are trying to attack an elvish village because of some social affection issue. The hero must stop or destroy the ooze in order to save the village.

Maybe Dakota at some point in the past interacted with each other, Dakota did something that created this desire to attack the village with the giant ooze. In all likelihood, The foe maybe was attracted to Dakota and wanted to pursue a relationship. Maybe this character might be considered ugly, which clashes with Dakota's social acknowledgment and self-actualizing from ugliness motivation.

Story Challenge

Using Story Mechanisms has challenged me with a story that I don't think that I would have ever created on my own. That is one great I think. It forces me to expand my writing ability. I do like how the story has a motive, the affection of the foe.

Story Themes and Conflicts

Themes

Three themes naturally can be assigned to this story which I find just looking over one of my charts for ideas. The affections is listed on my Theme Generator as affections vs feelings. For looks, I have vanity vs modesty. There is also love vs hate which fits a revenge motive.

Three Conflict Chain RPG

Opening

Although I know the main conflict, I want to look into the story for further conflicts and details. First is the beginning of the story.

A dialogue can help to establish the main character and the setting.

Argument between relationship.

Okay, so I will begin the story with an argument between two characters. I'll pull out one of my Character Mechanisms tool, the Dialogue Engine to do this.

I first look at the hostile/anger mood and topic chart.

Threat.
I'm/We’re going to...

In this argument, there is going to be a threat.

What type of character would be interesting to argue with Dakota—a skeptical charismatic character? 

I'll name the foe another gender neutral name, Rowan.

Probably a guardian type character that is trying to hold onto some type of ideal is the exact opposite of a skeptical character. Instead of questioning things, the guardian tries to preserve and return back to the past when things seemed to be better. Also, I can make this character more blunt and less charismatic. Appearance wise, maybe I can do something with elf ears. Maybe one elf ear is smaller than the other elf ear. And maybe his nose is bigger than normal. These two traits plus the blunt guardian personality might make this foe into a less attractive character.

Guardian

I/We should/have to… I (don't)
like...

I'm going to maybe use the archaeology of Dakota maybe as a common thread.

Both Rowan and Dakota are archaeologists excavating ancient elvish ruins when they come across something that causes an argument maybe it is something that leads to the giant ooze conflict. It could be an ancient powerful object.

I'll use Description Generator for some keywords.

11, 3 U shaped

This reminds me of a candelabra.

I'll try to throw some notes down for an argument scene over a candelabra at an elvish archaeological site. I'll just see where the writing takes these two characters.




Opening

"It's just a broken down brass lamp," Dakota said in a low quiet voice to Rowan.

Rowan eyebrows became tense and his uneven ugly ears turned red. "This is a magical candelabra, it's not junk." he said holding the bent and mangled crappy waste-of-time object in his hand. A small stinky glob of ooze pulsed where a candle should sit. "We have to preserve and study this Expansion-age power. It could be powerful. The ancients Expansions-age elves had greater knowledge and understanding than we even know today," Rowan said, looking at the object as if it were a lover.

"Huh? It's worthless and hideous," Dakota simply said.

Dakota turned to look towards the still-to-be excavated room. "Maybe there is a exquisite golden object somewhere in here."

A hand suddenly grabbed around from behind on the shirt collar.

Dakota smashed with a backfist, the fist hitting the ear of Rowan. Dakota heard Rowan hit the ground, but Dakota began to walk away.

Rowan then was breathing harder and harder, the air rushing in and out, echoing through the dig site chambers. His bulbous nose sniffled.

"I'll kill you," Dakota heard Rowan say. And then louder ,"I'll kill you!"

"Take your crappy thing and get away from me," Dakota said, deciding to stay away from Rowan for good.


I didn't know what this argument would look like until I wrote the words. It's good enough for now. I think I have written and developed the story enough for this post.

The next post

With that opening, the next posts I will try to figure out how the story can escalate.

Story Mechanisms: creating a story profile instructions (part 4)

Now for a Story Mechanisms instruction creation, testing, and example creation.

https://www.rpgnow.com/product/257257/Story-Mechanisms

Using the Story Plot Diagram

Here is the basic story structure constructed sheet.

Click on image to enlarge

This shows the basic structure of a story flow and information found in the Story Mechanisms book.

It shows the story beginning, middle, and end.

The slope is the rising tension up to the final conflict, the climax.

1. Flash RPG is the first book in the series. Flash RPG (FRPG) game adds the several fundamental story elements on to this diagram sheet: Genre, Setting, Foe, Conflict, Character, Result, and Lasting Effects are the main elements along with supporting elements. Since Story Mechanisms includes Plot and Foe Generators, I will use two d12 rolls and consult those charts instead of the d6 FRPG results.

Genre - The only information that will not be rolled is genre. Since I'm currently working with fantasy, I will pick the genre of the story as fantasy, otherwise that would have been my first roll.

Setting - City or area. This story will take place in a city, village, or town within the fantasy world of Aioskoru.

5, 10 Conflict - Destroy. This story will take place in the setting and involve need to destroy something.

7, 7 Foe - Seeker Person. In this story a person seeking something will be the cause of the danger.

Attribute - Body. The attribute to test will be a physical task.

2. Motivation Generator -  I need to roll the Motivation of the seeker person foe.

3, 2 the Foe Motivation is social, affection.

Based on these results the story is a physical based story where the main character must destroy either the foe or something related to the foe in order to help the city or area.

I use the Description Generator to see if it helps me to identify a possible item.

[Description Gen 4, 2 bouncing; 3, 3 enlarged]

These two words remind me of giant ooze blob creatures.

So the foe has giant ooze creatures and is trying to attack an Elvish village because of some social affection issue. The hero must stop or destroy the ooze in order to save the village.

For the main character, I will use Dakota, which I created using the Character Mechanisms.

In this next section I copy and pasted everything from those 9 posts about this character. For more details on how this character was created, see that series of posts which begin in October of this year (2018).

Dakota Character sheet.

This character can be used now, with high amount of detail, with a name, race, and maybe gender. Additional details can be added to this, if the character becomes more important.

Click to enlarge image of Dakota character profile.

Description

Hazel eyes

Fit looking character:  hourglass shaped.

Dark auburn, long, and straight hair.

Porcelain skin.
Large chest or breasts (DD/E cup)

Skeptic - They seek the truth. They are tempted to be elsewhere and self-sufficient, not asking for help. They fixated on vengeance and they objectify abstract concepts into concrete actions. They desire self-protection. They fear being controlled, harmed, or violated. Debate and lust are their common expressions. When not challenging others, they desire to be innocent.

Charismatic - has high charisma and presence. He/she is outgoing and expressive.

Guard - police, cop, deputy, security, sentinel, army, patrol, sentry, watchman, warder, warden, keeper, fighter

Temperance - temperance might represent self-control, restraint, or moderation. Or it might represent justice, humanity, or concern for others.

Lust - lust might be the self-absorbed desire for something. Lust might be wanting or needing something even something mysterious or unknown.

Motivation

social type motive, acknowledgment

self-actualization, ugliness

Mood

guilty type, blamed

Body Language

this character expresses guilt with a flushed or red face and changes the topic.

A Cinderella type story if it is a female. The guard type encounter, lusty vice, and curvaceous auburn headed description however differ from Cinderella.

Skeptic Behavior

Like: Think, Discuss 

Avoid: Feel 

Common Goal: Question, data, reason 

First behavior: Oppose 

Second behavior: Question 

Pressured: Seeker 

Relaxed: Caregiver

Speaking Voice

This character speaks in a quiet vocal tone most of the time. Okay, an opposing skeptic that speaks quiet.

resonance comes from chest

speaks in complex sentences

Either the character is educated or hangs around educated people and has picked up complex sentence dialogue.

Common Words

Oppose: "I don't believe...."

Question: "Why should/would I/we (have)…."

Relaxed Caregiver: "You, He, She, They should(n't) have...."

Initial Skeptic state

analyze function; to examine details or entirety = stimulus response; questions and answers.

Character Knowledge

social science, sociology

Sociology is the scientific study of society, patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and culture of everyday life.

This character knows something about social relationships, culture, and interaction. Certainly this character is biased towards the character's motivation which was this.

This character's motive has already been generated: social, acknowledgment; self-actualize, ugliness. All through a charismatic-skeptical personality perspective. A life with a guilty past.

Character Career

history, geography, and anthropology, archaeologist

Archaeologist a specialist in archaeology, the scientific study of prehistoric peoples and their cultures by analysis of their artifacts, inscriptions, monuments, etc. 

Relationships

This character knows a designer, probably a clothing or armor designer. This relationship fits in nicely with the character's social, acknowledgment & self-actualize, ugliness motives.

Character Dream

I think the dream is that the character's mother is trying to reach the family cat in the road to save it from the oncoming structure, a vehicle. A swish sounds out, however, something is preventing her from reaching the cat even though there is plenty of time. The mother is nearly escaping, but can't quite break free from a dark tentacle-like force.

Story and Main Character

If I connect the Dakota to the foe of the story, maybe Dakota at some point in the past interacted with each other, Dakota did something that created this desire to attack the village with the giant ooze. In all likelihood, The foe maybe was attracted to Dakota and wanted to pursue a relationship. Maybe this character might be considered ugly, which clashes with Dakota's social acknowledgment and self-actualizing from ugliness motivation.

Maybe Dakota actually did something with this foe which results in a guilty conscience.

This will end first creation of the Story Mechanisms example section.