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15 September 2015

Storylines: Casual Transition

As I was winding to a close with this series, I thought I should outline some variations on “transition”, since that particular storyline encompasses such a variety of plots. The first was invading transition, and this one, “casual transition”, combines something of transition and beauty.

When I explained beauty I said that the writer would generally frame the story using the protagonist’s memories. However, this naturally opens the door to a story-in-story design. Instead, the protagonist may be transitioning from the familiar to the unfamiliar, and leaving behind a thing of beauty in the process. This storyline’s emotional impact flows from nostalgia, and while transition deals with a person’s attempt to redefine themselves, casual transition places greater emphasis on a person’s struggle to hold on to who they have been in the face of new adversities and the absence of old friends, mentors, and refuges.

Like beauty, this storyline relies on subtlety and detail. Do not make the new world too unfamiliar or impacting; the thrill of transition can easily drown out beauty’s effect. This is casual transition: Let the world into which the protagonist transitions maintain a sense of normalcy; let it be relatable to the reader. As to writing the old world, remember only that the key to beauty is that it is doomed to pass. The protagonist cannot go back, perhaps physically or perhaps metaphorically. You can’t go home again. For more detail, read the previous writing on beauty.

This story will probably not be adventurous, it is best suited to questions of becoming and the worth of ideals. Keep the characters and settings casual; let the adventure unfold in their development. Remember, like all things related to beauty, the mastery of this particular storyline requires excessive perseverance and patience. Don’t give up!