Articles and Essays

Motion, Identification and The Inertial Frame of Reference…

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“Everything moves. Everything …motion is just a manifestation of going from one spot to another spot in space. When we are trying to understand motion all of the things that we measure from have to come from an inertial frame of reference. An inertial frame of reference is a reference frame that is moving at a constant speed and not changing direction.”

–Motion and Relativity, Dr. Charles Liu, Research Associate @ the Department of Astrophysics, American Museum of Natural History

The backbone of a story, particularly an entertaining and engaging one is motion, movement from one place in conscious and consensual reality to another.

Amplifying the reader’s engagement with the internal movement of the story, the emotional thread requires clarification of setting and displaying the subtle shifts that take place and occur in perception of setting reflective of one’s internal changes.

These changes are usually transmitted, or rather shown through the eyes and physical senses of the protagonist who is also the point-of-view character.

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Of Time, Plot and Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity…

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When we think about time, we automatically link it with motion. The most constant things in human history have been the motions of the objects in the universe. So we first figured out how to measure time by figuring how long it took for the various astronomical motions in our solar system. If you move through space you are also moving through time.
Time is the 4th dimension in our universe.
–Dr. Charles Liu, Research Associate,
Department of Astrophysics,
American Museum of Natural History

Albert Einstein’s gift to the 20th century through his postulation of the Special Theory of Relativity was recognizing the existence of a 4th dimension in our universe.
This 4th dimension is our experience of time.

Human consciousness of time plays an important role in the crafting of story.
Time directly relates to plot regarding fiction.
And as plot is the backbone of story it can be said that time forms the frame and an essential dimension of story.

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Of Allies, Bishops, Stories and Forethought…

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The Queen, in that she is the most powerful player and closest to the King, along with the one Bishop stands as the protagonist.

Her goal is clear. In that the story hinges on the King’s protection from capture would then seem to not only serve as motive, but also plot.

Where the greatest hope of survival dwells also lives the most sincere vulnerability.

Lose the King and lose the game.

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Of Kings, Strategies and Tactics…

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Capture of the King in chess ends the game. And thus the role of each piece or character’s movements works towards the larger goals of protecting the King of the same color and capturing the King of the opponent.

The players move their characters and/or chess pieces towards accomplishing these two tasks.

In this way process of playing the game of chess resembles that of writing a book. While writers do not move our characters around the chessboard of our stories like the pieces of a chess game, each character of a novel or short story carries her or his own role, both in the narrative line and the structure of the plot.

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Of Queens, Personalities, Wishes and Desires…

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In chess, the Queen stands to the right of the King. Her major job is that of protecting the King. The dilemma of preventing the King’s capture rests upon the Queen’s head.

As such the Queen’s movements are central to winning the game of chess.

Establishing the major dilemma or problem in a story is essential to crafting fiction. The central problem inherently creates desire. And desire begets a series of actions that through cause-and-effect propel the narrative line–the plot.

Plot-driven stories answer the “What if?” question thereby directly conveying plot. Character-driven stories answer the questions, “Who? and Why now?”

From the personality of the of the central character rises an internal dilemma that determines behavior and reveals through a set of circumstances, often usual and common place, but no less bothersome and terrifying, a shift in way of behaving and perceiving the world.

This change or transformation emerges through a series of reactions and actions, again cause-and-effect set into motion by the protagonist’s personality, not so much the series of action themselves.

In this way the character-driven plot resembles that of the Queen’s aim and motive throughout chess. Perhaps this is why chess has been said to be the game of monarchs and aristocrats.

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Of Bishops, Kindreds Spirits and the Dawning of Awareness…

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The Bishop in chess moves diagonally along the squares of the chessboard until it encounters another playing piece.

The various directions in which the Bishop can move create a cross upon the chess board. Less powerful than the Queen or Rook, one Bishop equals the strength of a Knight or 3 Pawns. Like the Rook, Queen, Knight and Pawns of the same color or player, the Bishop seeks to protect the King from capture.

Each player has two Bishops.

While one Bishop stands between the Knight and the Queen the second Bishop stands on the other side of the Queen and beside the King.

In this way the Bishop is the piece or character after the Queen to hold close proximity to the King.

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