Conflict is Key

Mary Gottschalk
                                                              

Every good fiction writer knows that conflict is key. The main characters in a novel must have clearly defined desire lines … something they want badly enough to persevere in the face of every obstacle. 

It’s a challenge even when your character’s desire line is concrete: getting rich, becoming president of the United States or finding the murderer (or avoiding being caught). You still need characters whose internal conflicts give the story depth and intrigue.

The challenge is exponentially harder when the key characters have desire lines based on abstract goals: making a contribution to people’s lives, bringing peace to the world, or being seen as loyal and dependable. As with all good fiction, the story arc is based on conflicting desire lines. But in my upcoming novel, A Fitting Place, the characters have, in some way, actually contributed to creating the very problem they are trying to solve, and are often the source of the obstacles that get in the way of a solution.  

Just like in real life.  This is the dilemma most of us live until we learn to break out of our comfort zone. 

In fiction, as in life, The Enneagram, which classifies personality types based on unconscious motivation, can be helpful. As I’ve noted in previous blogs, each of the nine personality types can be evaluated in terms of the effectiveness with which they go about converting these abstract goals into real world accomplishments.

Take for example, the conflicting desire lines of my two key characters in A Fitting Place. As a “thinker,” my protagonist (Lindsey) takes prides in being knowledgeable, capable and self-reliant.  On her good days, she is thoughtful, perceptive, and a very good listener. On her bad days, she can be self-absorbed, secretive, and remarkably unaware of the emotional mood of her environment.

In contrast, my antagonist (Joan) is a “missionary” who wants to be helpful and nurturing.  On her goods days, she is compassionate, sympathetic and highly attuned to what other people need or want.  On her bad days, she is possessive and manipulative and can be masterful at inducing a sense of guilt into those reject her overtures.

Because both my characters are flawed—they operate at different points on the effectiveness spectrum on different days—the opportunities for mayhem and misunderstanding abound, as do the possibilities for significant personal growth and development. 

A Fitting Place is a story in which the challenges, mis-steps and successes of characters in conflict should be familiar to readers who (like most of us) have both good days and bad.  Good days, when we are happy with who we are and how we respond to the people around us.  Bad days, when we are our own worst enemy.

Do you ever have days on which you are your own worst enemy?

Mary has made a career out of changing careers.  After finishing her MBA, she spent nearly thirty years in the financial markets, working as an economist, a banker and a financial consultant to major corporations.  She has worked in New York, New Zealand, Australia, Central America, Europe, and amazingly, Des Moines, Iowa. 

Along the way, she dropped out several times.  In the mid-1980’s, Mary and her husband Tom embarked on the multi-year sailing voyage that is the subject of her memoir, Sailing Down the Moonbeam.  Twice, she left finance to provide financial and strategic planning services to the nonprofit community, first in New York and later in Des Moines.

In her latest incarnation, she defines herself as a writer.  She is working on her first novel (A Fitting Place), freelances, and lectures on the subject of personal risk-taking.

 Links to books and social media sites

http://marycgottschalk.com

www.Sailingdownthemoonbeam.com

http://twitter.com/marycgottschalk;

 http://www.facebook.com/mary.gottschalk.9

http://www.facebook.com/MaryGottschalkWriter

Make Everyday a Celebrated Earth Day!

What does it mean to celebrate Earth Day? For many, as Frank Robinson executive director for the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (LGBG) says, it means “to encourage children to develop a natural curiosity about nature, allow them to play in natural environments at their own pace and learn to follow their instincts.” Still, to mark the anniversary of a modern-day environmental movement, a special day is set aside.
In 1970, Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, proposed the first nationwide environmental protest "to shake up the political establishment” and force this issue onto the national agenda. At the time, Americans were slurping leaded gas through massive V8 sedans. Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of legal consequences or bad press. And, air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity. More often, environment was a word that appeared in spelling bees rather than on the evening news. But on April 22, 1970 an event occurred that ignited our present-day 21^st. Century Green Revolution.
More than 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment. Denis Hayes, the national coordinator, and his youthful staff organized massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly became well-known.
A rare political alignment occur that enlisted the support of Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, city slickers and farmers, tycoons and labor leaders resulting in the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species acts. In 1990, Denis Hayes organized another big campaign; and this time, Earth Day went global, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting the status of environmental issues to world-wide attention. As the millennium approached, he again spearheaded yet another campaign, combining the big-picture feistiness of the first Earth Day with the international grassroots activism of Earth Day 1990 and 5,000 environmental groups from around the world were on board, reaching out to hundreds of millions of people in a record 184 countries. So, on April 22^nd., we again celebrate an event that has forever changed the way we see our environment.
What can you do as a parent? As Robinson says, “encourage your children to develop their natural curiosity about nature, allow them to play in natural environments at their own pace and learn to follow their instincts.” Robinson and his staff have kicked off the season with hosting events which provide the opportunity for families to enjoy music and entertainment as they engage in activities that promote environmental stewardship. Another central Virginia site which equally hosts activities is Maymont’s Nature Center to attend these events, children must be accompanied by an adult, pre-register and admission fees apply. See www.maymont.org for details.

Still, as Robinson implies, everyday should be a celebrated ‘earth day’. Consequently, year around, the Great Richmond Virginia areas hosts events in which to participate. The Children's Garden provides an excellent "outdoor classroom" for young visitors to cultivate their interest in nature and learn about environmental stewardship. Through hands-on demonstrations, crafts, and activities children discover that they can make a positive difference at home, in their communities, and in the world. See www.lewisginter.org to identify events of interest to your family. And, if your children are too young to participate in active recreation activities, expose them to the fascination of nature through “scratch and sniff” board books. These books appeal to the senses of touch, sight and smell and are available through DK Publishing, www.dk.com.

Avid naturalists, such as master gardeners, have recognized for years that exposure to the environment is not only fun for children but teach them skills such as patience, caring for something other than themselves and the value of work, itself. Applied in a more formal event, such as a celebration, children can learn about cultural diversity, science and environmental concepts as well as gain self-confidence and self-esteem.

Consequently, whether your child’s experience occurs through a book, backyard, organized community event or public garden activity, children can, as Robinson says, “be encouraged to develop natural curiosity about nature while playing in natural environments at their own pace and learn to follow their instincts.”

About the author - Spotlighted by Landscape Architect magazine as an Industry ‘Mover & Shaker’, Sylvia Hoehns Wright, recipient of the Turning America from Eco-weak to Eco-chic Award and founder of the Plants of CARE program, challenges all to ‘change America’s landscape’, move their life-styles from eco-weak to eco-chic – ‘green’ life’s garden, one scoop at a time! To acquire details of Wright’s activities, visit her web site www.TheWrightScoop.com or contact Sylvia@TheWrightScoop.com or follow tweets at ID Wright Scoop or postings at facebook The Wright Scoop.

Remembering Rachael Carson

 

The great American biologist Rachael Carson died on this day (April 14) in 1964, just 2 years after she alerted the world to the environmental impact of fertilizers and pesticides in Silent Spring.

We'd like to remember her with one her most important quotes from the book:
“Only within the moment of time represented by the present century has one species - man - acquired significant power to alter the nature of the world.”

John Forti, The Heirloom Gardener

Garden historian, lecturer, consultant, curator, herbalist, ethnobotanist, organic grower, Slow Food biodiversity advocate & local foodie www.jforti.com
FB

Everyday is Earth Day!

What does it mean to celebrate Earth Day? For many, as executive director for the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (LGBG)- www.lewisginter.org - Frank Robinson says, it means “to encourage children to develop a natural curiosity about nature, allow them to play in natural environments at their own pace and learn to follow their instincts.” Still, to mark the anniversary of a modern-day environmental movement, a special day – Earth Day - is set aside.

In 1970, Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, proposed the first nation-wide environmental protest "to shake up the political establishment”. At the time, Americans were slurping leaded gas through massive V8 sedans. Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of legal consequences or bad press; and, air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity. More often than not, the word ‘environment’ was a word that appeared in spelling bees rather than on the evening news. But on April 22, 1970 an event occurred that ignited our present-day 21^st. Century Green Revolution.

More than 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment. Denis Hayes, the national coordinator, and his youthful staff organized massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities also organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. As a result, groups which had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly became well-known.

A rare political alignment enlist the support of Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, city slickers and farmers, tycoons and labor leaders resulting in the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species acts. Then, in 1990, Denis Hayes again organized a campaign and this time, Earth Day went global, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting the status of environmental issues to world-wide attention. As the millennium approached, he spearhead still another campaign, combining the big-picture feistiness of the first Earth Day with the international grassroots activism of Earth Day 1990 and 5,000 environmental groups from around the world step on board, reaching out to hundreds of millions of people in a record 184 countries.

On April 22^nd  we again celebrate an event that has forever changed the way we relate to our environment. What can you do? As Robinson says, “encourage children to develop their natural curiosity about nature, allow them to play in natural environments at their own pace and learn to follow their instincts.” Robinson and his staff on Saturday the 21^st or Sunday the 22^nd. Have scheduled a Heritage Weekend at Historic Bloemendaal. Participate in an event designed to connect you with a Greater Richmond Area (GRA) site’s history and present-day garden space.   

If you are located nearby central Virginia, as another option, join me and my eco colleagues when we provide an opportunity for all to explore the wonder of science, connect with the green of our community. Scheduled Saturday April 21^st Henrico County’s Earth Day celebration is held at Three Lakes Park. As an eco advocate, I’ll be on site as an ‘ask the expert’ that provides strategies related to ‘greening’ urban suburban communities.

On the other hand, as Robinson implies, everyday should be a celebrated ‘earth day’. Consequently, year around, eco events occur. For example, the GRA’s Science Museum of Virginia daily supplies an opportunity to explore the wonder of science. Through hands-on demonstrations, crafts, and activities, children discover they can make a positive difference at home, in their communities, and in the world. Consequently, whether your child’s experience occurs through a book, backyard, organized community event or public garden activity, children can, as Robinson says, “be encouraged to develop natural curiosity about nature while playing in natural environments at their own pace and learn to follow their instincts.”

So, whether a resident of the GRA or elsewhere, join me in the celebration of a special event, Earth Day!

( Children Planting Pansies)

Sylvia Hoehns Wright
Member of the National League of American Pen Women.org