Monday, July 12, 2010

Paul the Octopus

I have to tell you that I’m more than a little intrigued by Paul the Octopus.

This is the octopus who lives in the Sea Life Centre in Oberhausen, Germany and who correctly predicted the winning team in all eight matches of the 2010 World Cup on which he was consulted.

The staff at the Sea Life Centre would put the flags of the two countries playing in two boxes and stick a mussel in each box.  He would make his selection on the future victor by eating one of the mussels.

I need Paul.

I would get him a big tank in my living room and I’d put two options for how my current scene or chapter could go (e.g., option #1 - The hero and heroine kiss or option #2 – the hero and heroine fight) into two boxes and put pepperoni slices in each box (I don’t buy mussels) and he could tell me, by eating from one of the boxes, which way my story should turn next.

In the absence of an octopus of your own, how do you decide? 

When you come to a crossroads in your story or your chapter or your scene, what tools or techniques to you use to show yourself the way?

1 comment:

  1. I could sure use Paul right now, since I'm stuck--yet again-- in my WIP. Usually what helps me is ignoring all of my outlines and plans for one hour of writing. This allows my imagination to run wild, and opens my eyes to new possibilities. Usually, anyway ;)

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