Pivot
February’s theme, randomly plucked from the air at the end of the last meeting, is “pivot” (or “pivot!” as was suggested in reference to this scene from Friends.)
Pivot could be a turning point in a plot or a character’s arc.
In Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, Jessica Brody describes the Midpoint of a story as its pivot point. Everything else hangs off this exciting, dynamic point as stakes are raised, pushing the hero toward their transformation.
Similar pivots may be found in biographies or autobiographies as moments that changed everything for the subject or a decision taken to move in a new direction.
In poetry, a refrain could be employed, such as with “Nevermore” in The Raven, which Edgar Allen Poe describes in The Philosophy of Composition as “some pivot upon which the whole structure might turn.” (And yes, I am only thinking of the first Treehouse of Horror episode from The Simpsons.)
Pivot could also be something you do with spreadsheets, a shaft or pin to support something that turns or balances, or a pirouette or other dance turn.
We had another wide range of writing shared at the last meeting - dystopian science fiction (with full marks for how the “resolutions” theme was used), action adventure, historical mystery, poetry, and supernatural shenanigans. So, please bring along whatever you’re working on and use or completely ignore the theme as you prefer.
There was also some writing software chat last time and, for once, it wasn’t about the usual one. ProWritingAid was recommended for its critique function and because it’s an online tool that can be used anywhere on multiple device types. Ayoya also got a mention. It’s a productivity and mind mapping tool available on the web and with Android and iOS apps.
Let us know if you find any other useful writing tools or if nothing can beat a good old fashioned notebook and pen.
January’s cited works included:
- Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
- All Systems Red by Martha Wells
- The Snapper by Roddy Doyle
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
- Microbiome: The Universe Inside You by Helene Priestley
Our next meeting is on 11 February 2025 in the Parish Room, The Old School, Bottesford (next to the library) at 8pm till around 9.30pm.
Image: extract from The Raven and The Philosophy of Composition by Edgar Allan Poe