I recently read a fascinating piece on the always fascinating website, ribbonfarm.com about boundary conditions in mathematical models and how it relates to the author's thought process. Now for those of you not mathematically inclined, don't be scared! It doesn't involve numbers and equations; it's all explained in layman's terms.
It resonated strongly with me and my own creative process, so I wrote a reply. I thought those of you who swing by and read my work may find it interesting, so I'm "reprinting" it here. Feel free to share your own creative and thought processes. This kind of stuff interests me a lot.
I enjoyed this but from an admittedly egotistical point of view: you’ve described my thought process, too. I’m a storyteller, mostly of fiction, but I loved math growing up and it certainly set the tone for how I approach things. In fact, this is exactly how I come up with a story.
First, I do the brain-dump. I write down every little bit of information I have in my notebook. I’ll even sketch something if it’s important and easier than writing it. Once I get that all down, I break it down into usable pieces and I rearrange them into something coherent. The building blocks actually correlate to the three types you suggest above.
[A few excerpts for those not reading the original article (but, seriously, read it!):
"Dynamics refers to how things change, and the laws govern those changes... Unlike dynamics, which dance around in exciting ways, constraints just sit there, usually messing up the dancing... When boundary conditions change, the effects can be extremely weird, and hard to sort out, if you aren’t looking at the right boundaries... But boundary conditions are where actual (as opposed to textbook) behaviors are born. And the more complex the boundary of a system, the less insight you can get out of a dynamics-and-constraints model that simplifies the boundary too much."]
1. Dynamics. These are the basic cause-and-effect rules of the world in which the story takes place. Usually, it’s character stuff: relationships (Bob and Jill are married, so they probably kiss when they get home), personality (Bob has a temper, so if you punch him, he’ll punch you back but it takes a lot to enrage Jill). If you’re writing sci-fi/fantasy it could encompass physics (Bob and Jill are superheroes so they hit harder).
2. Constraints. These are usually technical stuff you have to adhere to. It includes stuff like format (script, prose, serial, single story) and length. If you’re writing for someone else, they may have story points you can’t alter (like say you’re told Bob and Jill can’t break up).
3. Boundaries. This is where the drama comes from! You push things to the limit and see what happens. For instance: Jill punches Bob.
What could have made Jill act in such a violent way? Is Bob going to react as he normally would and punch his wife? If they’re two superheroes fighting in their apartment, is that going to cause serious property damage? And, since they have to stay together, how do you resolve this situation in a way that doesn’t lead to a them breaking up? If it’s got to be a 100 word prose story, what details do I choose to include and how do I structure it?
As usual, thanks for giving me something to think about!
We continued the discussion a little bit in the comments section. Hop on over there to read the rest, if you're interested.
