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writercises2017-08-29 03:47 pm
mbarker) wrote in writercises2017-08-29 03:47 pm
TECH: Tales of the Unexpected (moldy oldie)
Original Posting May 19, 2017
Writer's Digest, March 2000, on pages 38-39, had a article with the title "Tales of the Unexpected" by Hal Blythe and Charlie Sweet. The subtitle was "It's a delicate balance, keeping readers interested in your fiction while still keeping the story believable."
So, how do you provide that spice of the unexpected, the surprise! "Every time you present a new character, describe a setting or develop a plot, create something your readers aren't looking for – something that will jar their sensibilities, cause a grin, or make them wonder.
Characterization by surprise? That's right, make your characters break assumptions. Then explain just why they're different.
Setting the scene? Incongruent, bothersome details can easily salted into. "Unexpected details in the setting, then, should not only whet readers' appetites. Collectively, they can actively engage your audience, pushing them further into your story."
The plot beckons. Surprising turns, with a reasonable explanation, are much more interesting. But "every twist must be prepared for, be explained and ultimately make sense in the larger context of the story. If you cannot prepare your readers to make the leap to the unexpected or have them believe the leap is possible, you have failed to create a satisfying surprise.
A satisfying conclusion. "The key to creating the unexpected in character, setting or plot is that you control reader response." If the reader thinks your story is going to be just the same old same old, they aren't going to read it. But lead us down a road not usually taken… We'll follow you anywhere.
There is a side box that suggests some points for keeping readers hooked:
– Think outside the box. Look for the unusual detail, the different setting, the road not taken.
– Go beyond stereotypic characters. The hooker with the heart of gold may seem different, but she's been used before.
– Play fair with your endings. O. Henry twists need preparation.
– Provide explanations for every unusual character, element of setting, or event.
– Stake out that middle ground of the unusual. Try to avoid the extremes of the slightly quirky and the unbelievably outlandish.
So, an exercise? Well, take something you've written and check the characters, setting, and plot. Do you have surprises and twists, unexpected pieces in the mix? Are there good explanations for them, too? Now, look over the whole piece -- are the surprises clumped, or spread out so that we get a little bit everywhere?
And, of course, WRITE!
tink
Writer's Digest, March 2000, on pages 38-39, had a article with the title "Tales of the Unexpected" by Hal Blythe and Charlie Sweet. The subtitle was "It's a delicate balance, keeping readers interested in your fiction while still keeping the story believable."
So, how do you provide that spice of the unexpected, the surprise! "Every time you present a new character, describe a setting or develop a plot, create something your readers aren't looking for – something that will jar their sensibilities, cause a grin, or make them wonder.
Characterization by surprise? That's right, make your characters break assumptions. Then explain just why they're different.
Setting the scene? Incongruent, bothersome details can easily salted into. "Unexpected details in the setting, then, should not only whet readers' appetites. Collectively, they can actively engage your audience, pushing them further into your story."
The plot beckons. Surprising turns, with a reasonable explanation, are much more interesting. But "every twist must be prepared for, be explained and ultimately make sense in the larger context of the story. If you cannot prepare your readers to make the leap to the unexpected or have them believe the leap is possible, you have failed to create a satisfying surprise.
A satisfying conclusion. "The key to creating the unexpected in character, setting or plot is that you control reader response." If the reader thinks your story is going to be just the same old same old, they aren't going to read it. But lead us down a road not usually taken… We'll follow you anywhere.
There is a side box that suggests some points for keeping readers hooked:
– Think outside the box. Look for the unusual detail, the different setting, the road not taken.
– Go beyond stereotypic characters. The hooker with the heart of gold may seem different, but she's been used before.
– Play fair with your endings. O. Henry twists need preparation.
– Provide explanations for every unusual character, element of setting, or event.
– Stake out that middle ground of the unusual. Try to avoid the extremes of the slightly quirky and the unbelievably outlandish.
So, an exercise? Well, take something you've written and check the characters, setting, and plot. Do you have surprises and twists, unexpected pieces in the mix? Are there good explanations for them, too? Now, look over the whole piece -- are the surprises clumped, or spread out so that we get a little bit everywhere?
And, of course, WRITE!
tink