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Saturday, 07.31.2010 |
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| Conflict, Action and Suspense |
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Product Details
Notes
Leo Tolstoy wrote in Anna Karenina: "All happy families resemble one another,"
"every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way"
happy people are dull, unhappy people are unique and therefore interesting
characters should be unique, but there should also be conflict or confrontation
portray strong emotions and give the reader a chance to feel the same
providing detailed description adds to the emotional response of the reader
one way to escalate conflict is to add obstacles to make the outcome uncertain
use immediacy where possible to cover current events and today's technology
readers "hear" the words as they read, the "music of words" affects the meaning
the active voice has more action and interest than the passive voice
characters do things, rather than things happening to the characters
increase pace by using short sentences, clipped paragraphs and sharp transitions
shift the viewpoint between different characters to increase suspense and pace
do something the reader doesn't expect in order to create more interest
develop contrast between characters, this will lead to natural conflict
also look for contrast in the setting, an unexpected location or prop
opening hooks: violence, mystery, danger, sex, bizarre circumstances, anger
the opening must tie in to the rest of the story, it shouldn't be arbitrary just to hook
open with a block that has a pivotal event, main character(s), and consistent tone
don't start slow for a fast-paced novel, make the pace consistent with the book
fear, greed, horror, anger and jealousy might be conveyed better by dialogue
you have until page three at the latest to hook the interest of the reader
dialogue conveys emotion better, but narrative is better for building suspense
story content should be the most important, but the prose has a big effect
procedural conflict is like scene cuts, same point of view, different time and place
substantive conflict comes from cutting between different character viewpoints
leave the reader hanging with a dilemma at the end of each scene
transitions allow changing time where the story actually moves forward
scene cuts can be chosen to increase tension, while not a part of the actual story
transitions should occur during tense moments and not resolve the dilemma
use both dialogue and narrative to build suspense across a transition
a good sense of pace takes into account each scene's place in the whole story
don't pick up story threads too quickly, stretch out the pace and take the long view
let uncertainty fester in the reader and stretch out rescues and solutions
offer less than satisfactory alternatives to dilemmas and problems, wait it out
learn to listen, don't try to memorize, don't write from literal memory, interpret it
conversation can be dull, but dialogue is a medium of performance, it's different
dialogue is conversation with all the boring parts taken out, just the drama is left
dialogue should either move the story forward or develop characterization
remember that sometimes people don't listen, they say what they want
so instead of responding to someone, they might blurt out their own statement
ways to do this: answer a question with a question, answer it later after many lines
try an unexpected reaction, use words that are opposite from what's expected
anticipation and dread - the reader feels like something bad is going to happen
give a character a memorable attribute that affects how others interact with him
Alfred Hitchcock would put innocent characters into bizarre situations
but he would introduce each separately and build up to an inevitable collision
option of two viewpoints, two separate stories that come together eventually
you can also merge action with suspense, physical plot with an emotional theme
characters need motives, memories, and mirages
why they do what they do, what happened in the past to make them act this way
and how they fool themselves about what happened and why they do things
the time limits and location setting should fit the story
sometimes it's better to choose a setting that prevents people from leaving
otherwise when things got bad, the characters would just exit and go home
use setting to add to existing plot tension, something bad plus a complication
a crisis event should force a character to confront a weakness or uncertainty
space out crises, each crisis should raise new questions not just answers
don't drag on the end after the climax, wrap things up ahead of time
certainty replaces uncertainty at the end, explanations clear up the inexplicable
the way the story ends is the final impression we leave with the reader
resolve any old challenges, but it's okay to leave new challenges hanging
in general, a thriller should have the climax near the end, keep the wrap-up short
consider both the linear ending and the circular ending, back to the start |
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