It’s not the
Destination, it’s the Journey
We all love a
happy ending.
We bite
our nails waiting for that nightmarish monster to jump out of the shadows. We
laugh out loud and cover our eyes when someone does something embarrassing. We jump
out of our chairs and cheer in celebration as the hero beats the villain and
saves the day. But most of all, we enjoy how we got to that moment of nirvana (the
big finish). It is only after we finish reading that highly anticipated Who-Done-It
or that Win-At-All-Cost challenge or the Rags-to-Riches/Romance/Feel Good slice
of entertainment of our choice, that we can truly appreciate the journey. Here’s the problem. How do you keep the audience
interested in the world you had constructed between ear number one and ear
number two? Now that’s a simple answer.
No one knows the answer to that one! But, for the sake of actually being
helpful, our boring history teacher gave us all the answers we need. And, no it
isn’t remakes! That just plagiarism, and a whole new subject. What I am talking
about is similarities.
With the use of
similarities, any story can captivate, entertain, and keep the attention of
most readers. However, the old saying of too much of a good thing is actually
true. There has to be a balance of what is desired and what is needful. We all
want to watch the sword fight, or ninja throwing kicks, punches, and people
around in spectacular fashion, but how long with that keep our attention? we
all love to see the little guy triumph over his handicaps, misunderstandings,
and bullies/bandits/beautiful bosom blond bouncy butt bombshell bad babe in
black boots, but how long will that last? (No, that isn’t a trick question.) We
may even get tired of the norm and start rooting for the antiheroes or the
villains who’s so bad they’re good. My point may be tired and overused, but it
still holds true across all mediums of entertainment. All things in moderation,
but accomplished in such a way that the person experiencing it isn’t a
bystander, but a participant. Lest look at the big three, Comedy, Tragedy, and
that scary crap that you somehow end up being drawn to.
Comedy
This one is the hardest of all three because it cuts across all boundaries and yet have different levels of appreciation that is dictated by experience. I know what you’re thinking and I have never tried to see if a banana peel can burn in rolled up tobacco paper. On the contrary. Comedy can be enlighten, dark, frightening, tender, and painful. How many times have you read or watched something and you began to laugh when you realized the meaning of something is humorous (Enlightening). When have you heard or viewed something that was so wrong that you just burst out in laughter (Dark). I’m going to have to use two famous actors to give you the perfect example of frightening. In the Movie Hitch. Will Smith is an underground matchmaking guru. In a very disturbing scene (meant to be/no stones thrown) Hitch tries to teach Albert Brennaman (Kevin James character) how to kiss. There are too many examples of tears falling because someone read, seen, or experienced something wonderful (Tender). And finally we come to painful. No explanation needed here because we all know it isn’t funny unless someone get hurt. It could be pies, falls, and some man sliding down a muddy slope ending with his face in some woman’s lap. (Thanks Romancing the Stone-Old 1984 movie).
This one is the hardest of all three because it cuts across all boundaries and yet have different levels of appreciation that is dictated by experience. I know what you’re thinking and I have never tried to see if a banana peel can burn in rolled up tobacco paper. On the contrary. Comedy can be enlighten, dark, frightening, tender, and painful. How many times have you read or watched something and you began to laugh when you realized the meaning of something is humorous (Enlightening). When have you heard or viewed something that was so wrong that you just burst out in laughter (Dark). I’m going to have to use two famous actors to give you the perfect example of frightening. In the Movie Hitch. Will Smith is an underground matchmaking guru. In a very disturbing scene (meant to be/no stones thrown) Hitch tries to teach Albert Brennaman (Kevin James character) how to kiss. There are too many examples of tears falling because someone read, seen, or experienced something wonderful (Tender). And finally we come to painful. No explanation needed here because we all know it isn’t funny unless someone get hurt. It could be pies, falls, and some man sliding down a muddy slope ending with his face in some woman’s lap. (Thanks Romancing the Stone-Old 1984 movie).
Tragedy
Pick a tearjerker, any tearjerker. You can even use a girl who was deeply loved by her father. This love convinced him his daughter needed a mother so she could know that kind of love. When he discovers the perfect person to marry, it was also a win fall all around because she was also a widow with children of her own. now his precious daughter not only again a mother, but two sisters as well. We all know why that one should be listed under tragedies. The important thing, once again, is that there are many highs and lows, wins and losses, before we reach the happily ever after… in some cases. There are other tragedies that the highs and lows come quicker and there are more losses than wins. Even after all the twists and turns, the final results is to end up where you started (Wizard of OZ) or live to see another day (Die Hard) again. But, no matter what the pace is, whatever action is exploding off the pages or on the big/small screen, you can only abuse a character but for so long before Goliath has his David moment.
Pick a tearjerker, any tearjerker. You can even use a girl who was deeply loved by her father. This love convinced him his daughter needed a mother so she could know that kind of love. When he discovers the perfect person to marry, it was also a win fall all around because she was also a widow with children of her own. now his precious daughter not only again a mother, but two sisters as well. We all know why that one should be listed under tragedies. The important thing, once again, is that there are many highs and lows, wins and losses, before we reach the happily ever after… in some cases. There are other tragedies that the highs and lows come quicker and there are more losses than wins. Even after all the twists and turns, the final results is to end up where you started (Wizard of OZ) or live to see another day (Die Hard) again. But, no matter what the pace is, whatever action is exploding off the pages or on the big/small screen, you can only abuse a character but for so long before Goliath has his David moment.
Heart Stoppers
This one can get old really quick depending on the lack of experience by the person who is viewing it and the pace, subject matter, and length of the material. (i.e. A slasher movie will have a hard time scaring a person whose work is tied to a hospital’s emergency room)The greatest tools in this area are symmetry, suspense, and surprise. With the use of symmetry, the canvas or backdrop is something we can all relate to and that drawn us in. It doesn’t actually matter if the scene is from the past, current reality, of futuristic Sci-Fi fantasy. What matters is what we can draw on what is similar to all of us. Everyone sits at a table (even a rock) to eat (and here comes something bad). Everyone has stood next to someone(s) having a conversation (and here comes something bad). And, everyone has to go to the boys or girls or whatever room to take care of something (and here comes something bad… again). Oh, but what makes those moments special? Of course, its waiting for them to happen. Suspense, suspense, and suspense is the greatest thing to a heart stopper, except for the soundtrack that brings it all together. Yes, it’s true. The biggest helpful hand is the music. However, suspense in written form needs something to compensate for the lack of a Pied Piper, and that is surprise. The element of surprise is that wonderful sleight of hand that catches a reader off guard and compensate for that low moaning sound, that echoing heartbeat, or that loud rush of sound right before everything goes SILENT!
This one can get old really quick depending on the lack of experience by the person who is viewing it and the pace, subject matter, and length of the material. (i.e. A slasher movie will have a hard time scaring a person whose work is tied to a hospital’s emergency room)The greatest tools in this area are symmetry, suspense, and surprise. With the use of symmetry, the canvas or backdrop is something we can all relate to and that drawn us in. It doesn’t actually matter if the scene is from the past, current reality, of futuristic Sci-Fi fantasy. What matters is what we can draw on what is similar to all of us. Everyone sits at a table (even a rock) to eat (and here comes something bad). Everyone has stood next to someone(s) having a conversation (and here comes something bad). And, everyone has to go to the boys or girls or whatever room to take care of something (and here comes something bad… again). Oh, but what makes those moments special? Of course, its waiting for them to happen. Suspense, suspense, and suspense is the greatest thing to a heart stopper, except for the soundtrack that brings it all together. Yes, it’s true. The biggest helpful hand is the music. However, suspense in written form needs something to compensate for the lack of a Pied Piper, and that is surprise. The element of surprise is that wonderful sleight of hand that catches a reader off guard and compensate for that low moaning sound, that echoing heartbeat, or that loud rush of sound right before everything goes SILENT!
This topic was
asked by Anonymous through the Ask SD Tracy Harper contact form and it was too
wide a question to give a short amount of attention. Their original question
was (abbreviated version): SD, your explanation on writing forward and righting
backwards made sense for some stories, but how can you apply it to stories that
aren’t mysteries? The answer to that is the journey and how it should never be
made in a straight line. No matter what genre it is, writing backwards isn’t
just leaving Easter eggs, but also to place in needful rest periods, meaningful
back stories, and unexpected direction changes. Like I and many more people
have and will say again and again. Too much of a good thing isn’t so good, but
it’s nice to snack on a little bit of it along the way. SD Tracy Harper
Photo by Aaron J. Groen
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