Fic Talk > General Discussion
Question of the day part 10
mare:
Since it appears that suspense and action/adventure are making a comeback, here's a question for those of you who read it and or write it.
What do you think are the most important elements of a good suspense story? And as a reader what do you enjoy most about them?
related lol
How do you feel about cliff hangers? Do you enjoy reading stories with them or writing them? Or do you generally like things resolved at the end of chapters?
Sakabelle:
What do you think are the most important elements of a good suspense story? And as a reader what do you enjoy most about them?
Strong characters and good description! Obviously if the characters have a lot of depth, then as a reader I'll feel more connected to them and care more what happens to them, which is obviously important in suspense. Description is important to me as well, I need to be able to picture in my head what's happening as I read. This is easier to do with description that flows nicely.
How do you feel about cliff hangers? Do you enjoy reading stories with them or writing them? Or do you generally like things resolved at the end of chapters?
Love them! Love writing them and love reading them. They're always a fun way to end a chapter, if just for the reader reactions LOL and I love reading them because it makes me that much more excited for the next chapter. I love the excitement that comes with a cliffhanger that I don't think would be there if there was another scene sitting after it, instead of the review box.
RokofAges75:
--- Quote from: mare on August 01, 2013, 02:20:43 PM ---Another fanfic related question:
In the genre you feel most comfortable writing in (Can be more than one) offer five tips to what you consider makes a great story work in that particular style.
--- End quote ---
I don't think anyone ever answered this one, did they? Too busy talking about music, which is great! And since I'm too busy listening to said music to be able to focus enough to write, I will answer it!
The genre I feel most comfortable writing in is medical drama, so here are my tips for that.
1. Research! I don't believe in the old mantra of "write what you know," but you shouldn't write something you know nothing about without trying to learn something about it first. Google is a medical drama writer's best friend! (Actually, EMedicine is an even better friend if you want all the gory technical details.)
2. Don't get so bogged down in facts that you forget about the emotional stuff. Try to put yourself in your characters' shoes, but if you're finding it hard to relate to what they're going through, you can research that too - I find blogs and online support groups/message boards helpful places to go for more personal accounts of what it's actually like to go through stuff.
3. Medical professionals are not supposed to become romantically involved with their patients, even when said patients are hot Backstreet Boys. It's especially creepy/inappropriate when they're lusting after Backstreet Boys who are in comas or dying of cancer or something. If you want that to happen, you need to find a loophole (see: Curtain Call).
4. When someone is on a ventilator, that means there is a tube down their throat that's forcing air into their lungs, which means they are unable to talk. Don't write your characters having a heartfelt conversation while one of them is on a vent.
5. Contrary to popular belief, Backstreet Boys songs are not a cure-all for comas.
LOL Okay, so really I just have two serious tips for writing this genre, and that is to research and try to put yourself in your characters' shoes - which is just part of good writing anyway!
RokofAges75:
What do you think are the most important elements of a good suspense story?
I think the two most important elements of a good suspense story are pacing and motivation. The pacing is important because you want things to move slowly enough to build that suspense, but quickly enough to keep your readers clicking ahead to the next chapter or wanting more. Whether it's action-packed from the beginning or the suspense builds slowly, you don't want to bog it down with a lot of unnecessary details and subplots.
Character motivation is also important. If you have a villain, you should make sure you know what their motive is, even if you don't do the Scooby Doo thing and have them reveal it all to your protagonists in a climactic monologue. Sure, sometimes people commit random crimes, but more often, there is a reason. Also make sure your protagonists have motivation for acting the way they do. If they're running up the stairs when they should be running down, there better be a good reason why; otherwise, they're just going to seem stupid!
And as a reader what do you enjoy most about them?
I love suspense stories because they tend to move quickly and catch my interest from the beginning. I love stories that keep me guessing or dying to find out what's going to happen next! I also love reading about Backstreet Boys in peril, and suspense stories are usually good for that kind of drama!
How do you feel about cliff hangers? Do you enjoy reading stories with them or writing them? Or do you generally like things resolved at the end of chapters?
I love cliffhangers! I may complain about them when I'm reading, but I do so out of love. It's frustrating to be left hanging and have to wait to find out what happens next, but at the same time, it gives me something to look forward to, and I like that. I love writing cliffhangers when appropriate; I always especially look forward to the readers' reactions on those chapters.
usako:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on August 06, 2013, 12:13:34 AM ---I don't think anyone ever answered this one, did they? Too busy talking about music, which is great! And since I'm too busy listening to said music to be able to focus enough to write, I will answer it!
The genre I feel most comfortable writing in is medical drama, so here are my tips for that.
1. Research! I don't believe in the old mantra of "write what you know," but you shouldn't write something you know nothing about without trying to learn something about it first. Google is a medical drama writer's best friend! (Actually, EMedicine is an even better friend if you want all the gory technical details.)
2. Don't get so bogged down in facts that you forget about the emotional stuff. Try to put yourself in your characters' shoes, but if you're finding it hard to relate to what they're going through, you can research that too - I find blogs and online support groups/message boards helpful places to go for more personal accounts of what it's actually like to go through stuff.
3. Medical professionals are not supposed to become romantically involved with their patients, even when said patients are hot Backstreet Boys. It's especially creepy/inappropriate when they're lusting after Backstreet Boys who are in comas or dying of cancer or something. If you want that to happen, you need to find a loophole (see: Curtain Call).
4. When someone is on a ventilator, that means there is a tube down their throat that's forcing air into their lungs, which means they are unable to talk. Don't write your characters having a heartfelt conversation while one of them is on a vent.
5. Contrary to popular belief, Backstreet Boys songs are not a cure-all for comas.
LOL Okay, so really I just have two serious tips for writing this genre, and that is to research and try to put yourself in your characters' shoes - which is just part of good writing anyway!
--- End quote ---
For those three, I love you! lol
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