Fic Talk > General Discussion
Question of the day part 10
RokofAges75:
I know!
mare:
--- 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 ---
Nope, you're correct! This question for whatever reason, was completely ignored.
I loved your tips! LOL I was especially fond of 3 and 4. I have to say I've never read a fic where the person on a ventilator was talking but sadly I have read plenty of number 3s!
FrickingKaos:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on August 06, 2013, 01:20:26 AM ---LOL I had to; those are just my personal pet peeves! Well, maybe not the coma thing; I love me some Don't Wanna Lose You Now coma scenes!
--- End quote ---
I admit that I did this in my story Incomplete LOL. Brian and AJ attempt to sing Nick out of his coma but it was 10,000 promises LMAO.
mare:
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?
Since I also think this plays into my specialty, although I am on the fence about that, I am being a bit more specific.
~ Visualization: It's really important to be able to see what's happening as it's happening. If the characters are running, I want to feel like I'm running right beside them. If something is going to jump out at them, I need to hear that creepy music in my head just based on the words being used. I notice that when I have something happening that's fast paced, I tend to type a mile a minute just to keep up with my characters which brings up the next point...
~ Pacing: I think a suspense needs to keep a very steady pace in order to work. You want your readers to know that the story is going to be loaded with drama and action but if you aren't showing that by the flow of the actual plot, especially within the first few chapters, it's going to lose that momentum. There really should be NO filler chapters in a suspense story. It's one of the few genres that really shouldn't call for them. Any unnecessary moments like the obligatory Nick and girlfriend go to the store scenes once again just interrupt the flow of point A to point B unless that scene becomes vital somewhere down the road which leads to...
~ Foreshadowing: Throwing subtle hints to your readers about what will happen down the road, just gets them guessing enough that they might want to continue to read to see why you said what you just said. I love when someone says that at first they didn't see it coming but after going back and re-reading it, the clues were there all along and they just missed them. No one on earth does that better than Stephen King. The man is a master at foreshadowing.
~ Understanding your villain: Giving your villain depth of character is so important. They should be treated like any other original character in a story. Just as you would put thought into a female lead, or supporting character, the same needs to be done for the villain. There has to be a reason why they act the way they do and it's up to you to explain that to us. I also think making them more than one dimensional is key. You should hate them but also feel for them and heck, maybe in some cases even root for them! Let's call this the Walter White villain dilemma! You're just so bad I love you! LOL
~ Cliffhangers: Every suspense needs those few moments where you are left saying "NO! Come back!!" and those come in the form of the good old fashioned cliffhanger. How many you use should depend on how many things are happening in your story. If it's one of those stories packed with action and plot twists, they should be used more frequently then lets say one that has one general plot and then a huge climactic scene. That would be the perfect place to put your cliffhanger, right before or after that scene just once again to get the reader to want to click the next button or tirelessly check for updates! It's no fun if you resolve the situations right after they happen. The build up is only half the fun, the reaction makes it all worthwhile and the best reaction comes from...
mare:
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?
Obviously I love them to bits!! I absolutely love unresolved chapters and endings. I am one of those people who don't necessarily like having things wrapped up in a tidy bow at the end so for me, leaving people hanging is par for the course. I know sometimes I go a little too far when it comes to writing them, but I can't help myself!
As far as reading, the only time I find them annoying is when the author just suddenly falls off the face of the earth and we are left eternally hanging! (and yes, I've done that too!) LOL I'm not proud! :-[
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