This weekend, I finally got around to watching The Hunger Games. I've only gotten a few chapters into the book before I put it down. I know it's an extremely popular book lately and I have every intention of going back to it, but I just wasn't able to get into it when I first tried. It doesn't help that I've got an enormous and ever-growing backlog of books that keep vying for my attention. Anyway, I thought the movie was okay-- well acted and decently written, but I couldn't help but see through it. And that's what's got me posting today.
You see, I'm an over-thinker, as anyone who followed my liveblogging of Mistborn will know. I've experienced a great deal of stories through books, movies, video games, and I know specific story-beats when I see them. Take when the dog-beast jumps out of the woods--I'm trying to avoid spoilers, just in case--there is so much that telegraphs it before it happens: music (or lack thereof), dialogue, camera angle, body posture, and so on. It was only my wife sitting next to me that kept me from saying "now" just as the hidden beast lunged-- she hates it when I do that.
And here is where I'm torn. When I write, I want my story and its pacing to be unique, unpredictable. I want to write the kind of story I love to read, where events are clear and connected, with subtle clues laid along, but never telegraphed to the reader. But I also understand that story-beats occur the way they do because they are successful. My wife jumped, letting out a little scream, when the beast leaped out of the forest. That pacing worked for her, and for countless others-- just not for me.
When I first started writing, I wanted to go against every story-template I know. I didn't want to write a hero's journey. Happily-ever-after isn't my kind of tale. Yet, if I broke with the tried-and-true entirely, I ran the risk of never finding a sizable audience. Now, I've reconsidered. It's not about making a new mold, it's about choosing to break just the right parts of an existing mold. There are countless authors already doing this to great effect. I loved Ender's Game for the twist and melancholy ending and The Giver for the ambiguity it offers about the fate of the main character. Or in a slightly different vein, The Walking Dead adventure game by Telltale reinvigorates the zombie-story with small changes in gameplay. Chopping into a zombie's head one swing at a time really drives the experience home, giving you a moment to reflect between swings. It's what each of these does differently that sticks with me. How about you? Do you enjoy traditional stories or ones that change it up?
No comments:
Post a Comment