I told myself I'd better be following my own advice to take chances. Because when I don't, everything gets predictable: character reactions, word choice, plot lines. A, then B, then C, then D...
When I read, I love thinking E comes next, only to turn the page onto W. Or 49, or @. Some of the bravest writing decisions I've witnessed involved children. What Stephen King did to Georgie Denbrough in the first 20 pages of IT took my breath away. That George R R Martin had an adult character push a child off a tower in GAME OF THRONES hooked me for the series. In THE DEATHDAY LETTER, Shaun Hutchinson tells us right off the bat: Don't get your hopes up; Oliver's going to die -- get over it.
I've encountered resistance from editors to some of the darker elements in BRIAR-BOUND, and it made me think children's publishing shies from those things right now. But then I reconsidered.
Teens launched into an arena for a televised fight to the death.
A boy who loses parents, teachers, and classmates to a creature who really just wants the boy.
A girl who loses everyone as Death narrates.
Every single one of those stories was compelling. Publishing wants them. Readers crave them. My dark moments are fine if I back them up with purpose, truth, solid writing, and a smidge of hope.
So I'm not going to start killing all my child characters willy-nilly.
Put 'em through an emotional woodchipper? You betcha.
In retrospect, this should have been part of my writer's manifesto, so I'm adding it now.
Now it's your turn: Have you pulled yourself up by the bootstraps lately? Share in the comments...
5 ate pie:
Fargo.
I really don't have that kind of guts.
Love the "emotional woodchipper" comment! :-)
Predictable books are comfortable, but rarely do they challenge you or lead to new ways of thinking.
It kills me (pun intended) that editors say they want "fresh" at the same time as they shy away from some of the "darker" material, as you put it. Go on and write the scratchy wool sweater vs. the soft-spun cashmere!
Will do.
P.S. The photo you used for this post is classic. Makes my stomach turn just looking at it!
Me too! I was trying to figure out if the street's been photoshopped -- hard to imagine a sidewalk that steep without steps.
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