Found your channel like 15 mins ago, and must say that your content is exactly what ive been needing to just think about and reflect on my writing. So here's a question, if you could answer it, either in text or maybe make a video on it: Should a story have an end moral or message? And what to do if your story starts to feel more like a series of events than an actual conjoined structure? Well, it came out as two questions, but you get the idea. Looking forward to your thoughts on the matter.
Howdy Genzu. Ok, I had a think, and here are my thoughts. First off, my brother Brenden on @Writing Quest is actually making a video about a very similar topic, so keep an eye out for that video. Ok "Should a story have an end moral or message?" The simple answer I believe is yes, but not in the way you think. As an author, you are not a preacher giving a sermon. We shouldn't beat our readers with a self-righteous and faux-altruistic moral lesson, as a reader I want to be compelled not controlled. The idea is to make the reader think about a moral or lesson, not shove your moral down their throat. So! Here is how you add morals and lessons to your story. Every dynamic character needs to change, right? So the only way they change is by learning something that makes them think and behave in a new way. Personally, I believe in objective truth but as an author, not every moral my characters learn has to be good, true, and beautiful because some people learn the wrong lesson from both hard and easy situations. Having your characters grapple with morals gives your readers the opportunity to grapple with them too, regardless of what your characters end up becoming. Ask yourself the big questions because your characters are asking the same things.
As for the "What to do if your story starts to feel more like a series of events than an actual conjoined structure?" Question. I don't necessarily see the problem with the series of events however I think I know what you mean. I think the problem you are describing is "the Plot is happening to your characters instead of your characters happening to the plot." Here's how I would fix this. Add in a subplot or two. Simple uncomplicated ones. The Gaffer can't find his keys, the janitor George gets caught in a love triangle on accident. Or you could give your main characters more choices that have real consequences to the story. Thoughts?
@@authorquest 1. I will definitely have a look at his channel and keep one eye open for the aforementioned video dropping. 2. Your assumption of 'plot happening to characters instead of vice versa', whilst not unfounded, is wrong due to one of the themes I try to subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) slip in is that quite often people do not get to choose for themselves what happens or will happen. If not for that then your answer would actually have been near perfect. But I just think that without a stricter structure that my books will not hold up like most, as they don't have that story flow element, which has been utilised to great success in most other fictional books. And speaking about side plots... I have a concrete beginning and ending planned for every story, but the road is mushy and malleable. I know what events must happen and conclusions the character(s) reach, but it's just that I cannot seem to strike a middle ground between side plots and main plot. No matter what I think up or write in, I just cannot get the mix right. It either will end up being diluted so heavily with side plots that the main plot becomes a side plot in and of itself, or it will just be only the main plot and no relief/chance for the characters to naturally take a break/reflect. Any ideas or tips on how to fix this? (Yes, some side plots do end up tying into the main plot, as is usually the case in books) No rush on the response, if any at all.
Jaded is a word that I feel like is currently changing in meaning. It actually means lacking enthusiasm after an over abundance of something. Like if you get a perk at your job, after two years you probably won’t appreciate it as much. But if you think about how a child is innocent it’s because they are ignorant of the darkness of the world and they haven’t made any grave mistakes yet. Thoughts?
Found your channel like 15 mins ago, and must say that your content is exactly what ive been needing to just think about and reflect on my writing.
So here's a question, if you could answer it, either in text or maybe make a video on it:
Should a story have an end moral or message?
And what to do if your story starts to feel more like a series of events than an actual conjoined structure?
Well, it came out as two questions, but you get the idea.
Looking forward to your thoughts on the matter.
Great questions! I will dwell on this today and get back to you Genzu
@@authorquest would be of the utmost help : D
Howdy Genzu. Ok, I had a think, and here are my thoughts. First off, my brother Brenden on @Writing Quest is actually making a video about a very similar topic, so keep an eye out for that video.
Ok "Should a story have an end moral or message?" The simple answer I believe is yes, but not in the way you think. As an author, you are not a preacher giving a sermon. We shouldn't beat our readers with a self-righteous and faux-altruistic moral lesson, as a reader I want to be compelled not controlled. The idea is to make the reader think about a moral or lesson, not shove your moral down their throat.
So! Here is how you add morals and lessons to your story. Every dynamic character needs to change, right? So the only way they change is by learning something that makes them think and behave in a new way. Personally, I believe in objective truth but as an author, not every moral my characters learn has to be good, true, and beautiful because some people learn the wrong lesson from both hard and easy situations.
Having your characters grapple with morals gives your readers the opportunity to grapple with them too, regardless of what your characters end up becoming.
Ask yourself the big questions because your characters are asking the same things.
As for the "What to do if your story starts to feel more like a series of events than an actual conjoined structure?" Question. I don't necessarily see the problem with the series of events however I think I know what you mean. I think the problem you are describing is "the Plot is happening to your characters instead of your characters happening to the plot."
Here's how I would fix this. Add in a subplot or two. Simple uncomplicated ones. The Gaffer can't find his keys, the janitor George gets caught in a love triangle on accident.
Or you could give your main characters more choices that have real consequences to the story.
Thoughts?
@@authorquest
1. I will definitely have a look at his channel and keep one eye open for the aforementioned video dropping.
2. Your assumption of 'plot happening to characters instead of vice versa', whilst not unfounded, is wrong due to one of the themes I try to subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) slip in is that quite often people do not get to choose for themselves what happens or will happen. If not for that then your answer would actually have been near perfect.
But I just think that without a stricter structure that my books will not hold up like most, as they don't have that story flow element, which has been utilised to great success in most other fictional books.
And speaking about side plots...
I have a concrete beginning and ending planned for every story, but the road is mushy and malleable. I know what events must happen and conclusions the character(s) reach, but it's just that I cannot seem to strike a middle ground between side plots and main plot. No matter what I think up or write in, I just cannot get the mix right. It either will end up being diluted so heavily with side plots that the main plot becomes a side plot in and of itself, or it will just be only the main plot and no relief/chance for the characters to naturally take a break/reflect.
Any ideas or tips on how to fix this?
(Yes, some side plots do end up tying into the main plot, as is usually the case in books)
No rush on the response, if any at all.
Wouldn’t the opposite of innocent be jaded?
Jaded is a word that I feel like is currently changing in meaning. It actually means lacking enthusiasm after an over abundance of something. Like if you get a perk at your job, after two years you probably won’t appreciate it as much. But if you think about how a child is innocent it’s because they are ignorant of the darkness of the world and they haven’t made any grave mistakes yet. Thoughts?