Conflict-à-trois

After last week it's time for a conversation about three-ways. It's one thing to say that they are complicated, that they change the nature of the story. The first decision is always who are the three sides. Answering this helps to open up the other questions like which two sides will come together to deal with the third. That is if any of them come together. It happens most of the time, but it is not a requirement. Whether or not two side with each other one will always mess up the plans of at least one of the other two sides, if not both of them. It all comes to down to the other huge question of what are the goals of each side. The goals may be deeply ingrained in the whom of these three characters or groups. Or it may be just of matter of what they are willing, or unwilling to do.

As complicated, or straightforward, as the conflict may be there may always be a fourth matter of complication. The three-way conflict struggles in the directions afforded those possible outcomes without the affect of any outside influence. An outside influence throws the whole dynamic into a spin. Although allegiances may form and break up, or shift based on the actions of one or more of the sides, they do not shift as fast or as easily when there is an external impetus. Each party of the conflict will try to manipulate events to their advantage, but some events are adjustment proof. They can't be planned for. They may not be of help to anyone. They may even be immutable and only worked around. There are different events that can be like this.

Disasters are the first example of an immutable event that cannot be avoided. It may be used to advantage by any of the characters or groups if they can be predicted. Plans are foiled or need serious revision if an unplanned for disaster strikes. Such disasters could be weather related, seismic, or even smaller scale such as a fire. Depending on the setting and pre-planning a disaster might even be a weapon in one side's arsenal. This is especially true of fire, bombings, avalanches, and the like. Of course even false indications of such a disaster can be a tool to use. Fake bombs or threats, false tidal wave warnings, or even pulling a fire alarm throw a wrench into someone's plans. As almost always, the possibilities are endless.

Mood: feisty.
Music: Porno Star by Motley Crue and Slick Black Cadillac by Quiet Riot.

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Disconnected Series

Sometimes a story needs to be told over a length that is greater than feasible or in some manner desirable. Feasibility is quickly falling by the wayside when e-books can be of any length with no regard for spine width or holding the pages together. Desirability is a function of a few things. Cost asked for the book. The amount of time a reader is expected to stay with a story at any particular interval without seeking a change of pace. A similar need in the author either to write something different for a while or simply take a break. That author break may be researching something different later use, which doesn't break the fiction flow or feel of the current story while still giving the brain cells a chance to change gears. A series of books or stories starring the same main character(s) isn't the only kind of series. This sometimes feels like an idea that gets lost and or forgotten.

I've been thinking about this topic for the last little while because in the recent Killing Time - Horror E-Rag Issue 2-2 I released in PDF the first of my devil stories. It is titled "Toasty Warm" and so far is part of a trilogy where the only tie is that there are devils involved in the plot. Nothing else binds them. No repeat characters; not even the devils. So how is that a series? The stories are related. They are a part of the same vein of the same mythos--at least as I've done them. It's the same as they would be if they were a more coherent continuing series rather than a series in spirit or intent alone. I haven't put much more thought into the series since the conclusion of the third story. The time is appropriate to look at returning to the themes into which these stories play, what they are expressing about that corner of the mythos I wish to build, and should there be more.

The question is more what? The simple answer is that it may be time to look at pulling the strings together between these stories and bring some kind of greater coherence. This could be bringing out an overarching story that requires the previous parts--at least for the continued readership who has been witness to the events from start to newest finish--yet can stand on its own. Moving from disconnected to connected is not a given. It may not even be desirable. Sometimes trying to pull off the connection diminishes the feel that was previously held. It can weaken the strength born of their uniqueness. It may just be unfulfilling and have no bearing on the past. Either way it is a question that needs to be asked before embarking on such a goal. The rewards and the satisfaction are great if it can be pulled off though. It's something that requires a deft hand and good forethought.

Mood: reflective.

Music: Anthem of the World by Stratovarius and Sister of Pain by Vince Neil.

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Anatomy of a Horror Setting #17: Like an Open Book

People put on airs, hide behind facades and are a mix of layers that have varying amounts of transparency, even when "viewed" from the inside. What happens when all of the obfuscation is ripped away? What happens when a complete stranger knows more about a person than the person knows about themselves? There's a quintessential quote that says roughly if we knew what everyone around us was thinking would we go crazy or would we be driven to kill each other. Sort of sounds like go crazy or go crazy. Of course such a simplification doesn't indicate when this obviously involuntary sharing of thoughts occurs and seems to be predicated on this situation's sudden appearance. Even then it's hard to justify the results suggested.

There is fertile horror fodder here to be sure though. Looking back to the previous two articles about breaking the horror with too great a body of evidence and too much information there is something of an inverse situation that is possible without harming the mood and theme of the "story" being told. This inversion does though hinge on its own kind of limitation despite that it is breaking out of the mould of the previous limitations. Not just any character can be allowed the wealth of details. This free reign of facts is best left to a singular antagonist in the setting, a sole villain. Horror beyond the obvious frightening images and the moods of unease, gloom, and darkness is about being overwhelmed, outpaced, desperate, and being on the losing side of the odds.

Enter the villain that knows more about the hero than what the hero will ever know about the villain. The element of surprise is the best weapon in any encounter, but is even more pivotal for turning the tide of an uneven encounter. Beyond knowing the hero's past, what kind of person they are, whom they associate with, and other details of the present, what happens when the villain knows the hero's future, what they will do, when they will do it, and even a hint of the result? This must have a limit too, but it can be pretty open ended. The future is always fluid and no sense of it could ever be infallible. Subtlety is an absolute requirement here, but such a scenario could be plenty horrific. It's another possible important if limited proposition in a psychic versus psychic tale.

Mood: level.
Music: The Reckoning by Iced Earth and Archetype by Fear Factory.

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This Must Never Start. Spread this news around.

Now this is scary.

http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2005/11/emw303435.htm

If you are or want to be a writer please see people get wind of this. Somebody has to see that this doesn't take off. Ever!

Pulling it Together

Everything is made of bits of something else. It is inevitable, until you get down to the nitty-grittiest little building blocks. For material objects the parts are easy to identify. For something more ethereal or ephemeral, it is a different matter altogether. This is true of a story. There are influences, research, inspiration, and my always-favourite taint mucking up all of it from as many directions as there are stars in the sky. There are characters, and plots, and themes both intended and unintended. There are lessons, morals, and pointers on growth and the human condition… Say what?

Didn’t you know? Every story has to be an ABC After School Special. Well maybe not that blatant, but pretty close. It’s time to pull out the segments of “Sailor Moon Says” and start writing. First we need a character to act as the main character and be the focus of everything as well as be the one to learn something important from whatever encounters/situations the story is about. This main character has to be totally likeable except for one flaw, but it can’t be a terrible flaw that might make the character unlikeable. This flaw will be the focus of the growth that character has, the root of the lesson to be learned about life or love.

The growth that this character has/takes/makes can be invalidated in so many ways and they must be precluded from being a part of the story. Such invalidations include major harm or irrevocable death being visited upon the main character, being unable to learn from the situation that is the focus of the story, some other character pointing out the answer to overcoming the flaw that the main character has, and the worst, the main character being an s.o.b. and unwilling to grow or learn.

These are the other things that must be pulled together. In fact they have to be the driving force of the story otherwise it is a completely useless exorcise. There can be no entertainment without education. There can be no writers without vast knowledge of psychology or having great wisdom and having learned many lessons without just being told that something must be a certain way, or just understanding it when they see it in other people. So crack the textbook, get out there and do all sorts of stupid things so you can learn valuable lessons, and watch everyone like a hawk.

Mood: aggravated.
Music: The Sign of the Cross by Iron Maiden and Breathe a Sigh by Def Leppard.

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P.S.: I’m being about 75% facetious above.