Comments on: AW Blog Chain http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59 Life Happens.... Think About It. Wed, 08 Sep 2010 22:11:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: FreshHell http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59&cpage=1#comment-848 FreshHell Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:39:29 +0000 http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59#comment-848 I used to write unhappy endings and nobody liked them. I had scads of characters who never learned a THING about themselves. Endings were not tied bows. I think people like to read things that seem like life but are better than life. Happy endings give people hope, even if that hope is wishful thinking. Now, I tend to end things (when I DO end them - I'm bad with endings) on a more upbeat note. I used to write unhappy endings and nobody liked them. I had scads of characters who never learned a THING about themselves. Endings were not tied bows. I think people like to read things that seem like life but are better than life. Happy endings give people hope, even if that hope is wishful thinking. Now, I tend to end things (when I DO end them - I’m bad with endings) on a more upbeat note.

]]> By: MRasey http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59&cpage=1#comment-761 MRasey Wed, 13 Feb 2008 01:26:32 +0000 http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59#comment-761 I think either way is valid. Never underestimate the power of wish fulfillment for the reader. I wonder if ansty endings work better when there's a sequel? Leave readers on tenterhooks so they'll snap up the next book? M I think either way is valid. Never underestimate the power of wish fulfillment for the reader.

I wonder if ansty endings work better when there’s a sequel? Leave readers on tenterhooks so they’ll snap up the next book?

M

]]> By: Kat http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59&cpage=1#comment-756 Kat Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:55:57 +0000 http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59#comment-756 Just wanted to say THANKS!! to everyone for all the great comments. I love that we each see things slightly differently. This blog chain was so much fun! Can't wait to do another. :-) Just wanted to say THANKS!! to everyone for all the great comments. I love that we each see things slightly differently.

This blog chain was so much fun! Can’t wait to do another. :-)

]]> By: Page 123 and the AW January Blog Chain — Writer’s Round-About - Rebecca Laffar-Smith http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59&cpage=1#comment-751 Page 123 and the AW January Blog Chain — Writer’s Round-About - Rebecca Laffar-Smith Thu, 07 Feb 2008 13:07:55 +0000 http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59#comment-751 [...] That Pays Polenth’s Quill wfg thinks out loud Spittin’ (out words) Like a Llama A Thoughtful Life The Speakeasy Virtual Wordsmith The Writer’s Round-About My Copious Notes Blog Tennessee Text [...] [...] That Pays Polenth’s Quill wfg thinks out loud Spittin’ (out words) Like a Llama A Thoughtful Life The Speakeasy Virtual Wordsmith The Writer’s Round-About My Copious Notes Blog Tennessee Text [...]

]]> By: Mary Lewis http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59&cpage=1#comment-745 Mary Lewis Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:32:06 +0000 http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59#comment-745 My mom got me hooked on Nora Roberts books. They are the ones I read when I need a break. I don't have to be jolted out of the story by typos or rough grammar. They're my relax and escape books. My mom got me hooked on Nora Roberts books. They are the ones I read when I need a break. I don’t have to be jolted out of the story by typos or rough grammar. They’re my relax and escape books.

]]> By: AURIA CORTES » January Blog Chain http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59&cpage=1#comment-736 AURIA CORTES » January Blog Chain Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:04:19 +0000 http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59#comment-736 [...] That Pays Polenth’s Quill wfg thinks out loud Spittin’ (out words) Like a Llama A Thoughtful Life The Speakeasy Virtual Wordsmith The Writer’s Round-About My Copious Notes Blog Tennessee [...] [...] That Pays Polenth’s Quill wfg thinks out loud Spittin’ (out words) Like a Llama A Thoughtful Life The Speakeasy Virtual Wordsmith The Writer’s Round-About My Copious Notes Blog Tennessee [...]

]]> By: End of the Line: A Final Farewell to the January AW Blog Chain : Spontaneous Derivation http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59&cpage=1#comment-732 End of the Line: A Final Farewell to the January AW Blog Chain : Spontaneous Derivation Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:59:35 +0000 http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59#comment-732 [...] A Thoughtful Life [...] [...] A Thoughtful Life [...]

]]> By: Laurie Ashton http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59&cpage=1#comment-727 Laurie Ashton Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:48:06 +0000 http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59#comment-727 Kat, I loved your example of the Ocean movies - it's pretty much how I feel. :) Whether I get a happily ever after ending or not doesn't matter as much to me as whatever ending I get making sense within the context of the characters and their behavior up to that point. Not saying that predictable is best, just that it has to make sense. If there's no logic, then I'm disgusted and throw books, even if it's a happy ending. Kat, I loved your example of the Ocean movies - it’s pretty much how I feel. :)

Whether I get a happily ever after ending or not doesn’t matter as much to me as whatever ending I get making sense within the context of the characters and their behavior up to that point. Not saying that predictable is best, just that it has to make sense.

If there’s no logic, then I’m disgusted and throw books, even if it’s a happy ending.

]]> By: Rebecca Laffar-Smith http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59&cpage=1#comment-700 Rebecca Laffar-Smith Fri, 01 Feb 2008 09:36:10 +0000 http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59#comment-700 Opps, I could have made a half dozen blog entries out of that comment. Sorry for the lengthy response. Opps, I could have made a half dozen blog entries out of that comment. Sorry for the lengthy response.

]]> By: Rebecca Laffar-Smith http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59&cpage=1#comment-699 Rebecca Laffar-Smith Fri, 01 Feb 2008 09:35:33 +0000 http://theblog.frassrand.com/?p=59#comment-699 You get formula books that are predictable. Every single Harlequin book I've ever read I know in the first page or two which guy and which girl are going to end up with each other. That's the formula, romance readers expect the two primary characters to end up happily ever after. If one of these books DIDN'T end like that I'd be shocked and probably disappointed. Because when I pick up one of these books the loving, cherished, sappy, romantic feeling is what I'm reading it for. There are some brilliant books (and movies) that end with endings that are wrenching. A recent movie I watched like this was Premonition. In the movie, a small part of me was hoping for the TRUE happy ever after. It does end on a positive note with lessons learnt but trust me, the last minutes of the movie made the kleenex company happy. Another movie example is Armageddon. It has a 'happy' ending but it is heart wrenching as well. Personally, I LOVE these kinds of books and movies. The good guys do prevail eventually but just like reality, just because they're good doesn't mean they survive. Just because they're a primary character doesn't mean they walk off into the sunset. But you're right, an ending HAS to be complete. The only excuse for a cliff hanger is a sequel and even then I'd like a primary thread tied up nicely when I'm reading/watching. Don't forget, however, that good vs. bad is all in your perspective. The good guys don't necessarily need to win. You can have a bad guy as the protagonist prevailing against the good guys. It isn't as common simply because we live in a fairly moral world. We, as people, want to believe that law breakers go to jail, murderers get caught, bank robbers are arrested, etc. Then again, despite being both anti-gambling and anti-theft I loved watching Oceans 11, 12, and 13. The 'bad guys' against 'badder guys and the law' prevail. Um, my point... Oh, my point is, the protagonist should be the one to win in the end. Thus the reason for using their point of view. You could flip any book. Write it from the antagonists perspective, have him win, and people would still enjoy reading it. You know why? Because when they're reading THEY ARE THE PROTAGONIST! Tell me someone in the real world who doesn't prefer to be the one that comes out on top of the odds at the end of the day. When we read, we succeed. ;-) You get formula books that are predictable. Every single Harlequin book I’ve ever read I know in the first page or two which guy and which girl are going to end up with each other. That’s the formula, romance readers expect the two primary characters to end up happily ever after. If one of these books DIDN’T end like that I’d be shocked and probably disappointed. Because when I pick up one of these books the loving, cherished, sappy, romantic feeling is what I’m reading it for.

There are some brilliant books (and movies) that end with endings that are wrenching. A recent movie I watched like this was Premonition. In the movie, a small part of me was hoping for the TRUE happy ever after. It does end on a positive note with lessons learnt but trust me, the last minutes of the movie made the kleenex company happy. Another movie example is Armageddon. It has a ‘happy’ ending but it is heart wrenching as well.

Personally, I LOVE these kinds of books and movies. The good guys do prevail eventually but just like reality, just because they’re good doesn’t mean they survive. Just because they’re a primary character doesn’t mean they walk off into the sunset.

But you’re right, an ending HAS to be complete. The only excuse for a cliff hanger is a sequel and even then I’d like a primary thread tied up nicely when I’m reading/watching.

Don’t forget, however, that good vs. bad is all in your perspective. The good guys don’t necessarily need to win. You can have a bad guy as the protagonist prevailing against the good guys. It isn’t as common simply because we live in a fairly moral world. We, as people, want to believe that law breakers go to jail, murderers get caught, bank robbers are arrested, etc.

Then again, despite being both anti-gambling and anti-theft I loved watching Oceans 11, 12, and 13. The ‘bad guys’ against ‘badder guys and the law’ prevail. Um, my point… Oh, my point is, the protagonist should be the one to win in the end. Thus the reason for using their point of view.

You could flip any book. Write it from the antagonists perspective, have him win, and people would still enjoy reading it. You know why? Because when they’re reading THEY ARE THE PROTAGONIST! Tell me someone in the real world who doesn’t prefer to be the one that comes out on top of the odds at the end of the day. When we read, we succeed. ;-)

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