Comments on: Writing Tip of the Day: Be Careful With Crying Characters http://www.superheronation.com/2009/07/10/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-crying-characters/ Writing advice for superhero, fantasy & sci-fi authors Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:58:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: angela http://www.superheronation.com/2009/07/10/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-crying-characters/#comment-46832 angela Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:32:31 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=3977#comment-46832 I have to agree--actual crying is often a one way ticket to skim reading or cliches. Or both. Much better to accurately describe what is causing the intense desire to cry so the reader feels the same ache and can empathize, and of course, the MC's struggle to keep from giving in and dissolving into tears. Thanks for mentioning my Emotion Thesaurus! I have to agree–actual crying is often a one way ticket to skim reading or cliches. Or both. Much better to accurately describe what is causing the intense desire to cry so the reader feels the same ache and can empathize, and of course, the MC’s struggle to keep from giving in and dissolving into tears.

Thanks for mentioning my Emotion Thesaurus!

]]> By: Marissa http://www.superheronation.com/2009/07/10/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-crying-characters/#comment-35452 Marissa Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:48:48 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=3977#comment-35452 Yeah, D and Lightning Man, the Emotion Thesaurus is very very handy. Thank you, Lightning Man, for your support. The crying you're describing might work, yeah, as long as there <i>is</i> a reason, even if it isn't known. But you did well in advising people to be careful. What may seem like a good reason to them might seem stupid to the reader ("BUT HER FATHER DIED TEN YEARS AGO AND SHE JUST NOW THOUGHT ABOUT IT AGAIN," in an otherwise happy scene, for example). What I was referring to is when a character would naturally be sad. If the author heads straight to crying, that glosses over the whole emotional process, and the reader feels gypped. Yeah, D and Lightning Man, the Emotion Thesaurus is very very handy.

Thank you, Lightning Man, for your support.

The crying you’re describing might work, yeah, as long as there is a reason, even if it isn’t known. But you did well in advising people to be careful. What may seem like a good reason to them might seem stupid to the reader (“BUT HER FATHER DIED TEN YEARS AGO AND SHE JUST NOW THOUGHT ABOUT IT AGAIN,” in an otherwise happy scene, for example).

What I was referring to is when a character would naturally be sad. If the author heads straight to crying, that glosses over the whole emotional process, and the reader feels gypped.

]]> By: Lighting Man http://www.superheronation.com/2009/07/10/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-crying-characters/#comment-35451 Lighting Man Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:43:48 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=3977#comment-35451 Interesting article, it had a lot of good points and that thesaurus link was particularly handy, so very nicely done. Something I've always found to be powerful and moving when handled correctly is crying in situations that don't call for it or expectedly, especially when it is used as a cliffhanger for a short period, such as a chapter in a novel or at the end of a monthly comic book. This power hinges on the reader not possessing exacting knowledge of what caused the outburst, so I'd strongly advise against having the narrator or lead POV as the emotive one, unless your skills have been proven to such a degree that you and your thousands or millions of faithful readers can trust you to properly handle an unreliable narrator. If you lack that many fans, do not attempt an unreliable narrator, because as this web site has stated strongly dozens of times, it isn't coy, it isn't smart, it's just frustrating if you aren't a strong enough writer to handle it. Again, I thought this article was great, as it pointed out the various hazards, offered solutions and didn't rule out usage entirely. Interesting article, it had a lot of good points and that thesaurus link was particularly handy, so very nicely done.

Something I’ve always found to be powerful and moving when handled correctly is crying in situations that don’t call for it or expectedly, especially when it is used as a cliffhanger for a short period, such as a chapter in a novel or at the end of a monthly comic book. This power hinges on the reader not possessing exacting knowledge of what caused the outburst, so I’d strongly advise against having the narrator or lead POV as the emotive one, unless your skills have been proven to such a degree that you and your thousands or millions of faithful readers can trust you to properly handle an unreliable narrator.

If you lack that many fans, do not attempt an unreliable narrator, because as this web site has stated strongly dozens of times, it isn’t coy, it isn’t smart, it’s just frustrating if you aren’t a strong enough writer to handle it.

Again, I thought this article was great, as it pointed out the various hazards, offered solutions and didn’t rule out usage entirely.

]]> By: D http://www.superheronation.com/2009/07/10/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-crying-characters/#comment-35448 D Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:09:43 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=3977#comment-35448 You already know that I think this is awesome:) Great job, and I really liked that link to the Emotion Thesaurus. You already know that I think this is awesome:) Great job, and I really liked that link to the Emotion Thesaurus.

]]> By: Marissa http://www.superheronation.com/2009/07/10/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-crying-characters/#comment-35341 Marissa Sun, 12 Jul 2009 01:46:16 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=3977#comment-35341 Maybe a little, but I appreciate the sentiment either way. Glad to know it was useful. :D Maybe a little, but I appreciate the sentiment either way. Glad to know it was useful. :D

]]> By: Luna Jamnia http://www.superheronation.com/2009/07/10/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-crying-characters/#comment-35338 Luna Jamnia Sun, 12 Jul 2009 01:08:56 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=3977#comment-35338 I think this is a great first-article. And you do have a point. (I'm not biased because you're my friend, am I?) I think this is a great first-article. And you do have a point. (I’m not biased because you’re my friend, am I?)

]]> By: Marissa http://www.superheronation.com/2009/07/10/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-crying-characters/#comment-35303 Marissa Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:15:16 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=3977#comment-35303 Sorry about the massive delay in fixing it up, I couldn't figure out how to work the controls. (A good reason you should never put me at the wheel of a plane.) Sorry about the massive delay in fixing it up, I couldn’t figure out how to work the controls. (A good reason you should never put me at the wheel of a plane.)

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