It's almost Halloween and things are getting terrifying.....including Don's usual Halloween costume choice...
Oh, you fancy huh? So here's the weekly roundup: the first article I read, I feel is timely, though it isn't perhaps as crystal clear as far as concepts go. It certainly pertains to writing young adult fiction, though, and what the substance of a show is about. On the Cynsations blog, Cynthia Smith talks about the Glee tribute to "Finn Hudson", one of the main characters of the show. Personally, I've never watched more than the first episode of the show, but I know that the tribute has been described as touching and beautiful around social media sites. Now, Glee often tackles contemporary or universal issues, so naturally people wondered if it would delve into the addiction that Cory Monteith struggled with. Yes, this makes logical sense, but the thing is Cory's character (Finn) on the show never showed the same struggle with drugs and alcohol. As Cynthia writes, "theme only resonates when fiction rings true...consistency is the key to resonance." So instead of incorporating drugs or any cause of death into the show, the writers left it open and unanswered, instead focusing on the impact of Finn's character. Finn's character was compared to Superman on the show, making his quarterback character almost part of this 'superhero' archetype. But even if Finn's character had glaring weaknesses, the show didn't mention drugs as one of them. Yes, it would've made sense on one level to try to tie in real life and the story, but it wouldn't have fit into the cannon.
Instead of focusing on the 'cause of death' of the character, the tribute episode focused on the impact Finn's character made: a popular quarterback who intermingled with music and singing along with diverse groups around him. As Cynthia notices, would a cause of death randomly added ruin the tributes effect? I think it's an extremely tough question, but I think that would've shifted the focus away from his legacy that he added. So, in some ways this may seem like it doesn't apply to young adult writing, but I think it does. It tells us that consistency is key, and characters that are both realistic yet inspirational are ones that readers really do treasure. Weaknesses are fine to impart into writing and should be there, but it's wise and productive to gradually build those weaknesses (and the root of them) in writing rather than just add it on a whim or without some kind of backstory.
Chapter Five in Writing for Great Books for Young Adults delves into the building blocks of creating the foundation of the plot. I thought it was very interesting that it advises "don't have too much plot: character do not have to have a crisis or deal with threats every few pages...too many characters, story lines, subplots, and too much action will quickly lose younger readers...breaks in the action are important for the characters to reflect on what has happened, consider the current situation, and plan their next move...this will help sustain the suspense and ramp up the anticipation of watching the character move into the next action scene...the author should focus on the protagonist and his reactions to advance the story." This to me is very interesting because it reminds me of an important issue that every show must cover: pacing. I notice the pacing of a TV show or movie so easily now: generally, there will be minutes and minutes of an action scene or chase scene and then there's a break (like a breath) for humor and comic relief. This allows the reader to rest, or at least be caught off-guard when something else loud happens!
At first when I read that paragraph, I disagreed with the book, since some anime's (that I would say apply to young adults) pack in a ton of action and characters and subplots all at the same time. But indeed, they have tons of reflection by the main characters once these subplots or new characters are introduced. Many times, the inner thoughts of a character in these anime shows will be expressed or they will reason with themselves verbally, or perhaps name out what their going to do to something else (even if that person is their enemy). Indeed, anticipation and suspense are needed and are important, pacing is pivotal whether it's writing young adult television, books (maybe chapter breaks), movies, etc. As I learned in my scriptwriting classes, television is like this very much so--there should be a lingering question or plot-twist right before every commercial break to build anticipation (for the big 'fight scene' or cliffhanger or something). Or like many shows, the character will reason with themselves and have an epiphany of something they didn't know, something shocking, which is perfect for a chapter or commercial break. Indeed, the pacing of any story is important, for it to have a balance of action along with moments of rest or stillness as a character learns or or muses meditates on what is ahead or what has just happened.
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