You may not be a fan of detective stuff on tv and in movies and books, but you may become a fan of my method of questioning I was told is highly effective in real life.
I'll say things or ask questions just to get a response out of others. I may say something I know they'll object to or refute, or state a point of view that I know will bring me information I may not have thought to ask for.
I'm using this method to work on a useful what-if: what if my book is published and it breaks huge and it becomes a topic of discussion in schools and reading groups? What questions can I anticipate, and can I answer them now? If so, I may see the structure of my book in a brighter light, and see ways to improve it, or develop subsequent books.
A few examples:
I didn't introduce my m.c. immediately and broke a rule. I had a reason for that: I needed to set up a feel for the mindset of the world as it now is, now that the mysterious vigilantes did so well to clean up most of the violent people from the streets. I wanted to show up-front that it's okay for the innocent to defend themselves, and possibly in a way that will stop the violent and save other innocents. I had to show that this defense may not be considered excessive, no matter what the outcome. I also had to show some remorse on the part of the defendant. I had to show that--according to the prevailing wisdom--there should be minimal--if any--ongoing cost to innocent lives except for the memory and the attitude towards the act of defense. The burden should all be on the violent--but there should be some consideration for the humanity of the violent.
I could call that the ongoing theme, or the thread that ties it all together, or possibly the m.c., in a sense.
I also needed to have something immediate that a reader could hook onto and relate to and understand, something unusual but by no means strange. I had to get the reader thinking about their own feelings right from paragraph one.
I couldn't do it with much description, either. It's the amateur novels that open with a description of the scene. I had to show, not tell, and show feelings and moods and thoughts, and break up moments of description with stretches of dialogue.
My main question is, did I manage to sustain the right mechanics, the right moods and interest, to keep a reader reading, even past what I could call quiet moments (some would say slow) that I hope would show their reason for being later in the book?
I tried to maintain interest by recalling several earlier elements, not saying, "remember?" but mentioning those elements a second time, showing how they may later have meaning that didn't appear there earlier. In comedy this is called a callback, but I'm not sure if literature has a name for it. And some of it was not funny at all.
I also needed better closure than just to defeat four different deadly threats. That's lame, and I suppose I could have had my m.c. just go into an antique store and buy the Stone Of Infinity or the Sword of Omigod, and just zap her foes. but what I wanted to do was create an entirely plausible universe, one that readers could relate to in a variety of ways, one that may seem mundane, but possibly familiar and accessible.
I love the fantasy/adventure stuff; don't get that wrong. At least once I left the movie theater, feeling as if I'm flying James Bond's rocket-laden gyrocopter or Luke Skywalker's X-wing fighter. Stopping my 2006 Subaru Outback wagon at a red light is a real mood-killer, however. I always hope, after that happens, that I could find a story that could possibly feel real for days after, and maybe make a positive difference in my life and that of others.
Or write one.
One beta reader regarded this vigilante-type of justice as an "interesting concept". I know that those who hook onto that may find it controversial. That's sort of the idea. I wanted to write something that had a "big idea" but not necessarily a high-concept thing, something that most anyone could express an opinion about. I may get some angry reaction, and I understand.
Those readers need to understand two things, however:
1. If you love the form of vigilante justice, or if you're fiercely against it, then mission accomplished.
2. It's only a story.
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I expanded on this and realized I could compose the equivalent of a study guide, running maybe three pages, maybe a dozen or more, answering questions and stating reasons for my structure, word choices, reasons for characterization and plot twists, and explaining what my thought process was at various stages.
Whether I actually compose it or not is moot. It could prove useful to me to understand exactly what I wrote, and for readers to understand. It could lead to refinements in word choice and structure, and it's somewhat along the lines of an expanded outline or synopsis that could be used on subsequent books.
I don't know of other authors who do such a thing, but, gee, maybe it's worth really doing.
Excuse me if you please... I have another job to do.
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