Kyle A. Massa

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Is an Author’s Intent Irrelevant?

January 14, 2019 /

Author Intent

“I just thought he was insane.”

This is one reader’s take on the titular protagonist of my novel, Gerald Barkley Rocks. I must admit, it makes sense. After all, my protagonist interacts with a character no one else can see. And, without giving too much away, he has some pretty odd experiences, ones that can’t be confirmed by any other character. So I can see why readers might think it’s all in his head rather than actually happening. The thing is, that wasn’t my intention.

Is this a problem? If readers extract meaning that an author doesn’t intend, has the author messed up? And here’s the central question: Does an author’s intent even matter?

The Writer’s Fear

I’m reading Philip Pullman’s Daemon Voices right now and I think he addresses this topic astutely. In the essay “Intention,” Pullman describes the phenomenon like this:

“What seems to be going on here is the feeling that reading is a sort of test, which the reader passes or fails according to how closely the interpretation matches the one the author intended.”

This works the other way around, too. As writers, sometimes we want our readers interpretations to match our intent. If they differ, we might fear our writing failed a test of clarity. That’s how I felt when I first received the “I thought he was insane” feedback.

Yet Pullman addresses this topic again later in the book.

“Readers may interpret my work in any way they please…Believing as I do in the democracy of reading, I don’t like the sort of totalitarian silence that descends when there is one authoritative reading of any text.”

So is Phil right? Should I celebrate this alternative reading rather than fear it?

Yes, Phil’s Right

An author doesn’t decide what’s true. Rather, truth varies depending on who’s reading it. I didn’t intend for my protagonist to hallucinate anything, but, for any given reader, that doesn’t mean he didn’t.

Plus, unintended results are often some of the best. Take any B-movie as an example. If creator intent was absolute, these would just be bad movies. Yet if audiences choose to interpret them as comedies, they become far more enjoyable.

Take, for example, Troll 2. It’s a film about a family that moves to a small American town called Nilbog, (yes, that’s “goblin” spelled backwards). They’re terrorized by the townsfolk who turn out to be goblins disguised as humans. Yes, that’s right. A film called Troll 2 is actually about goblins.

That’s funny on its own—not that the filmmakers intended it. Rather, they named the film Troll 2 in order to mislead potential moviegoers into thinking the film was a sequel to a different (and unrelated) horror film. And that’s only the beginning. There’s also an omnipotent grandpa, a make-out scene in which popcorn is thrown onto the participants from off camera, and this famously awful line: “You can’t piss on hospitality! I won’t allow it!” All unintentional, and better for it.

I hope Gerald Barkley Rocks isn’t the Troll 2 of books, but you get the idea. All art is evaluated by interpretation. The artist presents the pieces. The reader, viewer, or listener arranges those pieces into whatever shape they like. 

Conclusion

Feel free to read Gerald Barkley Rocks and let me know your interpretation. Because my intent is irrelevant. Thanks, Phil Pullman.

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction. His debut novel, Gerald Barkley Rocks, is available now on Amazon Kindle.

I Am Your Father: Making Similarities Work in Fiction

January 7, 2019 /
Darth Vader

From Wikipedia

When Darth Vader revealed he was Luke Skywalker’s father in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, people lost it. It’s widely considered one of the best plot twists in film history, and for good reason. Who would’ve guessed that the protagonist was the antagonist’s son all along?

Of course, George Lucas isn’t the only person ever to use this twist. In fact, Neil Gaiman (my favorite author) uses it in his 2001 novel American Gods (my favorite book). If you haven’t read it or don’t want to be spoiled for the show, turn back now.

Still here? Okay, cool. The book’s bad guy, Mr. Wednesday, is the father of Shadow, the book’s good guy. Boom!

Now here’s my question. How does Neil Gaiman repeat such a classic plot element without having readers roll their eyes? How does he take the “I am your father” moment and make it his own? Let’s investigate.

The Buildup

In Star Wars and American Gods, the identities of Luke and Shadow’s fathers carry differing importance. In Star Wars, for instance, when Obi Wan Kenobi tells Luke that his father was a jedi, it’s a huge contributing factor toward him leaving home. He takes his father’s lightsaber, he joins his father’s order, and it’s implied that he wants to avenge his father’s death. That’s because at this point in the story, he believes Darth Vader killed his father.

In American Gods, Shadow couldn’t care less about the identity of his father. We just know that he never met his dad. That’s it. No hints at who dad was, what he did, or where he went. The man’s identity is so vague that I found myself forgetting his existence entirely. Only near the end does it become relevant.

Here we see how this differing importance sets these plot elements apart from one another. If Shadow revered his dad and accepted his quest to follow in his footsteps, these elements might feel too similar. Since he doesn’t, the respective “I am your father” moments feel distinct.

The Reveal

In Star Wars, the reveal of Darth Vader’s true identity is intensely dramatic. It’s enough to make Luke sob and then hurl himself down a space shaft. And for audiences everywhere, it’s a shock that’s still remembered today. Just check out the memes that are still being created:

In American Gods, the revelation of the antagonist being the protagonist’s father is far more understated. When he has a vision of his mother dancing with his father, his reaction to dad’s true identity isn’t nearly so dramatic as Luke’s. Here’s the passage:

“Shadow found that he was completely unsurprised when he recognized the man who dances with [his mother]. He had not changed that much in thirty-three years.”

To a certain extent, this is just Shadow. Due to his time in prison, he’s learned to suppress his emotion. Yet this muted response also differentiates the revelation from that of Star Wars. Shadow doesn’t deny the truth. Instead, he accepts it. In fact, he already suspected it.

The Payoff

Once we know who these characters’ fathers really are, the ramifications on the subsequent story are much different. At the end of Empire Strikes Back, for instance, Luke is in disbelief over what he’s learned. Then, in the following film, his goal is no longer to defeat Vader. Instead, he seeks to redeem him.

In American Gods, Shadow’s father’s identity is more thematic than anything else. Shadow finds out who Mr. Wednesday is roughly around the same time he discovers Wednesday’s plot to sacrifice a bunch of gods to himself, thereby resurrecting himself.  (Simple plan, right?) There’s no moment of, “Gee, I’d better redeem my dad.” In fact, Wednesday’s true identity doesn’t change Shadow’s plan in any way. He still stops the other gods from going to war, which thwarts dear dad’s plan. So unlike Luke Skywalker, Shadow wants to defeat his father even after discovering his true identity.

In Conclusion

Writers tend to avoid using twists they’ve seen in other works. Sometimes we fear that unless our plots are unique, we won’t be taken seriously as artists. That’s not the case! Rather, it’s perfectly fine to reuse a plot element, so long as we make it our own. I think the above example illustrates that point perfectly.

Now get out there and write!

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction. His debut novel, Gerald Barkley Rocks, is available now on Amazon Kindle.

My Favorite Books of 2018

December 31, 2018 /

Well, it’s officially the last day of 2018. There’s no better time than now to recap some of our favorite parts of the year that was. In this post, I’ll share my five favorite books of the year. Maybe you’ll like them, too! (If you’d like to read 2017’s post, click here.)

Without further ado, let’s see 2018’s picks.

Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

Watchmen

Source: Goodreads

Watchmen is considered by many to be the greatest graphic novel of all time. Now I understand why.

Full disclosure: I don’t read many graphic novels. Therefore, I might not be qualified to call this one the best. Then again, you need not watch every NBA player to know Jordan is the greatest.

Whatever. Ranking concerns aside, Watchmen is a masterwork.

Watchmen is set in an alternate universe wherein superheroes exist. These aren’t like Thor or Superman though. Rather, the heroes of Watchmen begin as vigilantes during the 1940s and continue to operate into the 80s. They’re imperfect, dark, often bitter. Each has a personal agenda but no superpowers. When one of their own is murdered, a band of retired heroes must find the truth.

I saw the 2009 film version of way back when it came out (actually, it was the first R-rated film I ever saw in theaters). Whether or not you liked the film, I promise you’ll like the graphic novel even more. It’s packed with deep characters, nuanced philosophical ideas, and a compelling plot. Plus, the graphic novel contains added worldbuilding depth, such as an excerpt from the autobiography of one  hero and a magazine interview with another. Oh, and the visual design for each character is brilliant.

If you love graphic novels, you’ve probably already read this one. If you’ve never read one, start here.

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

A Visit from the Goon Squad

Source: Amazon

People still can’t agree on whether this is a collection of interconnected short stories or a novel. Whatever you call it, it’s an outstanding work of art.

Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad is a book about music, connection, and the ways in which our lives interlock. Each chapter tells a different story though they’re all connected by the theme of time. Also, many characters reappear as older or younger versions of themselves, or as acquaintances of others. For example, record producer Bennie Salazar recalls discovering a band featuring a guitarist named Bosco, an event which kicked off his record producing career. Later, we encounter an older version of Bosco, who’s trying to reignite his career. And later, we meet a younger version of Bosco while he’s just on the rise.

My favorite part of this book is the penultimate chapter entitled “Great Rock and Roll Pauses by Alison Blake.” It’s a story told entirely through PowerPoint slides. I know, it kind of sounds like a gimmick. It’s not. This chapter is innovative, smart, and above all, an excellent bit of storytelling. You’ll have to read it to understand why.

M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman

M is for Magic

Source: Goodreads

Neil Gaiman is my favorite author, so it’s probably no surprise to anyone that one of his books made my list.

This short story collection features his signature wit and creativity. For example, in “The Case of Four and Twenty Blackbirds,” (one of the best this collection has to offer), Gaiman turns the story of Humpty Dumpty into a hard-boiled detective yarn. There’s also “Chivalry,” a story about a geriatric British woman who purchases the Holy Grail at her town’s antique shop. Also “The Witch’s Headstone,” one part of his outstanding children’s novel The Graveyard Book. And also “How to Talk to Girls at Parties,” a bizarre story about two guys who accidentally crash a party with girls from another planet.

Oddly, this collection is marketed as stories for children. These are not stories for children. Sexual content and creepiness aside, the reading level just doesn’t feel right for kids (with the exception of “The Witch’s Headstone,” I’d say). Anyway, read it. You’ll like it (whether or not you’re a kid).

Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell

Plot & Structure

Source: Goodreads

The first nonfiction book of the bunch, James Scott Bell’s Plot and Structure contains a myriad of practical tips for fiction writers.

I like the way Bell presents his opinions on the subjects in this book. Rather than saying something to the effect of, This is the way to do it, his approach is similar to Stephen King’s in On Writing. It’s more of this: These techniques have worked for me, so maybe they’ll work for you, too. For example, he lays out the structure of most commercially successful stories and recommends starting there. He acknowledges that no, not every popular story fits into that structure. But if you want to be commercially viable, it’s a good place to start.

In addition to the titular subjects, Bell also hits topics such as dialogue, character, and series arc. If you like writing and you want to get better at it, I recommend this book.

Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado

Her Body and Other Parties

Source: Goodreads

This short story collection is unified by themes of femininity, sex, and introversion. Plus, it features some really cool speculative elements, including supernatural Law & Order: SVU plots and a list of sexual encounters with the world’s end happening in the background.

The SVU story is my favorite in the collection. It’s entitled “Especially Heinous,” and it’s pure brilliance. It’s a story told with the characters from the long-running TV series, except the episodes feature supernatural (and oftentimes creepy elements) such as doppelgangers, ghosts with bells for eyes, and cults. I love when writers push the boundaries of their craft. That’s what Machado does with this story—and the entire collection.

Until Next Year…

Can’t wait to read even more outstanding book in the new year. Have a fantastic 2019, readers!

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction. His debut novel, Gerald Barkley Rocks, is available now on Amazon Kindle.

Kyle’s Time Travelin’ Tour, 2018 Edition

December 24, 2018 /

Time Travel 2018

Time travel is one of my favorite literary devices. Today, let’s apply it to my work in 2018.

A few rules: what happened happened. We can’t alter the flow of time. For instance, there’s no taking back my tasteless joke about A Quiet Place (check May for details). We also can’t go back any further than January 2018, and from there we must progress forward in month-by-month sequence. Lastly, laughter and link clicking are encouraged.

Okay. Time machine’s here. Hop in.

…

January

My first blog post of the year went live: “Setting Writing Resolutions for 2018.” While I did not state mine specifically, I confess I had one in mind: publishing a book. More on that one later.

Another big step in January: I launched my email mailing list. I want to keep in touch with as many readers as I could, even those who might not be on WordPress. Email seems like a great way to do it. If you’d like to join, feel free to do so here.

February

I believe my best work in February was this post: “The Question of Simplistic Morals in Epic Fantasy.” Here I compared the tone of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings with Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. The former is clear in its moral alignment: The Fellowship is good, Sauron is evil. Less so with the latter; almost every character lies somewhere between good and evil. Do these differing approaches make one series better than the other? This one was fun to write. I hope it’s fun to read.

Also in February, I began writing articles for my local hobby shop, Flipside Gaming. I did a handful of news articles, though the bulk of my work was with Magic: The Gathering content. If you’re into that kind of thing, you can find all my Flipside Articles here.

March

On March 12th, I published a post entitled, “Should You Lie to Your Fellow Writers?” This one was a little controversial. The underlying idea is this: When offering feedback on a piece, I don’t believe there’s ever a reason to tell anyone you hated their work—even if you kind of did. Here’s a snippet:

“So if a writer you know asks for feedback on a draft and you simply hate that draft, lie to them. Find something, anything you think they did right. Identify specific points where they can improve, rather than making sweeping, and ultimately unhelpful, negative statements.”

I believe it was my most commented-on post of 2018. Check it out and see what you think.

Also, I turned 26 on the 6th. My thoughts on the day:

April

This month, I wrote three pieces I’m especially proud of: “The Infinity Draft: 3 Questions That Can Help End the Endless,” “Why the ‘This Meets That’ Pitch Doesn’t Work,” and “Research Tips for Writers: Lessons from Jackie Chan’s Uncle.” I think all three addressed important topics for writers in unique ways. (Also, anytime you get to reference Jackie Chan’s uncle in an article, good things happen.)

Magic fans might get a kick out of this one:

May

Did you notice the Infinity War reference from last month? I got really, really into Avengers stuff around now, as evidenced by this month’s most popular post, “Sympathy for the Titan: Thanos & How to Create a Good Bad Guy.” In this one, I broke down three reasons I think Thanos is one of the best movie villains, ever.

Also, starting in May, I began writing for another Magic site, this one called EDHREC. If you’re a planeswalker, you might dig my articles.

Oh, and here’s that tasteless Quiet Place joke I mentioned:

June

In honor of Father’s Day, I compiled a list of famous dads from science fiction and fantasy. My top picks: Ned Stark, Darth Vader, Thanos (the pattern continues), and Mr. Wednesday. A huge oversight: I somehow forgot to do an equivalent post for Mother’s Day. Sorry, Mom! We’ll have a 2019 edition for sure.

July

July was a quiet month for the blog. The most notable post: “Has Your Antagonist Stolen Your Story?” This one addresses the phenomenon in which a villain might overshadow the heroes of your story.

Also in July, I started writing for ProWritingAid. My first post was entitled, “Writing Fantasy? Here’s How to Build a Vivid Setting.” I’ve been writing for them (and later, working for them) ever since. Check out all my posts here.

And for some incisive commentary on writing…

August

Forget writing. My favorite event of August (and the entire year) was getting married! Here’s a photo of my beautiful wife Sara and I:

September

This month, I wrote a post about how to ignore self-criticism. I hope it’s a help to writers, especially those who are extra hard on themselves.

Also in September, I read Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read on those two subjects (plus more). I highly recommend it!

October

In October, readers got their first look at my first novel, Gerald Barkley Rocks. This excerpt was an absolute blast to write. I hope it’s just as fun to read.

No October posting would be complete without a nod to Halloween. So, this year, I wrote “The Top 5 Horror Techniques of Hereditary” for ProWritingAid. Honestly, I’m pretty sure Hereditary is the scariest movie I’ve ever seen. The post will tell you more.

November

I’ve got to thank my wife for my favorite post of November. It’s got a lengthy title, but I think it fits: “Why Don’t They Call the Cops? – Answering Your Readers’ Questions Before They Ask Them.” She was reading a book and got very annoyed that the characters took matters into their own hands rather than doing the logical (and safe thing)…call the police!

All in all, November was a pretty quiet month. That’s because I was preparing for a big event the following month…

December

I published my first book! It’s called Gerald Barkley Rocks, and it’s available on Amazon Kindle right now. Feel free to grab yourself a copy, if you feel so inclined.

Onward

That’s the end of this year’s time travel tour. Make sure to give it a nice review on Trip Advisor. See you again next year!

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction. His debut novel, Gerald Barkley Rocks, is available now on Amazon Kindle.

What Makes a Story Cliche?

December 17, 2018 /

As always happens at my writer’s group, we had an interesting conversation. One of our members worried that her submission was cliche.

She’d seen particular elements of her story in others: an alien returning to his own world, a teenage love triangle, an oppressive, autocratic government. She wondered if that made the story as a whole cliche.

The funny thing was, the group couldn’t come to a consensus. And it made me wonder: does quality affect perceptions of cliche? Does recency factor into the discussion? And is cliche as bad as some people seem to think? Let’s talk.

Quality Excuses All

One thing I’ve noticed: Audiences forgive cliche if they deem the art “really good.”

Take Netflix’s Stranger Things, for example. It’s one of the most popular shows on TV, yet seems to retread familiar tropes. A short list: shadowy government organizations, psychic children, monsters invading small towns from alternate dimensions, heavy synth soundtracks.

When separated from the whole, we get some cliches. Yet the show’s production quality, attention to detail, and nice guy Bob Newby mask these flaws. If the successful elements weren’t so successful, we might not forgive the cliches.

Popularity and Recency Magnify Perceptions of Cliche

People are more likely to label stories as derivative if similar stories are already popular.

Take vampire stories. I can’t tell you how many online fiction markets strictly forbid vampire stories. Any of them. This is, of course, thanks to the Twilight series, which has single-handedly ruined vampires for the next decade or so. Just say the word “vampire” and wait for the groans.

This works both ways. When we haven’t seen a particular idea explored in a while, it might feel fresh, even if it really is cliche. Take La La Land, for example. A fun movie. Singing, dancing, mean J.K. Simmons. All good fun. But remove the musical elements and you’ll find cliche. Struggling artists in Los Angeles get together, break up, reconnect again after one of them gets married. Doesn’t that sound familiar?

Imagine if this came out in the thirties, when Ginger Rodgers and Fred Astaire made dancing cheek to cheek famous. People loved it because they hadn’t seen it in a long time.

A Little Cliche is Good

Imagine a story that you’ve never seen before. Its structure, characters, settings, and themes are all unique.

First of all, such a story does not exist. No work of art is completely original; everyone’s working off a predecessor’s template, whether they know it or not. Second, this probably wouldn’t be a very good story. Fact is, conventions and tropes exist for a reason. They give us familiar handholds to grasp. If they weren’t there, we wouldn’t get far off the ground.

So what makes a story cliche? Lots or little, depending on whom you ask. But if you ask me, I think cliche gets a bum rap. Treat it like salt: use a little, but not too much.

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction. His debut novel, Gerald Barkley Rocks, is available now on Amazon Kindle.

Gerald Barkley Rocks is Available Now!

December 7, 2018 /

Cover designed by Nathan Rumsey

What’s the overlap between fame and immortality? Is rock really dead? Are cats hiding something from us? These are a few of the questions that inspired my first novel, Gerald Barkley Rocks.

Let’s start with our protagonist. Gerald Barkley is a soon-to-be retired homicide detective who’s forgotten by most people as soon as they meet him. He’s also been diagnosed with a rare blood disease. When he wonders if anyone will notice when he’s gone, Barkley always comes to the same conclusion: Seems unlikely.

We contrast his life with that of Julian Strange, lead singer and principal songwriter of seminal rock band Black Cat Waltz. Strange is dead, and it’s up to Barkley to figure out why. The question is, how did Strange die? And what does it all have to do with Barkley himself?

Gerald Barkley Rocks is one part detective story, one part rock-and-roll elegy, and one part supernatural comedy. Buy your copy for  Amazon Kindle today!

So that’s what the book is about. Why should you read it?

For one, this book will appeal to anyone who likes rock-and-roll culture. I grew up not only listening to The Who, The Rolling Stones, and The Doors, but also reading the stories about them. In fact, I’d say the stories behind these groups are just as interesting as the music they made. They served as key inspirations for this novel.

You’ll see shades of Jim Morrison in Julian Strange, plus hints of Keith Moon, Freddie Mercury, David Bowie, Meatloaf, Ozzy Osbourne, Robert Plant, Warren Zevon, and maybe a few other guys. Heck, I even drew inspiration from This is Spinal Tap, which remains the greatest satire of rock-and-roll ever.

One thing I’m hoping I did not do is glorify the subculture. I love classic rock music and probably always will. But if you read enough about the people who made it, you’ll find that they were by and large not very nice folks. Many musicians of that era cheated on their spouses and regularly caused untold amounts of property damage. And the casual misogyny of the music is quite obvious.

Nonetheless, their stories are good inspirations for fiction. I tried to strike a balance between celebrating the music and questioning the behavior of those who made it when appropriate. Hopefully I succeeded.

You might also enjoy Gerald Barkley Rocks if you’re a fan of detective stories. I’ll admit, my knowledge of the subgenre is more localized to film; Chinatown, Hollywoodland, and The Ghost Writer are a few that particularly influenced this novel.

Lastly, my main goal with this book is to touch on the topic of death (but not in a super morbid way). Generalizations are dangerous, but I think it’s safe to say that most people fear death. I know I do. Humans have been speculating about what follows it for forever, and though there are many guesses, nobody can know for sure.

In Gerald Barkley Rocks, I’m not trying to answer that question. Rather, I wanted to tell a story about a character who’s not sure what comes after death, either. Which, in turn, might tell us something about life.

I think Gerald Barkley Rocks is a good book (though I admit I’m a little biased). I hope you feel the same way!

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction. His debut novel, Gerald Barkley Rocks, is available now on Amazon Kindle.

Gerald Barkley Rocks Arrives This Friday!

December 3, 2018 /

Cover design by Nathan Rumsey

I’m thrilled to announce that my debut novel, Gerald Barkley Rocks, will be available this Friday, December 7th on Amazon Kindle! Here’s a synopsis:

Gerald Barkley is no stranger to death. Being a longtime, no-nonsense Los Angeles homicide detective, he sees it almost every day. Yet when his own demise draws near in the form of a rare and incurable disease, he’s not quite as prepared as he thought he’d be.

Add to that Barkley’s latest case: The mysterious death of Julian Strange, frontman, founder, and principal songwriter of seminal rock band Black Cat Waltz. Strange has been found with a copy of the world’s oldest song. What could it mean? And what does it have to do with his former bandmates and Gerald Barkley himself?

A supernatural detective story with a splash of rock-and-roll and a hint of humor, Gerald Barkley Rocks examines life, death, and what might come after both.

If you’d like to learn more, read this exclusive excerpt.

And don’t forget to sign up for my email newsletter below. You’ll receive an email when the book is live, plus a free short story just because you’re awesome. Enjoy!

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction.

Why Don’t They Call the Cops? – Answering Your Readers’ Questions Before They Ask Them

November 12, 2018 /

My wife is currently reading a frustrating book (I won’t tell you the title). She’s got several grievances, such as one character’s annoying name and another character’s dopey behavior. But one issue stands above the rest. My wife asks:

“Why don’t they call the cops?”

Now that’s an important question, especially for writers. When the going gets tough, why don’t your main characters call the cops?

As writers, we must constantly ask ourselves questions like these, because our readers certainly will. If we never anticipate the questions that might arise, readers will end up feeling frustrated, like my wife does now.

How can we answer our readers’ questions before they’re asked? Let’s get into it.

1. Put Yourself in Your Characters’ Shoes

Let’s say your protagonist is being stalked by someone outside the house who’s trying to break in. Why doesn’t he or she call the cops? If you can’t answer this question, you can’t proceed with your story.

So put yourself in your character’s shoes. Say to yourself, “Okay self. Let’s say that as you’re writing this, you hear someone breaking in downstairs. What do you do?” Calling the cops is probably on your shortlist. Finding a weapon to defend yourself with is another solid tactic. Shouting for help or escaping out the backdoor works, too. 

The final decision will vary depending on the character making it. However, you must at least provide plausible evidence as to why your character does or does not do something. Maybe they don’t call the cops because you’ve established that they’re distrustful of the police. Maybe they don’t arm themselves because they’re just a scared little kid.

Take a moment to show answers to logical questions. If you’ve done that, you can proceed with your story.

2. Share Your Work with Beta Readers

It’s okay if you don’t speak Greek. Beta readers are just the kind people who give you their first impressions on your works-in-progress. If they wonder why your main character didn’t call the cops, they’ll let you know.

The best beta readers tell you what questions they have as they read your work. For example, they might say, “I didn’t understand why Luna wouldn’t tell Solara about the mouse in the basement.” As the writer, you probably know the answer. Yet a beta reader might show that the answer isn’t clear enough. In this example, perhaps you go back and explicitly state Solara’s reasoning: Luna had cried wolf—or in this case, mouse—too many times already. She knew Solara would never believe her.

Beta readers need not be anyone fancy (though they can be if you like fancy people). Just pick your family, friends, or anyone you trust. Ask them if any questions arise while reading the story, and what you can do to answer them.

3. Consider the World of Your Story

If you’re writing a murder mystery set in Ancient Greece, the “Why don’t they call the cops?” question isn’t especially relevant (though Socrates calling the police on an iPhone is a hilarious image). Conversely, if you’re writing a murder mystery set in the distant future, you might need to put extra brain power into your explanation.

Why? Because as a reader, I won’t believe that in the year 3000 we’ll have phones like we do now. In fact, I’m not even sure we’ll still have phones. Would we have neural pathways connecting us all? Could you simply think, I’m in danger!, and then get instant help. You must take extra care to consider how the rules of your world affect readers’ questions.

Questions Need Answering!

Don’t be like the author of the book my wife is reading. Anticipate your readers’ questions, then answer them. And if you need a place to start, start with this one: “Why don’t they call the cops?”

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction.

Staying Shameless When Self Promoting

November 5, 2018 /

Buy My Book!

For writers, self promotion is like visiting the doctor: necessary, but often uncomfortable.

Whether online or in person, self promotion can feel a little icky sometimes. So, when it comes down to tooting our own horns, here are some tips on how to toot without feeling guilty.

For starters, remember that everyone, even non-writers, must promote themselves now and then. Take the job interview, for instance. We show up with a piece of paper listing our GPA, accomplishments, and past employment. Then we talk about ourselves for an hour. Promoting our writing is no different, and no less essential.

Even if we don’t like promoting ourselves, I’m sure we all like the work we promote. Why else would we spend so much time on it? We write because we love what we write, plain and simple. We should never feel bad about sharing that love with others.

A great way to overcome the initial discomfort of self promotion is to pretend you’re a publicist for another writer. Pretend that your favorite author wrote your book and that you’re telling a friend why you love it. What makes it special? What makes it unlike other books? I’m sure you’ve done this before with someone else’s book, so try it with your own.

A truism of writing applies to self promotion as well: show, don’t tell. In the above picture, my cat Luna orders you to buy her book. This form of self promotion is a tad aggressive. I’ve seen a lot of writers do it, both online and in person. I’ve done it myself a few times. Trust me—it doesn’t fly. Luna might instead share her published work on her website (see how shameless I was there?). If visitors like what they see, they’ll be far more likely to do as she says and buy her book.

Yes, self promotion feels weird. But we need to do it. So instead of feeling weird about it, let’s embrace it. Let’s have fun with it. It’s called shameless self promotion for a reason.

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction.

3 Ways to Scare the Pants Off Your Readers

October 31, 2018 /

Wait, no, keep your pants on. I’m only being figurative.

Happy Halloween to you, reader! If you like the frightening, the demonic, the monstrous, or the sugary, today is your day. That goes double if you’re into horror fiction. And maybe triple if you write it.

So, as a horror writer, how can you scare the pants off your readers (again, figuratively)? It’ll take more than just ghouls and guts. In this post, we’ll cover three classic writing techniques from famous horror writers. And…go!

Hinting at Future Tragedy

Warning your readers about looming danger creates a nice sense of dread. It’s the literary equivalent of the murderer sneaking up behind the lead character in a movie: You can see it coming, but you can’t stop it. 

For an example, look no further than the modern master of horror himself, Stephen King. In his 1983 novel Pet Sematary, King explores the cost of death—and life. When the Creeds move into a new home in Maine, they find an ancient burial ground that magically resurrects the dead.

In this novel, there’s a particularly sweet (and later tragic) scene in which the main character, Louis Creed, flies a kite with his son, Gage. Here’s an excerpt:

“I love you, Gage,” [Louis] said—it was between the two of them, and that was all right.

And Gage, who now had less than two months to live, laughed shrilly and joyously. “Kite flyne! Kite flyne, Daddy!”

There it is. Gage only has two months to live. Here we get a sense of tragedy. This poor little kid is going to die! In addition, the hint establishes that dread I mentioned earlier. We know that Gage will die, so for the next few chapters, we fear that moment. We know it’s going to be bad. We know it’s going to be horrifying. Yet it’s going to happen no matter what.

Inverting Natural Rules

Forget about flying—pigs shouldn’t be able to talk. Yet a pig talks in Clive Barker’s short story Pig Blood Blues. And it’s nothing like Babe: Pig in the City. Check it out:

[The pig] watched them through the slats of the gate, her eyes glinting like jewels in the murky night, brighter than the night because living, purer than the night because wanting.

The boys knelt at the gate, their heads bowed in supplication, the plate they both held lightly covered with a piece of stained muslin.

‘Well?’ she said. The voice was unmistakable in their ears. His voice, out of the mouth of the pig.

“His voice” is the voice of a character named Henessey who hung himself and was subsequently eaten by the pig. Yummy.

Why is this so disturbing? Well, for one, because it’s impossible. In both horror and fantasy fiction, the impossible happens. The key difference, I think, is exactly what impossible things happen. In fantasy, the impossible inspires awe or wonder. Think Rivendell in The Lord of the Rings or Quidditch in Harry Potter. By contrast, the impossible in horror inspires fear and shock. Think the Monster in Frankenstein or Dracula in Dracula.

This is what we see in Pig Blood Blues. It’s horrifying to think that a pig might eat a corpse. It’s even more horrifying to think that the pig might then be possessed by the spirit of the boy it ate.

Turning Narrators Insane

The crazy first-person narrator is a hallmark of horror fiction. Just take the work of H.P. Lovecraft. He often wrote in the first person, and many of his stories end with narrators claiming that they aren’t insane (even when they are). Take his short story “The Rats in the Walls” as an example. Here are the closing lines:

When I speak of poor Norrys they accuse me of a hideous thing, but they must know that I did not do it. They must know it was the rats; the slithering, scurrying rats whose scampering will never let me sleep; the daemon rats that race behind the padding in this room and beckon me down to greater horrors than I have ever known; the rats they can never hear; the rats, the rats in the walls.

For context, the narrator ate Norrys. Yeah, like Hannibal Lector.

The horror here is the fragility of the human mind. At the beginning of the story, our narrator is clearly sane. He seems confident, intelligent, and refined. Yet when he sees what lies beneath his family’s ancestral home, it drives him mad. That’s all it takes. The line between sanity and madness is thin. There’s nothing like a first-person narrator to illustrate this idea.

Happy Halloween!

Okay writers. We’ve learned some scare tactics from the best in the genre. Now let’s go scare our readers!

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction.

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