  Action/Adventure
This week: The Shock Factor Edited by: Kit of House Lannister  
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It's not always easy to know if a novel will suit you or not. Likewise, it's not always easy to know how far you can push a story element without alienating your target audience.
This week's Action/Adventure Newsletter, then, is all about the shock factor, and the boundaries of taste.
Kit of House Lannister |
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If you are anything like me, there are some stories you can read, and some stories you can't. By that, I don't mean that you cannot actually read the words, of course, but there are stories out there that contain elements that you know you won't be able to enjoy. Problem is, you won't be able to tell this when you're looking at the blurb on the back of a novel. These might give a rough idea about whether or not you'll enjoy the plot, but that's about it.
What can you do to decide whether a novel is suitable for you? An easy answer is to Google it. You will likely be able to find reviews, on book sites and elsewhere. There are downsides to that – for one, it is all too easy to stumble upon spoilers. Secondly, reviewers might not have trouble with the same elements you have trouble with, and will not, therefore, highlight those elements.
You can also look at the author. If you are familiar with him or her, it will give you some insight into the kind of stories they write. Have you been comfortable with their previous work? If they are unknown to you, what do other people think about their work? Again, this method isn't foolproof. I discovered that when I purchased Cell by Stephen King. I love most of his work, but this novel I had to close and cast aside after the first few chapters. Far too graphically gory for my taste. He's usually more subtle.
A friend of mine is a great source of novels I should definitely avoid. She loves both deeply dramatic and gory novels, so when she talks about what she's read in a highly enthusiastic voice, I know that it's not for me. On the other hand, my mother and I have very similar tastes, and when she recommends a novel, it's likely to be to my taste as well. She uses my recommendations in turn.
As an author, it is impossible to keep in mind all the many plots, character traits and details that might put people off. What one person dislikes, another person will love. There are, however, some things that will limit your potential audience – sometimes severely.
There is a current trend of graphic violence. This can be seen in movies, TV series and, indeed, novels. The more graphic, or so it seems, the better. The Action/Adventure genre is not immune to this. Something to keep in mind is that whilst there is indeed a call for works of this kind, there is also an increasing amount of readers who are switching off, and actively avoiding these novels. Some can't stand them full-stop, whilst others are worn down by the violence in the real world, so they don't want to immerse themselves in it for the sake of entertainment.
Another trend is the shock factor. We all know that to be overly predictable is not a good thing, but inserting elements just for the sake of delivering a shock may not go down too well. It can be seen as the cheap shot that it often is, and your readers will remember that and may be more cautious when they are considering their next purchase.
You have to be a rather well-established, esteemed author to be able to cast characters aside and to then bring them back from the dead. Even then, you can't do it too often. Whilst the return of a beloved character can be a relief, you also dealt the reader that initial shock, and ask them to suspend their disbelief, and after a while it will feel like you keep on changing your mind and don't really know what you're doing.
Using animals to deliver a shock is very risky territory. Unfortunately, it's also a reasonably popular trick. Many people can't stand cruelty against animals, and they may well be more sensitive about the fate of an animal character than they are about human characters. See here the outcry about the fate of the direwolves in Game of Thrones.
There are many other such elements, some of which I can't really list here as newsletters should be accessible to readers of all ages, but I am certain that you can imagine them. The kind of subjects that cause shock and horror to people in the real world should also be handled with caution in fiction. That does not mean that you cannot use them as part of your story – it may well be relevant to what you want to get across – but always keep in mind your target audience.
Happy writing!
Kit of House Lannister
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Wishing you a week filled with inspiration,
The Action/Adventure Newsletter Team
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Action/Adventure: July 27, 2016 Issue [#7772]
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