Keep The Reader Guessing? - Writers Forum

Heid · 12-29-2005, 03:41 PM

In my novel that I'm working on our hero wakes up in an abandoned building. He himself has no recollection of how he got there or indeed where infact he is. Now, I know where the building is but I was thinking, as I'm writing it in third person, would it be wise to let the reader know where our character is? Or is it better to put them in the same position as the protagonist (i.e. not knowing his whereabouts)?

The majority of the story takes place in here so when would be a good time to reveal the location to the reader?

Cheers in advance.

TimK · 12-30-2005, 12:10 AM

Hi, Heid.

What you want to accomplish is to pose a problem that demands to be solved or a question that demands to be answered. In other words, you want to establish a conflict. Then you want to compound the problem, to thicken the plot. This you can do by introducing additional conflicts or by creating bigger conflicts out of smaller ones.

So the answer to your question: You can do either. If you do tell the reader, it would be most natural for the reader to find out from another character, rather than from the narrator. If you don't tell the reader, make sure the reader understands why it's important to know the location, then let his lack of knowledge fester.

I hope this helps.
-TimK

kellykat60409 · 12-30-2005, 01:11 AM

If you want to keep the reader guessing i would write it in first person. It would be like the reader was going through everything that your character is going through. If they have to guess it might draw them in and to read it faster and so they could find out. But that is just my opinion.

Dresdor · 12-30-2005, 12:46 PM

I'm evil so I'd keep the reader guessing. It can often thicken the plot a bit and allows the question "Am I really doing the right thing, or not?" when the protagonist doesn't know who or what he is.

I do like the fact that you actually know a few things about the story. A good writer will always know everything about the story: who, what, where, when, and the most important why. Most of what I've read lately has the first four, but the last is lacking. The writer must always know why something happens, even if the reader never will.

Heid · 12-30-2005, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kellykat60409

If you want to keep the reader guessing i would write it in first person. It would be like the reader was going through everything that your character is going through. If they have to guess it might draw them in and to read it faster and so they could find out. But that is just my opinion.

Problem is other parts of the story happen outside where my MC is so it needs to be in third person really.

Icywind · 12-30-2005, 05:08 PM

If you're writing in third person...let the reader know where the character is.
You can still spice up the plot, by hiding the main characters true thoughts.....

If you're writing in first person.....don't tell the reader.

Just my two cents

Lord Raiden · 12-30-2005, 07:25 PM

One big thing to remember with any situation where you keep the reader guessing is not to get carried away or loose track of the goal. You don't want to bore them by keeping them in suspence for one. Keep doing misdirections that add more intrigue to the plot. Make seemingly conflicting facts, then resolve the conflicts at the end and show how they're connected and how they relate. Also, don't run around setting up your book so that when the reader reaches the answer they wonder how you even got there. It's one thing to confuse them with the question. It's another entierly when you confuse them with the answer.

Jimbob · 12-31-2005, 01:01 PM

It depends on how important the matter of location is tp the story. For example, if the character is in New York or Boston and nothing in particular hinges on that, you might as well reveal it. On the other hand, if the character is in Hell, keep the location secret until the end, but give the reader a few clues.

Jimbob

Talia_Brie · 01-02-2006, 07:02 PM

If the location is the hook, or the punchline, then hold onto it. If it's not particular important to the climax, then share it.

Jimbob's example is a good one. If the building is really Hell, then that's something you'd want to keep secret until the end, dropping little hints all the way through.

LouDog11 · 01-02-2006, 08:54 PM

Yah I agree Talia_Brie and Jimbob. Hinting at it with subtle clues would be, in my reading opinon, the best kind of story.

To me, nothing is better than reading a story or watching a movie in which the punchline is suspensful and unexpected, but as soon as you figure it out, you realize how easy it was. I'll give the Sixth Sense as a popular example.

The best part of this "punchline" style, is I feel the reader will have more desire to read it again, and that is the best read. Now he/she will pick up on the subtle clues that you did drop, since he already knows the ending. Therefore, he will discover the true talent of your writing and all the careful details and planning that went into the story.

Just to throw out another idea because it hasn't been said yet, is to try a mix of both. For example, in Fight Club, the beginning you are unaware that the two characters are really the same person. One of them knows it, and one of them doesn't, so techincally the viewer/reader is taking it from the point of view of Edward Norton, and has to figure it out along with him. The difference is, however, I think it is not exactly a punchline because you start figuring out as the climax is happening. It is not the last line, or paragraph, or even chapter of the story. So, although it is not revealed in the beginning, it is not saved for the very end. It, instead, adds a huge twist during the rising action that is caught up with the other major conflict in the story. The point I made above still rings true, however, because when you watch it for the second time, the beginning has a whole new light because you know the end. It would not be the same, though, if the whole bombing of buildings happened and then right at the end you realized they were the same person. It would not have worked suspensfully.

Just a thought, so maybe if the MC was in hell, you could have multiple options. One being the punchline at the end saying he was actually in hell and the enemy he overcame was the devil inside him (or something), and another option letting the reader know in the middle, amongst a much bigger conflict, and letting your story really start to come together right before the climax. Done right, the reader could never put down the book at this time. I couldn't.

Just ideas, hope it helps.

Rhea · 01-03-2006, 12:48 AM

I agree completely with Talia_Brie. And if you aren't going to reveal the place, reveal it when the main character finds out

kellykat60409 · 01-03-2006, 01:02 AM

But if you don't reveal where he is it might make the reader wonder with where is was. I love it when i read something that makes me wonder it has a universal feel than