Thread: Opinions needed from non-writers, about reading.

I really want to hear what readers think, about this one. So, if you have writerly aspirations you may not be the best person to answer.

Assume the first few chapters of a story have three family members – father, mother and son. For those few opening chapters, which do not deal with the main part of the story, the son only lurks as a shadow in the background, while the introductory action is all taken by the father and mother.

Eventually the father dies, the mother goes to jail, and the son grows up to become a main character involved in the major thrust of the story.

With me so far?

My question is – will readers accept a story structure where they – the readers - have become emotionally involved in the lives of the parents only to find that the parents vanish completely just as the story proper is getting under way?

Mind you, I’m only asking this question because one critic already has said readers won’t accept it. But that’s only one opinion, and I’m curious about what others think.

Thank you.

Please sir, (jumps up and down with hand in the air) please sir, me - I know!

A great place to look for opinions from non-writers – a writing site. Should we poll our “reader” friends and relatives for you?

If it's well written, readers will accept anything. If it's poorly written, readers will toss it.

I'd think, and I'm answering because my published works so far qualify me more as a reader than a writer, that you'd have to work some intrigue into the son to begin with, so even while we're focusing on his folks, we're wondering what happened/ will happen to him.

Originally Posted by KarlR

If it's well written, readers will accept anything. If it's poorly written, reders will toss it.

Of course. And you really can’t expect a meaningful answer based on some vague little description -- although that usually doesn't stop people from trying.

Unless the book is of epic proportions it may be difficult. As a reader it takes time for me to become emotionally invested in a character, so to have a minor character take on a major role well into the story, there still better be enough plot-time left to sell him to me, particularly if the former-major characters are no longer around.

Originally Posted by The Backward OX

My question is – will readers accept a story structure where they – the readers - have become emotionally involved in the lives of the parents only to find that the parents vanish completely just as the story proper is getting under way?

It happens enough that it has its own article on TvTropes. I'd say you're good.

The only way I could see you pulling this off is to make a small compromise. Instead of having the son completely ignorable, you should at least give some subtle foreshadowing to let the reader know that they need to pay attention to this kid. Maybe just some small hints showing how the parents self destructive behavior is affecting their son. Let him start having problems at school. Maybe a fight between the mother and father gets interrupted by the school calling to let them know that the son got in a fight and has been subjected to bullying. Maybe the father is an alcoholic and the son gets arrested for underage drinking, which the mother uses as an excuse to launch an attack on the father. The parents may decide to blame each other for the son's difficulties and use it as further ammunition in their ongoing battle with each other, but it is clear to the reader that they are meant to empathize with the child and not the parents. If you establish a pattern of this before the parents disappear from the son's life, then I think the reader with be more willing to accept this sudden change of pace because at least in the back of their head they have been expecting this story to be more about the son than the parents.

Originally Posted by Ox

My question is – will readers accept a story structure where they – the readers - have become emotionally involved in the lives of the parents only to find that the parents vanish completely just as the story proper is getting under way?

Yes. One of my favorite novels, "The World According to Garp", begins with Jenny Fields as the main character.

She eventually becomes a minor character and at times disappears all together, when the story moves toward her son, Garp, who becomes the main character as he grows up and starts a family of his own.

What Karl said.

I've read a few where just about everyone in the early chapters have died off by the middle.
Middlesex, The Silmarillion, Chesapeake (and) the Covenant(mitchener).

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