Reading "Million Dollar Outlines," laughing like a loon...

[agilebrit]

Because Dave Farland just quoted super-agent Albert Zuckerman's Writing the Blockbuster Novel, referring to what we call "transport." Apparently, in choosing (or creating) your settings, you should have one that transports your audience to a place they'd want to go.

Welp. I guess I'm failing at that, because this story is set, literally, in Hell.

Whoops.

He does go on to say that an unappealing setting doesn't spell instant doom (Pern, Arrakis, the Alien worlds), but you do have to introduce something cool. And then he asks a few questions, to wit: Does the beauty balance the horror? Does the darkness overwhelm the light? Will my readers want to visit here, or will they want to flee?

...it's Hell. So, no. Again, whoops.

That being said, I have workarounds for this that I wasn't even thinking about before I started reading this book. Clearly, my characters are going to have to overwhelm the horror of the setting. I have four, er, people that we're following through this trip, plus another who's important and pops in and out, and each of them needs an arc. I should probably look more at the Hero's Journey for this one and see how I can adapt it.

That being said, my descriptive chops are going to get a workout in this book, I can already tell. I want people to feel the flames...

I'm excited about this one again.

Comments

[selenite.livejournal.com]

Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company, right? :)

[agilebrit.livejournal.com]

Except part of the conceit of this is that, in Hell, you are utterly alone except for the demons. Human souls consigned there cannot see each other.

Demons are terrible company. *evil laughter*

And even the demon who actually is "good company" (for certain values of good, and because it's his job) has ulterior motives.

I am going to have fun with this.

[honorh.livejournal.com]

Alone in Hell--yeah, that's my idea, too. You're alone with your choices and an endless echo chamber of *you*, and that can be worse than any flame. I used it as a conceit for my DF Deirdre story.

[honorh.livejournal.com]

Plenty of novels are set in places where you wouldn't want to visit, let alone live. Most dystopian novels, which are wildly popular, for instance. A frightening or dismal setting can be a challenge for a reader, but some readers like a challenge. They want to conquer it along with the protagonist. I think that's your goal.

[agilebrit.livejournal.com]

Definitely. And I also need to figure out how to point up the fact that my protag is still stuck there in the end is actually a triumph...

[janchristensen.livejournal.com]

Well, "On the Road" fails this test, too, so, I wouldn't worry about Hell being the setting. Is there going to be any humor in it?

[agilebrit.livejournal.com]

Oh, goodness yes. The snark between the demon and the angel, who are embroiled in the biggest family feud in history, will be epic. The Prince of Sloth will make several appearances to heckle them all as well.

Another piece of my puzzle just fell into place as well. This outlining book is really good.