Narration: Truth or Dare?

Every story has a narrator – a voice or view that is expressed. Whether it’s from first, second, or a third person perspective, a story generally follows characters through a series of events. These events are told to us, the outsider, and allow us to live vicariously through the characters experiencing them.

But have we ever stopped to ask if we should believe in our narrator?

If you've seen the films Fight Club or American Psycho, then you are aware that relying on the main character’s perspective does not always result in the story being told truthfully. The audience is lead to believe one perspective is factual, but it is later revealed to be false. This is what we call the unreliable narrator – one whose view is anything but credible.

Your mission in writing an unreliable narrator is to lie. Lie hardcore. You need to be that voice telling us that magic is real and in the last five minutes of the film telling us, “Hey, so they actually used science to fake magic and death, which allowed them to escape society to live together in the woods.”

(See above film, it’s fantastic)

There are other films that use the unreliable narrator and tell you point blank that you might want to keep an eye out on this plot because it’s going to get weird, really fast. This includes mind-benders like Inception, Pan’s Labyrinth, or The Grey. The audience isn't told what happens, but is instead left with an open ending. This is basically a slap in the face, a taunt to the audience, and the cruellest effect of unreliable narration. You may drive your audience insane with the need for justice, but you will have succeeded in creating an unforgettable tale. You need to make your audience believe one thing and then be left with questions such as:

Is this real?

Wait, so did she create this all or was it true?

Is that wolf breathing or is he under it like in that Disney movie, Tarzan?

Maybe you don’t want them asking that last one, but you get the point. You as a writer are to be the puppet master. The audience is Little Red Riding Hood and you are the Wolf in Grandma’s clothes. They are the spoiled prince and you are the ugly witch that is going to curse his ass if he doesn't pay attention. Now fly, my pretties, and be the devious narrators we were all meant to be. After all, who has fun being reliable, anyway?

[Further things to check out: Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (book), Welcome to Night Vale (Podcast), Stoker (film), Forrest Gump (film), NBC's Hannibal (TV show), American Horror Story (TV show), or go watch any news program - they're full of questionable narrating fun]

Author and Audience: A Friendship Saga

The friendship between an author and their audience is one that is extremely important. Although they may not necessarily know each other, they have the same makings of a friendship: trust, appreciation, dedication, and respect. These four things are the foundations of a great relationship and ensure that both the author and audience can both enjoy what they contribute to the friendship.

(1)    Trust is arguably one of the more important foundations because all of the best relationships are built on trust. The audience trusts the author to deliver what they like, and the author will trust the audience to tell them what they want to see in any future writing. The author also trusts that their readers will not only keep reading, but also to recommend their novels to friends and family, and to continue loving what they read. There are people who are dedicated fans of George R.R. Martin and in no way shape or form trust that he is going to keep the Starks safe. What kind of way is that to live?

(2)    Appreciation helps with the moral of both people. When the author feels appreciated by their audience, they are more likely to write to make their fans happy. When the fans are given what they like, they feel appreciated by the author and continue a circular motion that continues for as long as the relationship does.

(3)    In J.K. Rowling’s final Harry Potter novel, she had thanked her wonderful fans profusely and dedicated the book to them. Dedication to the things you love creates a bond with people you may have never met, just like how Mrs. Rowling feels increasingly grateful for all of her fans. Because of the dedication they deliver, the fans are one of the most important people in an author’s life, because they push them to dedicate their own life into their writing.

(4)    Respect is also another very important aspect to the relationship. People want to be able to read something without having to feel like they are being treated like they are dumb, or that they won’t understand anything. Authors don’t want to be treated that way either, but would rather be treated like they aren’t children. Do not insult the person who is writing, because low self-esteem can lead to things being written that shouldn’t be.

“Friendship- my definition- is built on two things. Respect and trust. Both elements have to be there. And it has to be mutual. You can have respect for someone, but if you don't have trust, the friendship will crumble.”

― Stieg Larsson