People Read to Worry
Posted by annastan on March 19th, 2010. Filed under: Books, Craft, Resources.I’m back to share some more wisdom from James Scott Bell’s fantastical little book, The Art of War for Writers. While Bell gives several helpful exercises to develop your writing, he also shares insight into the art of storytelling in general. Last night I read this gem:
They [people] read to worry. They read because they want to have their emotions wrenched by the plight of a character to whom they feel em0tionally connected. You do the connecting. You start connecting from paragraph one.
This statement isn’t necessary earth-shattering, but I think the word “worry” here is so interesting. Often people say they read for character or they read for story. I don’t think I’ve heard anyone say they read because they like to worry. But that is exactly what we do. If we put aside a book because we don’t care about the characters, it’s because we’re not invested enough to worry about them.
The fact that writers need to start making a connection with readers in the very beginning is so important. Not only must you hook readers, you must also make them care:
Remember, speed in the opening is a matter of disturbance, not high levels of action…The faster we worry about a character, the quicker the bond. And the greater our desire to turn the page.
I just saw a perfect example of what Bell is describing here. In Devil’s Kiss by Sarwat Chadda the opening scene introduces a teenage girl who’s struggling with the fact that she must kill a six-year-old boy. He’s not actually a boy; he’s a demon. But he still looks and acts like a child, which heightens Billi’s emotional struggle. The fact that she must do something so terrible, and the fact that she feels so conflicted about it, automatically make her sympathetic. We also wonder who this girl is and why it’s her job to kill demons. We want to know more, and we want to see if she’ll actually do it. That’s what makes us turn the page.
March 19th, 2010 at 7:14 am
Hm…that is so true. I prefer to worry about fictional stories than my won life.
March 19th, 2010 at 7:49 am
That is a good gem from the book, Anna.
I love how he says that the opening doesn’t have to be “high levels of action” but a matter of disturbance.
I heard some good things about Devil’s Kiss. I’ll have to add it to my list.
March 19th, 2010 at 9:10 am
Jon, worrying about characters’ problems is much more fun than worrying about our own! They also tend to have much more interesting problems than we do (unless some of us are going around killing demons).
Karen, I liked the disturbance part too. Sometimes beginnings are all action, but there’s no connection to the characters at all.
March 19th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Hmm. You’ve really made me think, Anna! I’ve never put that spin on it before. I like that. It reminds me of watching a horror movie, and loving the feeling of release when it ends, and all the worry is gone, and my life isn’t in danger.
Although, I’m a little bit mad at Cassandra Clare for making me worry about Simon–bad stuff happens to him in book two! And I’m indeed worried!
March 19th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Hmmmm. We read to worry. Very interesting. I wonder if those who read to escape would say they read to NOT worry? Either way, reading is a lot about emotion, isn’t it? Even if the book is for boys and the main emotion they’re after is excitement.
March 19th, 2010 at 7:35 pm
Heather, it’s definitely a lot like a horror movie where you’re happy at the end that you don’t have to worry anymore! I don’t know if all books quite fit into the worry category, but it’s interesting to think about.
Marcia, good point about reading for escape. I guess in that case you’re reading about someone else’s problems to get away from your own. Even with action-driven excitement books, I still feel like there’s the worry of “how is the character going to get out of this predicament?” Emotion is key!
March 19th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
Anna – as always very insightful! Books are cathartic. We escape through the trials of others. I have to pick up Devil’s Kiss!!
March 21st, 2010 at 9:45 am
Fascinating. Of course it does boil down to worry, doesn’t it? Marcia’s idea of escapism reading–reading to NOT worry–is also fascinating because we’re still connecting to the character and invested in him. Maybe it’s because it’s not OUR life, it’s his, that’ we’re worrying about.
March 21st, 2010 at 10:30 am
This is a fascinating take on why we read fiction. Maybe we all have a worry quota we need to fill, in which case it’s much better to do the worrying about fictional characters than ourselves or our family. We don’t have to feel responsible: the outcome is in the hands of the author, not ourselves. Maybe that’s why people are so interested in Tiger Woods marriage/career or who’s getting voted off the island. Worry- transfer to a safer object. Love this. Thanks
March 21st, 2010 at 11:21 am
Thanks, Lisa! I think you’re right about books being cathartic. They let us feel intense emotions without being in any real jeopardy ourselves. I think they also give us a chance to connect with characters who are like us, or to understand characters who aren’t.
Andrea, yes I think the “not our life” part is important. It’s much more fun to be worried about someone else’s problems than our own! Seeing characters deal with those problems can also give us strength and encouragement to confront our own.
Anne, it’s so interesting to think of a “worry quota” that we have to fill! I think you’re right – reading gives us the chance to transfer our worry to something safe and separate from us. When it’s over we can feel like we’ve experienced something real, but we can go back to our lives unharmed. There are some stories, though, that stick with us, so in that sense the worry seems to continue: worry turned into reflection perhaps.