So I’ve determined my new writing goal: Create no reader confusion. And I’ve also deduced that creating reader curiosity is not the same as confusion. In fact, the former is desirable and a key factor as to whether or not a reader will continue on with my story.
Like so much in life, then, there is a tenuous balance between what information a writer gives and what he withholds.
Maybe one way to look at this topic is to consider what causes confusion. In her comment to yesterday’s post, Sally Apokedak said that a writer creates confusion by providing conflicting facts. I agree, but I think there is more.
I think confusion results from improper motivation—when the reader isn’t given enough to understand why a character is acting as he is.
Another cause for confusion, in my opinion, is when the writer does not ground the story in something concrete. Playing off Steve Almond’s examples in his Writer’s Digest article, I’ll offer one of my own to illustrate this point.
He didn’t know why she said it, but more importantly why she said it about him.
Does this create confusion or curiosity? The answer to this question can only be determined by what comes next. If the reader doesn’t start getting some answers (who is he, who is she, what’s the relationship between the two, what did she say, and why did she say it?) in the next little bit, I suggest confusion sets in.
The author does not need to give all the answers, perhaps not even complete answers, and probably not answers without introducing new questions. But the point is, unanswered questions or long-delayed answers are a cause for confusion.
A third cause, in my opinion, is the appearance of that which has not been foreshadowed or outright introduced in a scene. If a character is confronted by villains on the right and another baddie on the left, even as the true antagonist closes in from behind, what’s the hero to do? Well, he’ll hide in the barn, of course. The barn that the reader had no idea was in the scene. Above all, this kind of manipulation breaks the trust of the reader. He no longer feels confident that the author has told him all he needs to know.
But just how much should an author tell the reader? Almond’s answer to this dilemma is helpful:
The reader should know at least as much as your protagonist … [Readers] are happy to open with a scene, so long as they get the necessary background. And they don’t need to know everything, just those facts that’ll elucidate the emotional significance of a particular scene.
Helpful guidelines, I think.
Helpful, I agree.
Recently, I shared with my writers group the first few pages of a story. Of the five other writers in the room, four wanted to me to continue reading — their curiosity was piqued — but one said she was confused because I had not given her the time period, the name of the town, the country in which the town was set, and myriad other details that she said were necessary to keep her oriented.
In essence, she did not want a story to dive off into the middle of the action without giving her any back story.
Though the other writers argued that such details would be best scattered throughout the story at necessary points, she persisted in stating her confusion.
Then she said, “But I don’t like fantasy.”
There you have it. No matter how a writer attempts to make the action clear AND interesting, there will be readers who cannot surmount their own mental blocks.
Comment by Keanan Brand — June 18, 2008 @ 8:52 pm
Keanan, I’m especially leery of advice from a writer, when a majority of others disagree. From my experience, we can lock in on “the rules” or even our own way of doing things, and therefore think anyone walking a different path must change. I’ve critiqued like that before, to my shame.
The true is, loads of information delivered at once, and especially at the beginning, will probably bore most readers unless the details are written so well and engage readers as completely as action.
But what details to give and what details to leave for later? This What do the readers need in order to engage emotionally? is a great guide.
Becky
Comment by Rebecca LuElla Miller — June 19, 2008 @ 12:35 pm