Warning: Possible spoilers for second season Queer as Folk if you’re slow like me and are just now watching it.
Okay, so in today’s episode of Queer as Folk, we have people being less than honest with one another: Mike with Ben about his leaving for Tibet for six months; Ted with Emmett about his newfound feelings of love; Justin with Brian about his feelings for Ethan, the violinist. The simplest thing to do would be to be honest and admit the truth, right?
Wrong. Then you’d lose the bulk of the episode, spent in wrestling with the consequences of keeping the truth hidden, and the drama involved in wondering if it will come out or not.
Drama. It’s what our stories thrive on, what they’re built on. Drama in one form or another. If you take away the drama, you’re left with characters with happy lives, and while that may be good for them, it’s bound to turn away most, if not all, of your readers.
Why is that, you ask? Is it because our readers and/or viewers are sadistic voyeurs who like to watch the pain and misery which life inflicts on others? No, far from it. It’s because we’re all human, and when we watch the trials and tribulations of the characters in stories, we can sympathize and empathize with them, and get into the story more, because haven’t we all been there, done that? It gives us something to cling to, to identify with, and to care about.
Okay, maybe they’re your babies—of course they are—and you hate to inflict pain, but there is that saying, no pain, no gain. And it’s true, at least in terms of drama.
I used to watch As the World Turns, for over thirty years, and I came to the conclusion that the characters just needed to be honest with one another, that the truth has a way of coming out when you least expected, and that the longer you withhold it, the worse the consequences. But then again, there goes most of your stories, too. Yes, it’s sometimes annoying when you think to yourself that a simple spoken word could end so much utter misery, but that same spoken word ends that storyline too, at least as far as that issue is concern. With soap operas, that was even more of an imperative, cause they had to stretch out their stories as long as possible, and keep those viewers coming back for more.
You can do it so that your character appears noble for being dishonest: the man who doesn’t want his partner to know he’s dying; the man with the shady past who only wants to lead a good life until someone he used to know blows into town and can blow his whole cover; the character who doesn’t tell his lover that if he follows his dreams, he will be lonely and devastated because he knows it’s for his lover’s own good. Sounds good, but leads to intense gut twisting, heart stopping, edge of your seat drama, waiting for that other shoe to drop. Or even the two guys who can’t admit they love each other. Maybe one’s already taken. Married even. Or there is a huge age gap between them, and the older one thinks he’s not good for the younger.
So many reasons, so much drama, so little time. And how badly honesty would kill those moments, cut them short. Sure, you want the truth to come out. And then you can prepare for more drama for it having been delayed. Theoretically. It doesn’t always go that way, of course.
In my new release, coming out April 30th, through Silver Publishing, Leonardo di Caprio is a Vampire, Fisher Roberts is open with his roommate/best friend Hunter Long about most things—how much he hates holidays, decorating and dressing up, and parties celebrating said holidays. But there is one thing he cannot be honest with him about, and that is his feelings for Hunter—Fisher happens to be in love with him. And that is the crux of the story. Want to know how it comes out? You’ll have to wait and see.
As for the guys I mentioned earlier, if you’re wondering how that worked out: Brian found out anyway, and he told Justin that he is free to be where he wants to be, but I think Justin chose Ethan, which is heartbreaking; Mike told Ben to go to Tibet with his blessing, after he admitted he didn’t want him to go, and Ben decided to stay; Emmett told Ted he didn’t have those feelings for him, but then things went strangely in the opposite direction, and I think they’re together now.
And the beat goes on.
When you resolve one issue, another pops up, doesn’t it? Just remember, that honesty isn’t always the best policy, not when it comes to your stories.
Blurb ~ Leonardo di Caprio is a Vampire
“Tis the night before Halloween, and Fisher Roberts wishes it was over, not being a fan of this or any other holiday. But he tolerates it because his roommate/best friend Hunter Long takes a childish glee in all things Halloween. And Fisher has a vested interest in keeping Hunter happy. If only he could find the nerve to tell his childhood friend that he loves him, and has for a very long time.
Fisher thinks Hunter is carrying things a bit far this year, though. First Hunter claims to be a vampire, and he just won’t let the silly joke go. Then he forces Fisher to go to a costumed Halloween party which Fisher would rather avoid, especially when he realizes where it’s being held, and whose house it is. Things at Fisher’s job might just be going south, too, when he receives a mysterious summons to report to the editor’s office the next morning. And then Fisher goes and does something stupid—like kissing Hunter!
Bad leads to worse when Fisher ends up at the Halloween party from Hell, and he learns something that threatens to destroy his and Hunter’s relationship forever. Running from his fears, Fisher encounters a strange young man with an unusual resemblance to Leonardo di Caprio, who shows him things he never realized before, truths about his life and the people in it.
Can Fisher find his way back to Hunter, and can he find the courage to do what his heart wishes?
www.julielynnhayes.com
Okay, so in today’s episode of Queer as Folk, we have people being less than honest with one another: Mike with Ben about his leaving for Tibet for six months; Ted with Emmett about his newfound feelings of love; Justin with Brian about his feelings for Ethan, the violinist. The simplest thing to do would be to be honest and admit the truth, right?
Wrong. Then you’d lose the bulk of the episode, spent in wrestling with the consequences of keeping the truth hidden, and the drama involved in wondering if it will come out or not.
Drama. It’s what our stories thrive on, what they’re built on. Drama in one form or another. If you take away the drama, you’re left with characters with happy lives, and while that may be good for them, it’s bound to turn away most, if not all, of your readers.
Why is that, you ask? Is it because our readers and/or viewers are sadistic voyeurs who like to watch the pain and misery which life inflicts on others? No, far from it. It’s because we’re all human, and when we watch the trials and tribulations of the characters in stories, we can sympathize and empathize with them, and get into the story more, because haven’t we all been there, done that? It gives us something to cling to, to identify with, and to care about.
Okay, maybe they’re your babies—of course they are—and you hate to inflict pain, but there is that saying, no pain, no gain. And it’s true, at least in terms of drama.
I used to watch As the World Turns, for over thirty years, and I came to the conclusion that the characters just needed to be honest with one another, that the truth has a way of coming out when you least expected, and that the longer you withhold it, the worse the consequences. But then again, there goes most of your stories, too. Yes, it’s sometimes annoying when you think to yourself that a simple spoken word could end so much utter misery, but that same spoken word ends that storyline too, at least as far as that issue is concern. With soap operas, that was even more of an imperative, cause they had to stretch out their stories as long as possible, and keep those viewers coming back for more.
You can do it so that your character appears noble for being dishonest: the man who doesn’t want his partner to know he’s dying; the man with the shady past who only wants to lead a good life until someone he used to know blows into town and can blow his whole cover; the character who doesn’t tell his lover that if he follows his dreams, he will be lonely and devastated because he knows it’s for his lover’s own good. Sounds good, but leads to intense gut twisting, heart stopping, edge of your seat drama, waiting for that other shoe to drop. Or even the two guys who can’t admit they love each other. Maybe one’s already taken. Married even. Or there is a huge age gap between them, and the older one thinks he’s not good for the younger.
So many reasons, so much drama, so little time. And how badly honesty would kill those moments, cut them short. Sure, you want the truth to come out. And then you can prepare for more drama for it having been delayed. Theoretically. It doesn’t always go that way, of course.
In my new release, coming out April 30th, through Silver Publishing, Leonardo di Caprio is a Vampire, Fisher Roberts is open with his roommate/best friend Hunter Long about most things—how much he hates holidays, decorating and dressing up, and parties celebrating said holidays. But there is one thing he cannot be honest with him about, and that is his feelings for Hunter—Fisher happens to be in love with him. And that is the crux of the story. Want to know how it comes out? You’ll have to wait and see.
As for the guys I mentioned earlier, if you’re wondering how that worked out: Brian found out anyway, and he told Justin that he is free to be where he wants to be, but I think Justin chose Ethan, which is heartbreaking; Mike told Ben to go to Tibet with his blessing, after he admitted he didn’t want him to go, and Ben decided to stay; Emmett told Ted he didn’t have those feelings for him, but then things went strangely in the opposite direction, and I think they’re together now.
And the beat goes on.
When you resolve one issue, another pops up, doesn’t it? Just remember, that honesty isn’t always the best policy, not when it comes to your stories.
Blurb ~ Leonardo di Caprio is a Vampire
“Tis the night before Halloween, and Fisher Roberts wishes it was over, not being a fan of this or any other holiday. But he tolerates it because his roommate/best friend Hunter Long takes a childish glee in all things Halloween. And Fisher has a vested interest in keeping Hunter happy. If only he could find the nerve to tell his childhood friend that he loves him, and has for a very long time.
Fisher thinks Hunter is carrying things a bit far this year, though. First Hunter claims to be a vampire, and he just won’t let the silly joke go. Then he forces Fisher to go to a costumed Halloween party which Fisher would rather avoid, especially when he realizes where it’s being held, and whose house it is. Things at Fisher’s job might just be going south, too, when he receives a mysterious summons to report to the editor’s office the next morning. And then Fisher goes and does something stupid—like kissing Hunter!
Bad leads to worse when Fisher ends up at the Halloween party from Hell, and he learns something that threatens to destroy his and Hunter’s relationship forever. Running from his fears, Fisher encounters a strange young man with an unusual resemblance to Leonardo di Caprio, who shows him things he never realized before, truths about his life and the people in it.
Can Fisher find his way back to Hunter, and can he find the courage to do what his heart wishes?
www.julielynnhayes.com
Posts
2 comments:
Thanks for having me here, Amarinda! I just got back from my convention and was catching up on lost sleep, forgive my late entrance!
Post a Comment