So, I'm in this critique group, right? And I've put my dystopian out there for them to read, and some questions have come up about the details. The minute details. Let me be specific because I want to know if these are actually issues I need to address, or if I can be a little vague about it. The majority of the population has been wiped out due to a virus. How specific do I have to be? Can I just leave it at that, or are people going to want an exact percentage?
The main character is just a mom. It's told in first person, so there's no way she would even know this, right? I mean, I suppose before electricity was cut off, she could have got a number from the news, but eventually, there would be no news and people would continue to die, right? So no way of knowing the final count?
I've asked a few people about this now and am getting conflicting answers. Tell me what you think about the small stuff. Necessary to mention or okay to gloss over?
In mine, one of the characters has occasion to make a guess about how many people are left but it's presented only as that, a guess, for the reasons you mention. No one would really know for sure.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I'm not sure even making a guess is necessary. You can suggest through the devastation and emptiness around the characters, how often they come across other people. I'm thinking back to The Road and I'm pretty sure McCarthy never says. It's all just suggested, which may actually be more effective in ways.
I think this can be chalked up to show-don't-tell (right?). I think by your character living in the world, seeing (or not seeing) people in her town, maybe all the doctors are dead, whatever, the reader gets a feel for how many people are around. And I agree with you - if the mc doesn't know, she can't tell us (and that's okay).
ReplyDeletethanks for the comments. i think i definitely show by stating that they rarely cross another person, and how desolate everything is.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it really matters. You could make some comment about numbers that were on the news before the power went, giving the reader some starting point, but really the story is about Bailey and her relationships with the people who remain. And you're doing a great job showing that :)
ReplyDeleteIn THE ROAD, you never know what the hell is going on, but McCarthy somehow suggests things. I don't believe the details are necessary, but your main character's grappling with everything -- given that it's first person -- would matter a lot.
ReplyDelete@ James, :) thank you.
ReplyDelete@ Jody, I agree, the story is about the protag and her struggles, so I really don't think the numbers matter.
I think the consensus is already in, but just to add, every good dystopian I've ever read (like the Atwood books), they never cite numbers and facts. The vagueness only enhances the feel of the isolation of the MCs. It makes the reader wonder (which is a good thing, not bad) about all the things that might happen or be discovered or might unexpectedly pop up.
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In my opinion, if they want statistical information, let them read a textbook or, worse, a Tom Clancy book. A novel is about the story, and a story is about the characters. I can live without knowing whether it is 92.8 or 93.7 percent of the population that has been wiped out by this virus.
ReplyDeleteThanks Barbara. I think you're right, the fact that they know very little about life beyond their site distance does enhance the feeling of isolation. How hard would it be to not know if anyone was out there aside from yourself? or what kind of danger might be lurking around the corner? :)
ReplyDeleteKerry, :D
I think it's okay to be vague. The reader should be able to see that the setting is severely less populated based on people who are missing, empty houses, the eerie quiet (lack of crowds), how hard it is to get supplies and care, etc. I think it's better if I get to make these conclusions.
ReplyDeleteI think you're instincts are right... how would she KNOW how widespread it is. All she really would know is "spreading"--nature of it, if they knew before the news went off the air, and the 'who is left'. I mean an intelligent woman might be able to make some sort of supposition from how much her immediate area was affected: "Only one other house on my block had anybody alive"--I mean she KNOWS how many people she SEES (but some might be paranoid and hiding), but I think all that matters REALLY, for more than just a brief paragraph in passing on how it started, is WHAT IS LEFT.
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