In a post on Writer Unboxed, John Kelley offers advice for keeping control of your story even when you’re writing about a world that’s falling apart. Kelley draws a few parallels to current events, but focuses on fiction.
If you’re writing about the slow disintegration of your story world’s society, Kelley suggests that you:
- Stand the Dominoes Carefully. “A reader needs touchstones in your story world to which they can relate – authorities, cultural entities, buildings, symbols,” he writes. Take time to introduce the status quo before you start disassembling it. “Introduce these elements early and weave them into your opening act, laying the foundation of what normality looks like for your cast of characters,” Kelley adds.
- Use the Power of Detail. “While there may be value in pulling back to provide context for tragic events that befall your story world, don’t overlook the emotional rush that comes from placing your reader in the shoes of characters blindsided when the moment arrives,” Kelley says. “The details matter, and the effect can be powerful.”
- Consider a Shift in Perspective. As you describe the big events shifting your society towards ruin, consider adding scenes that show the effect on the average person, who may or may not be involved in the crisis. “When the time comes to pull the net protecting the realm of your characters, a change of perspective can drive home that the rules have changed, that a new order is at hand,” Kelley writes.
