tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post2339267576187640453..comments2023-09-05T12:51:25.656-05:00Comments on edittorrent: Secret hintingEdittorrenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14295505709568570553noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-21934614295461751392010-10-08T23:44:23.312-05:002010-10-08T23:44:23.312-05:00I think in a romance, the big hint would just be t...I think in a romance, the big hint would just be that the hero is in love with the heroine. If it's just that, the betrayal might seem even worse, but also after the reader finds out that it was bogus, will understand. "Well, of course! He really loves her!"<br />AEdittorrenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14295505709568570553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-42338552475932000762010-10-08T09:04:21.568-05:002010-10-08T09:04:21.568-05:00I guess it depends on how the story is written. I...I guess it depends on how the story is written. Is the reader allowed inside Roland’s head? Do we know what his intentions are from the get-go? <br /><br />If not, then yes, I definitely would choose to hint at something ‘off’ about his actions when he ‘betrays’ the troupe. It’s what redeems him in the reader’s eye. It’s what make the reader route for him and want Fiona to believe in him when no one else does.<br /><br />However, if we’ve been Roland’s accomplices and have been in his head all along, then no, I’d let the reader believe Roland chose to betray everyone then wham… surprise twist near the end. He shows his hand and wins back Fiona. Awwww. HEA.<br /><br />Interesting topic since I’m working on something along those lines. I’ve got a double ‘double-cross’ going on. <br /><br />Heroine is sent to ‘betray’ the hero. The reader knows from the start she has an ulterior motive for what she’s doing (to save her younger sister’s life) therefore, hopefully, the reader can sympathize with her.<br /><br />But to make it interesting, I chose not to reveal to the reader that the hero knows the truth, which makes things very tricky LOL<br />I’ve placed hints here and there when in his POV, using both inner and spoken dialogue that's loaded with double-meaning, depending on how you look at it (or what you suspect).<br /><br />Ultimately, when everything is revealed, and the heroine changes her mind and refuses to betray the hero, he admits he knew and played along to help her.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15309706772288921221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-6999633791003246902010-10-08T00:46:59.728-05:002010-10-08T00:46:59.728-05:00That's interesting what was said in the columb...That's interesting what was said in the columbo vs murder she wrote<br /><br />I always figured it out in both shows. Recently, I started rewatching Murder She Wrote, and when she tells how she figured it out, they show how she figured it out- the misspoken word, the mud on the pants, whatever it was. It isn't quite as magical as I thought, even though I knew who did it! LOL There are times I go and reread the book simply to see if the clues were there. Sigh. When they are I feel both vindicated and idiotic. Of course I knew who did it, the author told me all along. But in the same vein, they did it so well, I couldn't always pinpoint it.<br /><br />I like this set up you have. I tried to write it once, but got PO'd at myself for not letting him get the girl when he so deserved it.Leonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11786326364037397675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-54473413280309213742010-10-07T22:49:15.538-05:002010-10-07T22:49:15.538-05:00Oh, to answer the question, in my story, the reade...Oh, to answer the question, in my story, the reader has all the information from the beginning. In this case, I think it makes the betrayal more acute since the reader knows that he could—and couldn't—have avoided the betrayal.<br /><br />I'd planned on writing the betrayal from the POV of the betrayer. (He's doing the major action in the scene; she's just observing as he reveals his true identity to someone else. I'd envisioned the betrayer seeing her and realizing what he'd done at the end of the scene.) But since the truth was so well established (=dramatic irony fully exploited?), I went for what Dominique mentioned, the POV of the betrayed. So also not quite as challenging as the setup you've described—but very fun.Jordanhttp://JordanMcCollum.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-14600722660621092672010-10-07T22:42:26.988-05:002010-10-07T22:42:26.988-05:00This is similar to something I'm trying to do ...This is similar to something I'm trying to do in my MS. Interesting discussion!Jordanhttp://JordanMcCollum.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-74023137572709829282010-10-07T21:14:20.843-05:002010-10-07T21:14:20.843-05:00It seems to me the answer would depend on what sor...It seems to me the answer would depend on what sort of story you are writing. If a major part of the focus is on figuring out what the Evil Officer plans - in other words the mystery is there as more than just window dressing - then you can't give the reader more than small hints because figuring out the reasons behind Roland's actions is part of figuring out the mystery as a whole.<br /><br />On the other hand, if the "mystery" is really only there to support the betrayal then I think you need to show it from both Roland's and Fiona's POVs in order to get the full impact.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-41180106481210546642010-10-07T21:11:29.395-05:002010-10-07T21:11:29.395-05:00I don't mind hints, but I think for a setup li...I don't mind hints, but I think for a setup like this they'd have to be fair hints but woven into the story very, very well so only if I was really paying attention might I *suspect* the truth. That way, I'll continue reading for sure to see if I'm right and if I don't pick up the clues, I'll be shocked and re-read the whole thing just to go back to pick out the clues. To me it's like watching an episode of Columbo vs. Murder She Wrote. Columbo (almost always) played fair. Everything was there if you were paying attention. Jessica Fletcher always whipped some bs "off screen" information out at the very last second to nab the killer and I ALWAYS felt cheated by that.<br /><br />JTJulie Harringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02880895598847092028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-21544452619509053442010-10-07T20:49:20.969-05:002010-10-07T20:49:20.969-05:00You pose a great question. On one hand, I love it...You pose a great question. On one hand, I love it when books make me cry, so I'd love to see it from Fiona's angel. On the other hand, dramatic irony is one of my favorite things, so I'd love to know it's a betrayal. I guess, in my mind, the best of both worlds is to have the reader know he isn't betraying them but still see it from Fiona's perspective. Then, I can have my dramatic irony and my tears as well.Kelsey (Dominique) Ridgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10646757546422013401noreply@blogger.com