tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26974492.post389552705440506014..comments2024-03-28T18:54:13.800-04:00Comments on alien romances: All Things to All Readers?Rowena Cherryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839386556697211986noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26974492.post-13263882268020644812010-01-21T11:28:57.012-05:002010-01-21T11:28:57.012-05:00Margaret has pinpointed a motif embedded in variou...Margaret has pinpointed a motif embedded in various novel's "Situation" element.<br /><br />I suspect one of the things that a given reader looks for in a novel, the thing they enjoy repeatedly, will come into that category.<br /><br />It's not the plot or setting or genre. It's not even the story itself. But the "Situation" of the main character and other elements positioned (see my discussion of "composition" <br />http://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2010/01/worldbuilding-for-science-fiction.html ) relative to the main character.<br /><br />A main character is embedded in a Situation at the beginning of a story.<br /><br />The character's "problem" or conflict is that the Situation is not Composed to suit his liking. <br /><br />The character acts to change the current Situation into something he/she likes better and either succeeds or fails in the "ending."<br /><br />Readers usually enjoy all the variations and combinations of stories constructed on a given Situation.<br /><br />The most popular Situation today seems to be the conspiracy theory of reality -- "they" are somehow keeping the majority from knowing something (magic begins fighting a war among us; evil rising) and the main character's Situation is that they find out or know this secret and must act.<br /><br />The most recent Fantasy novels based on this Situation portray the main character as accepting the Situation and acting only to maintain the status quo or to better their own position within that static Situation. <br /><br />Look around at our everyday reality and see if you can find a hint of that Situation.<br /><br />Jacqueline Lichtenberg<br />http://jacquelinelichtenberg.comJacqueline Lichtenberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01613040740264804278noreply@blogger.com