Should I Be Withholding?
I have a small dilemma.
As an author of a podcast novel, Fractured Horizon, I have a whole new level of complexity beyond what I've written on the page. My narration skills, silences, and music all add to the experience. Even the length of the episode is important, since some people rely on a solid half-hour of company for their jog or commute. I understood that going in.
Now I have to ask a new question: How mean should I be?
Preparing to publish my next episode, I re-listened to it as a final quality assurance pass. All was fine-- until I heard my end music. What? Surely the episode couldn't be over? I was so certain that there was another scene to go that I checked the original files. How could I have decided to hold off on the payoff? There was a revelation coming that I'd hinted at all episode. And I don't say it until the next one?
I started fuming about certain shows (Lost being the first that springs to mind) where answers are held so dear that they are almost meaningless when finally revealed. I certainly didn't want to do that. Moved to be fair to my listeners, who should never be short-changed, I opened the next episode and prepared to move the scene. I'd recorded them both at the same time so the audio should be fine.
Re-listening, though, it became apparent that the scene worked well where it was. Common wisdom among the experienced is to end on a cliff-hanger. If I always give answers at the end of the episode, a listener might forget me entirely. (Is that possible? Surely not!)
You know the feeling that you don't want something to end, the fearful knot in your stomach that makes you check the clock to see if it's REALLY House's final diagnosis or whether your mystery has a nice thick stack of pages between you and the end? I'd like to give that feeling. I'd relish being the one to make you fear the sound of my end music. And don't you like realizing that you're enjoying something so much you don't want it to end? Isn't it fun to have theories to gnaw over at odd moments of the day?
Temptation is a terrible thing. Especially when I can say that it is for your own good.
Cliffhanger? Perhaps I should end on an unsatisfying
As an author of a podcast novel, Fractured Horizon, I have a whole new level of complexity beyond what I've written on the page. My narration skills, silences, and music all add to the experience. Even the length of the episode is important, since some people rely on a solid half-hour of company for their jog or commute. I understood that going in.
Now I have to ask a new question: How mean should I be?
Preparing to publish my next episode, I re-listened to it as a final quality assurance pass. All was fine-- until I heard my end music. What? Surely the episode couldn't be over? I was so certain that there was another scene to go that I checked the original files. How could I have decided to hold off on the payoff? There was a revelation coming that I'd hinted at all episode. And I don't say it until the next one?
I started fuming about certain shows (Lost being the first that springs to mind) where answers are held so dear that they are almost meaningless when finally revealed. I certainly didn't want to do that. Moved to be fair to my listeners, who should never be short-changed, I opened the next episode and prepared to move the scene. I'd recorded them both at the same time so the audio should be fine.
Re-listening, though, it became apparent that the scene worked well where it was. Common wisdom among the experienced is to end on a cliff-hanger. If I always give answers at the end of the episode, a listener might forget me entirely. (Is that possible? Surely not!)
You know the feeling that you don't want something to end, the fearful knot in your stomach that makes you check the clock to see if it's REALLY House's final diagnosis or whether your mystery has a nice thick stack of pages between you and the end? I'd like to give that feeling. I'd relish being the one to make you fear the sound of my end music. And don't you like realizing that you're enjoying something so much you don't want it to end? Isn't it fun to have theories to gnaw over at odd moments of the day?
Temptation is a terrible thing. Especially when I can say that it is for your own good.
Cliffhanger? Perhaps I should end on an unsatisfying
Labels: cliffhangers, Ep 14, Lost, revelations
posted by H.E. Roulo at
10:37 PM
2 Comments:
"Cliffhanger? Perhaps I should end on an unsatisfying"
Arrrgghhhh, first your stories and now your posts have cliffhangers! What was the end of the sentence to be? Now I have to wait till the next post to find out!
Seriously though cliffhangers can be great, as long as they are eventually resolved. Lost's problem is that it barely resolves any of the questions and then throws out 10 more questions every episode, until all but the most dedicated (or crazy in my case) viewers throw their hands up and say who cares. Your cliff hangers are great.
Thanks Devlin.
I did extend the episode so that it includes the revelation. I think it still gives the what-will-happen-next excitement while answering a question. Haven't you wondered what is up with Ward?
Thanks again for listening and for talking back!
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