The crisis comes when last battle and occurs when the outcome becomes inevitable, and each antagonist must have sufficient power to leave the reader in doubt about the outcome shifting the reader back and forth until the last battle.
Power struggles.
They fascinate us because there’s conflict fascinates us, and conflicts – regardless of form – are power struggles made obvious.
We (Susan and I) started rewatching Babylon 5 last night. No idea how many times we’ve watched that series front to back, movies, Crusade, and specials included, and such masterful writing from a show that fought to get on the air then stay on the air.
Wow.
S1E1 is a wonderful demonstration of power struggles. Of course, anything which is basically a political power struggle – business, government, family, schoolyard, education – is going to be fascinating.
Because we, as a species, like to know who’s wrong and who’s right, we like to say “Ha, it serves you right” and “Ha, Good for you. You came out on top.” We like to know whose side to be on, we like clearly defined winners and losers.
Except when there’s moral ambiguity in the triumph and defeat.
That happens a lot in my work. I want characters to succeed and fail, and I also want to give my readers something to think about. Both triumph and defeat can be decisive, and I want my readers to walk away wondering if decisive is best.
Example. I chatted with a fan recently. They loved Search and said they really wanted a different ending to the power struggle between the protagonist and another character. They understood and were satisfied by the provided ending, and they wanted more and different.
That’s when they asked if something I did at the end was a hint of more to come.
I smiled.
This Experiment in Writing features power struggle examples from my own work.
Enjoy.
The Augmented Man
The Inheritors
The Book of The Wounded Healers
Tag
Empty Sky
The Shaman
Search: The First John Chance Mystery
Think I’m onto something? Take a class with me, schedule a critique of your work, or buy me a coffee.
Think I’m an idiot? Let me know in a comment.
Either way, we’ll both learn something.
Get copies of my books because it’s a nice thing to do, you care, you can follow along, and I need the money. My latest is my trauma recovery fantasy Chrysalis.
Wilderness House Literary Review EIC Steve Glines and I (Senior Fiction Editor) hold monthly open chats with authors interested in a) writing for us, b) improving their craft in general, and/or c) increasing their chances of being accepted by other markets.
Meetings are held via Zoom on the last Friday of each month from 9-10amET.
So, want to know how to write for us? Want to know what gets our attention? Want to know how to write better for whatever market you’re interested in? Join us for our next “Meet the Editors” Zoom session. Seats limited! Sign up and talk with us. We’re relatively easy going and fun to be with.
Last item, finding these experiments useful? Strengthen my ego and link/friend/follow me.
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