My Journal #2

Rise an fall of Action

Its been a long time since I posted anything here. I'm not a blogger I guess.  I have had a recent moment of clarity I want to share with anyone who reads this.

Rise and fall of action. Sounds normal and easy. As a writer we plot the action to increase to a climax then fall to the end where everyone breathes a sigh of relief.  That's a good book they all say.

I have a favorite book that I've just finished listening to after a number of years. This author is well known for his books that have been made into movies. The first two book/movies I felt the intrigue. The next 2 books I read but was left disappointed. I didn't buy the last one.

His very first novel set his style and held my interest.  However the second book has become my all time favorite and I have encouraged others to read it. They too have said it was a book they couldn't put down. I had it on a CD version that I loaned out. I would get a call, "I hate you! I can't get out of my car!" The story line is gripping.

This last time I listened to the story I came to a conclusion. This story is so well written I had an emotional, physical reaction to the story.  I noticed as the action increased I felt anxious, tense even though I remembered somewhat of the action to follow. The action stopped and moved to another part of the story. Stopping the rising action, I had a physical moment of release. I actually took a breath and felt my body relax from the tension.  As the story moved on toward the climax, this process was repeated again and again. I would feel the tension grow in the segment then the author would stop and switch to a different growing activity. The process kept you listening as the action pulled you in to the life and death situation. You knew it had to have a good ending, but getting there took your breath away at times.
This process of grab and release is what keeps readers turning pages or glued to their car seats. It's what makes a great story. This author uses multiple POV to tell the story and continues to keep all the storylines in the air and you attached to them as they rise and fall.

If you want to see what this feels like, buy the audible version of Deception Point by Dan Brown.  You will find this novel to be his best work ever. I wish he'd go back to his roots and write like this again.