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I wonder how many writers really understand Chekhov's gun, that it is more than just foreshadowing, that is about setting up and then managing expectations for the reader.
Like plots twists are great especially if a ready can turn around afterwords & see all the clues they missed & red herring they latched onto, but one of the worst things a writer can do is fail to manage reader expectations they set & cause reader whiplash.
so many things go into setting reader expectations including your blurb or story description, genre rags, title & cover art, the characters & the narrative, the setting & set pieces.
Even content warnings help manage expectations they reduce the chance of reader trauma whiplash
Even content warnings help manage expectations they reduce the chance of reader trauma whiplash
The whole idea of chekov's gun was to not put a loaded firearm in a scene if it was not going to be used by the following act.
It was to not set up false expectations & in doing so set your audience up for whiplash.
It was to not set up false expectations & in doing so set your audience up for whiplash.
Also as a writer I am not really a fan of shock, traumatic scenes or tragedy for their own sakes in my stories.
Shock, trauma & tragedy are tools but I prefer to use them as something to grow & hopefully heal from, for characters to be in a better place than where they started
Shock, trauma & tragedy are tools but I prefer to use them as something to grow & hopefully heal from, for characters to be in a better place than where they started
That is basically an unspoken promise between myself & my readers which I handle vis managing reader expectations, that they can know reading my stuff that despite any tragedy or trauma my characters will heal, rise, overcome & find their happy ending.
also an important point the best stories that handle trauma in a real & relatable way are ones that manage to provide catharsis & balm to the reader who relates, not poke or stoke up those traumas in the reader.
