Dear Authors... Fear and Suspense

[@merphynapier42]

My sister in law is visiting and her kitten has been sick so she asked if we could watch her for the week. She isn't ours but we sure do love her visit!

[@Thecatladybooknook_PennyD]

Awww... it looks like my kitty boys.😻😻

[@just-trying-my-best-everyday]

She's adorable.

[@nohagamal5233]

She's so cute

[@AbirFa]

I was distracted by her during almost all the video

[@655bebeusgdbeueb4jdu]

shes soooo cute and sooo adorable :)

[@deninatanaelkoswardi3201]

Merphy: *talking about important topics* Me: *just intensely staring at the kittycat*

[@Dani_77709]

Same 😂

[@smarthydra061]

Omg same! It was so cute! 😢😢😭😭

[@lauramccullagh980]

"What is after the characters?" a tiny, but ferocious black and white beast with claws and pointy teeth.

[@alexandernorman5337]

And it cannot be stopped!

[@just-trying-my-best-everyday]

You're saying a lot of interesting stuff, but I'm very easily distracted and that kitty is too cute.

[@Nubbletech]

Just don't look at the screen or cover it or something.

[@ysaysaysaysa]

Lol it’s the same for me 😂

[@edmontonboy99]

Dumb kitty. Just kidding.

[@chiunc]

Yeah i had to rewatch the first minute cause I didn’t understand anything Merphy said. That kitty commanded my attention!

[@skullfullofbooks7398]

I like her new co-host. Just laughed out loud as it tried to straight jump up to grab her arm. 🤣

[@theonlyslagathor]

... I thought Merphy petting the kitty in the beginning of the video was a sign of her slowly becoming a top notch villain planning to use everyone's fear against them in order to create a scene she can use in a novel or something.

[@zonamer28]

*- Spins around in a swivel chair, petting a cat -* *” I’ve been expecting you... ”*

[@Dani_77709]

......it actually makes sense, oh my god O_o

[@mackenziediaz8780]

Building up to that ghost jumpscare at the end.

[@dkim6157]

Hi Merphy, how about a Dear Authors about jokes or humour? What makes a book or character genuinely funny?

[@hannah3164]

I would love this!

[@gyadalupe]

oooooooh yes!!

[@captainblueberrynight7877]

Please!!!

[@abigailwintersinkdrinker4097]

Ooh yes! And FANTASY CREATURES too please!

[@beepblorp4197]

Yes! That would be so helpful! (I'm an author, I watch these videos to improve my writing)

[@zulthyr1852]

First time authors be like: I fear no man... But that thing (Rejection by publishers) It scares me

[@zonamer28]

Self Publishers: *I am 4 parallel universes ahead of you*

[@zulthyr1852]

@@zonamer28 lol accurate

[@bigstink4852]

@@zonamer28 true

[@ender4344]

Too accurate lol

[@christianbjorck816]

I’ve been rejected three times now I think, (by 10 publishers each time) first two books were understandable - they weren’t that good. Did not get any feedback but as you get better at writing you can tell what the problems were and critique yourself. The third though which I wrote recently... is better than a lot out in the market at the moment - from my reading point of view and looking at what gets published. That’s when I started to think that publishers here in Sweden were not interested in fresh stories, but more generic stuff. I write for mid-grade at the moment and the bar is really low language wise too, some books in 9-12 almost seem to be written for toddlers - which I don’t wanna do. I believe kids can handle ”harder” language if the story is good. That is how I got better at reading. And we are starting to have problems with reading comprehension here in Sweden. To keep lowering the bar is not the solution, in my mind at least. I think you should let kids start with easy stuff, even comics if they have a hard time when they are very young - but around 9-12 you should be able to read at the level of Harry Potter at least. And when the stories aren’t better than what kids can see on tv or youtube, then how are you gonna draw them in? I also wanted to have more control so my plan is to start my own publishing house, means full control and also that I can write what I want and that it gets published. Will still hold myself to a high-standard though and hire editors, plus bring in exciting new authors if I can find them. Self-publishing can be great, but it has to be professional. The same level or preferably better quality as the stuff from the big publishing houses.

[@vigneshesakkinathan]

Merphy being merphy: Cat: imma end this woman's career

[@sarcasticeggs8998]

The worst methods of building fear and suspense are:- 1. In a who-dunit, trying to find the murderer but then its revealed that the murderer was someone who wasn't even introduced in the second-to last page 2. building suspense and then solving it off camera 3. Hinting at a major event in the future for multiple books, and then ending it by saying, "Oops, guess I was wrong!"

[@thenamechanger4316]

That last one makes everyone want to throw the book at the wall

[@Lemon-lw4rl]

Those are the worst! Let me add some more, 1. "It was all a dream" just before the climax (or after. It's bad and infuriating no matter when) 2. Time traveling back to the past and changing some small event thus making sure the grand climax doesn't happen at all.

[@Blake4625kHz]

"Oops, guess I was wrong " 😆 I would probably end a story like this if I just didn't care anymore. lol

[@angelacanedit]

the last one.... the raven cycle

[@charkelley]

The second one makes me think of the fourth Hunger Games movie. They spent three hours building up suspense only for Katniss to wake up with the revolution over.

[@Neurospicyalchemist]

Can we please have a dear authors: writing child-aged characters?

[@lolimsooedgy7809]

Japanese light novel authors *HAS LEFT THE CHAT* no offense to the japanese its just that almost every japanese light novel that got an anime adaption sexualizes them i wish some could see this and take note

[@bsmith7]

Ooh that's a really good idea

[@sunsetbutterfliesandfennec1531]

My book is that but is a work in progress she is 6

[@emeryltekutsu4357]

@@sunsetbutterfliesandfennec1531 Mine as well. My youngest starts at four and by the end of the series will be in his twenties. Others start at 5 or 7. I'm not sure I see many people do that though.

[@deeqaisse3574]

I feel most elements tie into caring for the character or rooting for the character. Could we do a Dear Authors about building a character?

[@AuthorGuy1]

You don't build a character. You grow or discover a character as the story goes. The progress of the story is the character discovering it.

[@deeqaisse3574]

@@AuthorGuy1 I don't quite understand growing/discovering a character. I've always felt to write a character you must understand them as if you understand your best friend. Therefore you know how they will react in different situations.

[@AuthorGuy1]

@@deeqaisse3574 I can't claim to understand it either. I usually describe it as ripping a hunk of my soul out and throwing it onto the page, then poking it to see what it will do. No character can be independent of the author, and if you've lived your life at all correctly, you should know yourself. You come up with these crazy scenarios with dragons or demons or wizards, and you grow the character by following the logic of that character which you must know (because its yours) to see what that hunk will or would do in that scenario. There are lots of ways the logic might develop but some will feel more right than others. The good thing is that characters written this way develop over time (and sequels) without ever feeling like they're being added onto. They feel real because they are real. The fun starts when you've got a whole bunch of these guys running around and bouncing off each other.

[@nikkireigns]

Marc Vun Kannon Well put! For me, their environments and their interactions with other characters shape them better than a character outline ever could, although that's a place to start, merely the base of the fortress so to speak. As the story goes you may need to chisel out a block or two but the structure can be repaired

[@AuthorGuy1]

@@nikkireigns I've never outlined a character in my life, or a novel. The only way I know what's happening in chapter 20 is by writing chapters 1-19 first. I have characters I introduced two books ago on the fly, and when they come back in book 3 they have so much depth to them that I never expected. It helps that in between I wrote a million and a half words in a variety of genres. The more experience I had the easier it was to do.

[@punology6829]

dear authors: diversity dear authors: endings dear authors: side characters and that is a very cute kitty! 😺

[@AS-vi5xh]

She already did one for endings😉

[@christianbjorck816]

Forced diversity is truly the worst. Sooo many modern authors have ”the tokens”. Frankly it’s insulting when people go on about that ”I have to see myself as the character”. Wow what extremly low empathic skills you have. One of my favourite characters is Chihiro in Spirited Away, should I demand that she should have been a white dude for me to relate? Or that I can’t watch it? It’s not a diverse film since there are no europeans/africans and only focused on Japan. Or african fairy tales? That’s not for me since I’m white. Or my wonderful european literary canon bound to my heritage and culture, african people should not be able to read that because it’s just european characters in them? It has become ridicoulus. Better to make it all one ethnicity then and focus on diversity of ideas instead of cheap tokenism. Or really create a fictional setting were different races do cross paths naturally with balance, Lord of the Rings does this well without hammering in some ”look muh diversity”-message.

[@AS-vi5xh]

Christian Björck exactly which is why I personally hated the dragon prince because it tried so hard to bring every ethnicity into the show and that doesn’t really have to happen and it’s almost unrealistic. Sure the writing might be good but the diversity was so forced. Not every character has to be like the reader or viewer for them to feel involved.

[@christianbjorck816]

@Desna Seastar I agree 100% Well said!

[@emeryltekutsu4357]

@@christianbjorck816 I definitely hate the forced diversity, especially when they pretend they're the first ones to do it. A lot of us grew up with, say, Sailor Moon. You really think your character is the first gay or trans character we've seen? It's been done and been done better. I wish the authors of these things would stop wanting us to give them a cookie for doing something perfectly normal. Hell, even in anime / manga... I'm looking at a Kyou Kara Maou poster on my wall right now and there you go - white hair, brown hair, black hair, blond hair... Usually casts DO have a variety of looks because authors want characters to be easy to pick out from one another and have distinct looks. Another one that a few people maybe heard of: Final Fantasy VII, the biggest RPG when it was made for sure. Every favorite series I can think of off the top of my head had a diverse cast, but no one asked to be praised for it back then. I can't recall a series I watched where they made every character a white blond man or something.

[@writingoncactusjuice3421]

Half-expected the video to start off with a jump scare

[@aliciagroenewald3863]

Jefffff

[@erinyes3943]

Wouldn’t it be fun if a character died from a monster and becomes a ghost watching their friends all die around them? I’m not sure why but I was thinking about this during the whole thing.

[@fantastic_fern9135]

I read a book where some of the characters died and became a ghost, but all of their friends didn’t die

[@emmaelizabeth3373]

I recently read Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, and while I wouldn't call the book's tone "lighthearted," there were definitely chunks that were more humorous and whimsical. So when something genuinely disturbing DID happen, it packed an even more powerful punch. Granted, not every author can pull this off well, but at least in this instance it was really effective.

[@annaferns1840]

That's Neil Gaiman for you

[@lottevanderpaelt1684]

I almost couldn't concentrate on what you were saying because I'm in love with the kitten. But I really like when the character realises they're afraid and they're not sure why. They just have this feeling that something bad is about to happen sooner or later. I also like it when the reader doesn't know anything more than the character and we have to find out with them. It's great when you can try to piece together what really happened with the clues you got in the book. And dear authors, don't be afraid to kill off an important character (and I'm not talking about bringing them back later on). This really makes the reader (and character) realise how far the villain is actually willing to go and makes us get scared for the other characters.

[@SethRingWrites]

This is so helpful. As an author, generating these feelings is the golden goose. Biggest takeaway, the environment that I build has to envelop the reader, leading them to a sense of dread that matches what my character feels.

[@artstudios573]

merphy: talking cat: imma show what fear really means

[@kittyflint705]

What honestly scares the wits out of me is contrast. You have been with the characters through a really dark, threatening, scary sequence, you still feel your heart bouncing - and then suddenly you enter a scenery of beautiful happiness which does not connect to what you came from at all. Like, what even is this? This cannot be real. This has to be a trap. Or contrast in the scene itself. I mean, what could be more scary than children's laughter in a dark, forsaken and definitely haunted place?

[@Moonstar79]

I believe that the best kind of fear in a story that isn't explicitly a horror, thriller, or paranormal is the fear of losing the innocence in a character's personality. Fallen heroes and PTSD are examples, and the fear that a character might not get over that is as scary as any jumpscare.

[@mx.quartz9314]

I think another way of building suspense is when the readers are presented with an information that the characters don't know. Like you know that the monster is still alive but they don't so you're at the edge of your seat wondering when they'll attack or something. But if its done wrong you just end up wanting to scream at the characters in frustration instead of getting scared

[@jy-mc5wm]

The last time I was this early the Avatar movie was considered good... Oh wait

[@anis5988]

This comment is confusing. What Avatar movie?

[@jy-mc5wm]

@@anis5988 the only one Avatar movie that came out. I commented that bc the movie isn't good indicating that I was never early lol

[@anis5988]

@@jy-mc5wm There is no Avatar movie in Ba sing sei. Here we are safe. Here we are happy.

[@tzofiastrey9214]

I think the loss of self is the most terrifying threat in horror books. When you get to really love a main character with a lot of personality you can recognize when the character is losing him/herself (unreliable narrator). - Also, I love the kitten! More kitten content!!

[@meganwoehl5277]

When I was a kid my dad would let me watch scary movies with him because I never got scared. That changed with one movie, "Hide and Seek" (I've rewatched it as an adult and I was not scared in the slightest) but the REASON it connected with me and why I was scared was because the whole premise of the movie was that the father had a split personality and ended up murdering his wife and eventually trying to murder his child. My father at the time had made some comment about my stepmother being bi-polar (she's not) and had explained that bi-polar was basically when you were one person some times and another person another (bad explanation, I know). So when I watched the movie it evoked that sense of fear that someone isn't always what they seem, and that not only are there multiple sides to every story, but there are multiple sides to every person. As a kid, this was terrifying because you are raised to think there are clear good vs. bad people ... and to realize that people can be both at the same time just completely unraveled everything I thought I knew.

[@tomato2108]

"Well built up scares are better" *James Wan has left the chat*

[@DisArt95]

OOF

[@tinypoolmodelshipyard]

Major OOF

[@lolimsooedgy7809]

explain this pls. i dont understand

[@arrakis7132]

I found the tv show dark filled with suspense and fear for my charecters in a completely new way which i am unable to describe, we know what is going to happen to them from the beginning yet it is the HOW that drives the plot...really fresh narrative on time travel which i would reccomened people to watch

[@turtle62785]

“I’m thinking of ending things” by Iain Reid. This book reads like a literary panic attack. There’s an average of 7 words a sentence so there is just a constant feeling of unease. It doesn’t even have a synopsis, you just go in blind; the back simply states you’ll be scared but you won’t know why. It’s the most suspenseful thing I’ve ever read. It can be finished in a few hours. I highly recommend it.

[@lolimsooedgy7809]

so whats the name? is it Im Thinking Of Ending Things?

[@turtle62785]

anime Lover yup that’s the title. About to be a Netflix movie in a few days

[@timswabb]

Real life fears, or why Dolores Umbridge is scarier than Lord Voldemort. Stupid characters can be interesting in a horror comedy crossover or when the villain is also the anti heroic protagonist (as in Shakespeare’s Richard III). That said, it tends to take the edge off the fear when we find ourselves secretly rooting for the villain. Better than a stupid character is an innocent one, a child or a fish out of water (like Ripley in the original Alien) who isn’t stupid but is woefully uninformed about the menace he or she is fighting. Also good is a vulnerable character who perhaps is physically or psychologically handicapped, or a woman or child or nerdy guy who can’t hope to physically overcome the monster or villain. Even a big strong man or woman outfitted with magic or technology can be vulnerable if the monster is mysterious and superhuman (as in Aliens or Predator). Jump scares don’t work in literature but a horrifying twist can have the same effect, something horrible coming out of nowhere. It’s more likely to be death or injury of a major character than simply a guy jumping out of a closet, but it can still set your heart pounding. And it sets up the next scare because suddenly you know that no one is safe, and that something horrible can happen at any time. If an author overuses this it can get old, though. For me that was the genius of the early books in A Song of Ice and Fire, when we could still be shocked, and the bane of the later books in the series, when Martin could not figure out how to shock us any more.

[@justarandomgirlvx3578]

I had my shock moments in Feast and Dance too! Like Frey Pie, meeting lady stoneheart, biter vs Brienne, Faegon, prologue in feast, epilogue in Dance... and many others

[@timswabb]

@JustARandomGirl vx Yes but nothing like Ned Stark’s death or the Red Wedding. Nothing topped those in the remaining books.

[@justarandomgirlvx3578]

@@timswabb SPOILER FOR ASOIAF: I think Ned Starks death wasn't actually a real "shocker". There are red flags all over the first book that something bad was going to happen to him and his family. I felt it that there is something off and that Ned really should not go to the south. But this doesn't make it bad it is excelently written. The most shocking moments so far have been the Red & Purple Wedding, Lady Stoneheart and Jon's death. And since Feast and Dance are not made for real shock moments and focus more on growing the characters and creating suspense and build up for the next two books, I bet that Winds of Winter will have many shock moments. It is like the calm before the storm. And I don't know if you read the sample chapters, but they are amazing! I hope that George finishs my favourite series😔😔

[@MrHangman56]

for suspense, i find the best situations is where the main character is stuck in a situation with two or more clear choices with very clear consequences, and they have to decide, have to consider it all beforehand and actually have time. if they make the wrong choice, people get hurt or even die, but there's still a consequence to the "right" choice leaving the reader with a subtle feeling of "but they were right, why was it wrong" which builds the suspense of what their choice did in the long run

[@katarakitten9088]

These videos are so helpful as an aspiring author. It helps me see what readers these days like to see and what they hate in books. P. S. I love the cat 💕

[@vjan.1939]

That cat was distracting me so much !!!!

[@paraplegicleopardman]

This is a very suspenseful video. I cant keep my eyes off that cat. *gasp* now it's gone! Where did it go??? Oh no...

[@lunalotus959]

That kitten is adorable! look at 4:28 and how it jumps up to catch Merphy's arm for more cuddling! Very interesting video and opinions again --- love the topic for this Dear Authors ---also about the nightmare one, that are some scary nightmares right there....the nightmare I continuously had as a child was when I was on a small "street piece" serving as an island and like 10 stories below me there was only lava around in a circle but I could also see the rest of the still intact streets that were just too far away for me to reach...

[@AJ-hk2kv]

4min into fear/suspense advice vid, Neil Gaiman interrupts with, "let me give you some advice" like, Neil, your MasterClass look stunning but let Merphy speak!

[@angelacanedit]

atmosphere is the most important part imo, that and build up

[@bilalkhares9337]

That kitten is so cute

[@BrightnessKatyReads]

i am ashamed to admit i watched this whole video but didnt listen to a word Merphy was saying because i was too enamoured by the KITTTEN!!!!!

[@jamesduggan7200]

Thx Merph - based on what you said (esp. the recurring dreams), I'd say the best way to put a reader on chair's edge is to tap into a fear that's already there, repressed or barricaded. Forcing a confrontation with what's real gives currency to fiction.

[@JaniceSeagraves]

Love your new kitty. :) The only Lovecraft story that scared me was Rats in the Walls. I couldn't sleep for a few nights after reading it.

[@almightyllamaqueen9720]

That cat is so cute that I felt the need to show it to the cat on my lap.

[@moona3206]

Personnaly I always find realistic threats scarier. If it plausible I will be scared it could happen to me. ( it is frustrating that I can't explain it better.. english is not my first language 😑)

[@655bebeusgdbeueb4jdu]

she is back to entertain us ,YAY!!! and to all authors who came for ideas and fellow readers *hwllo , hope your safe*

[@couchpotatoe91]

Kitty = no dislikes. You solved youtube, Merphy!

[@elpretender1357]

As someone who has been into creepypastas for 7 years, I have two things to say: 1. Make it personal, while some stories rely on the fear that it could happen to anyone, if you have a main character that has a complete an interesting identity, you may want the source of the fear to be personal so it's more compelling. 2. Fear of the unknown is neat, but if you want to showcase your horror genius, make the antagonist a character, give them a back story later on so now we fully understand what they're (and where) capable of and do it in such a way that it makes the experience all the more scary (Examples: the creepypasta "I dared my best friend to ruin my life", the manga Monster by Naoki Urasawa, for supernatural creatures, "I Went Down To The Crossroads And Met Something Worse Than Satan")

[@maxmode2296]

Kitty is really my favorite guest so far

[@meganwoehl5277]

My favorite thriller author has got to be Karin Slaughter. And I think she does quite a few things very well: 1. In her series she really builds that emotional bond with the characters, she delves into their lives in such a seamless way that it doesn't feel like an info dump. I truly feel such real, visceral emotions about each of her characters. 2. The scariest moments are when she is writing from one character's perspective and then something awful suddenly happens, you know something has happened but she doesn't say what it is, and then immediately starts a new chapter from another character's perspective...this enhances the "oh no, what the hell just happened, are they alright? Is this new character perspective going to figure it all out in time? This person needs help NOW!". It really just gets your heart jumping and your mind racing. 3. She allows the characters to be flawed and never pretends they are perfect. This helps because in thrillers the characters often have to make mistakes or be a few steps behind the antagonist, which is hard to do when you present your protagonists to be brilliant or perfect. 4. Many times she will let you know the ending of the story before it happens. You know how it is going to end but you couldn't fathom anyone being so sick as to commit these crimes. This keeps you on the edge of your seat while reading, because you are analyzing each person introduced into the story to see if they would be capable of something so horrendous. 5. She doesn't hold back from the descriptions of heinous or horrendous acts. This is something she is nearly exclusively good at. She paints such a visceral picture of the torment these people went through, and the absolute evil that it would take to do something like that. It's so unique and I cannot describe it. It's very hard to read at times but it all leads to perfect storytelling and raw fear.

[@jensraab2902]

It could be 20 years that I read Stephen King's Misery but I still remember that scene where Annie comes back from shopping (or wherever she'd gone) and Paul tries to make things seem normal (trying to not get too much into spoiler territory here). This is a kind of scene that I would think should work great in a movie but not so well in a book. Yet Stephen King pulled it off so well I could literally see it play out in front of my inner eye. One of the most suspenseful passages I've ever read.

[@UdyKumra]

Someone should write a horror story about killer mermaids… 👀👀👀

[@Blake4625kHz]

Killer quadriplegic man with knife in mouth who is chasing me in a wheelchair with the one heinously squeaky wheel on a bustling downtown side walk in the middle of the day. Even though I'm heavily armed, so much fear. Lol my palms are sweating just thinking about it. 😬

[@AuthorGuy1]

Seanan McGuire has several, writing as Mira Grant.

[@masonwheeler9211]

I swear I watched a movie about this but I cant remember at all what it was or the plot more than there were killer mermaids

[@AuthorGuy1]

@@masonwheeler9211 I believe there are some in Peter Pan. They had clawed hands and tried to drown Wendy.

[@heidijsiebert]

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant!! :)

[@annaferns1840]

When you want to write a horror flash fiction, and Merphy uploads a Dear Authors for the same: *perfect timing*

[@leafpratt]

I remember when my cats were kittens man they were cute but I sure don't miss my legs being bloody and scratched up from them playing so much

[@a.b.2405]

Aaawww 🥰😍

[@Pippsissewa]

Not to bring everything back to Avatar... but a large reason why Ozai was such a great villain is because we didn’t see him for a long time. Which is another way that the movie failed: they showed him too early and the suspense was ruined. I’m sorry, I’m in an avatar mood. I’ve been rewatching the series and reading the Kyoshi book so my brain is linking everything up to Avatar 🤣

[@figthegiant9324]

About that of authors weaving fear into real life situations, something similar that I’ve always admired horror authors for is taking something harmless and perhaps even friendly from our everyday life and contorting it into something threatening, something dangerous The best example I have for this is what the great Stephen King did for clowns in IT bc- and I have nothing to support this statement but Im still confident in it- Im quite certain King is one of the reasons why coulraphobia is one of the most common fears today

[@zakirehman9023]

2:19 I am going to recommend you exactly what you need. Its maze runner, its so thrilling and palm sweatingly exhilarating. You never know what's goona come up the next corner you turn and its not just exciting, it's scary as HELL. And there is much more involving there, you have to read this book, really. The second book is especially nightmarish, please, YOU HAVE TO READ IT

[@rrupps8074]

The whole time she was talking I was thinking about maze runner lol.

[@user-fy3nr7ei6b]

wait, Maze runner is a Thriller??

[@zakirehman9023]

@@user-fy3nr7ei6b yes it's a thriller. The whole time they don't know a thing and that's what the have to find out.

[@rrupps8074]

@@user-fy3nr7ei6b I think it could be both sci fi or a dystopian thriller depending on how you look at it. But personally I would see it as more of a thriller due to high suspense elements.

[@user-fy3nr7ei6b]

Cool I finished the trilogy without realizing it was thriller lmao

[@luminaryprism75]

I’d love a Dear Authors on dialogue next!

[@MKTraxel]

You may get to this, I'm early in the video. I think a big part of the "show don't tell" actually comes from the pacing of the prose itself, especially while in the POVs head. Short or even incomplete sentences give that same feeling as when movies play the sound of the heartbeat speeding up.

[@4lMb1uFzWb]

Please do more Dear Authors!! :)

[@losanm]

Thank you Merphy and all the people that contributed with their comments for this great discussion on fear and suspense, excellent!

[@lucasstanek2845]

13:25 A series that did this well is Charles Stross' "Merchant Princes." We have a very competent guile heroine. She starts off thrown in the deep end, but does fairly well. She's seen as a pawn from the beginning, but she's one that plays back. She dodges government conspiracies and navigates unfamiliar cultures with relative ease, collecting allies and friends, and always finding a couple of angles to play. Then she gets captured by some of her enemies. Trapped in hostile territory, cut off from all her allies, and from _all_ sources of information. The contrast made it the tensest book in a fairly white-knuckled series. (It's Stross. There is no happily ever after, just 'we've survived well enough to have a decent chance at the next challenge')

[@danthraxplague671]

Lovecraft is the best example of someone showing AND telling moments of fear and suspense, and creating the right atmosphere of the same subject.

[@meerabfarooqui7319]

Loved this discussion! Fear and suspense are such essential elements of involving the reader in the book. If they're not scared, they don't care. If they're not invested in the character, they won't care about what happens to them. If they're being told what to feel rather than MADE to feel that way by the atmosphere and circumstances occuring, they won't feel it. A great discussion!

[@changelingreader14]

Aw man... My comment about subverting happy, innocent, or fun things with wrongness was missed. I love the things like what they did in The Conjuring where the mother is playing with her daughter and the claps she is following aren't coming from her child. Or there's the story where a mom goes to her son/daughter's room when she hears them making noise and when she talks to her kid in the bed, they say "There's something under my bed" and then she bends down to look for them--obviously expecting nothing-- but then her child is under the bed and says "There's a monster in my bed." And that's all you really get.

[@the.hobbbb]

Thank you so much for creating this series. As a writer and a reader, it's really helpful to be able to see what people like and don't like in books and novels.

[@ArabellaKFederico]

I REALLY loved this because the examples were specific enough that I could definitely see how to apply (and not apply) these elements in my book. And though it's not a horror/suspense novel I'm writing, that low-level simmer is gold because its giving the reader so much tension to deal with-along with so much else going on in the story.

[@TheKadenNeptune]

SHE IS SO PRETTY!! ...the human is okay too I guess

[@stews9]

Insightful discussion, intelligent analysis, and professional-level focus for all writers. Readers, too. As always, well worth watching, Merphy. Brava.

[@KnightOwl1881]

*FEAR and SUSPENSE* ... Video filled with small kitten having awesome times. Huh, well played

[@jasmingatti6970]

When this community thread was live I was super brain dead from a long day of online uni but here is some of my coherent thoughts. I don’t like fear and suspense, there’s a reason I don’t watch horror movies. I actually don’t hate it in books, because I feel like there is a different vibe in books with fear and suspense than movies. What I need is something to keep me hooked and reading when it’s a suspenseful book, because if I fear that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen I put my books down and do something else. If the storyline is interesting I can actually push past feelings of suspense and fear, and/ or want to pick the book up again.

[@Nasser851000]

*Insert Spooky scary Skeletons remix song here*

[@galkastelic8906]

SECOND

[@yusra3628]

THIRD

[@vloxl_]

FOURTH

[@xvxvvv8924]

Fourth

[@residententiy]

sixth

[@vloxl_]

YES FINALLY THE FEAR AND SUSPENSE ONE WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR

[@SageK.03]

“Things like this are so HORRIFYING and I love reading them.” Hard core agree. 😆

[@osanneart9318]

I would like to add that one of the best cases of fear and suspense I've come across is The Magnus Archives. It's a horror podcast, that starts off as an anthology and slowly builds towards becoming a fully connected storyline. It hits most of the points you mention pretty much perfectly. 99% of it is kinda similar to well edited audiobooks, except for the part where jumpscares actually can work in an audio format. they use it very rarely, but when it happens it's used to good effect. Also the kind of fears that come up are fears I rarely ever see in horror: loneliness, fear of loss, addiction, being uncomfortable around strangers, war, body image. It's really worth a listen.

[@pencilbuddyinc7782]

I love watching these videos, I’m writing my own story and they help so much with proceeding to write

[@samanthaa.6055]

Make your characters intelligent. Harry Potter: I think I'll steal some animals and fly across the country to find my godfather instead of calling him on the mirror he gave me.

[@octaviandavid7839]

I. Love. You. I have no words...this is some of the best advice I've gotten for my Dark Fantasy novel. Thank you.

[@soupnana2526]

i love that in this episode we were talking about horror and suspense and yet there was a cute kitten for a large portion of it

[@infinityc2859]

just started the video and CAT

[@ItWILLbeWONDERFUL_THERE]

Hi Merphy! Great episode. Adorable Kitten! TOTALLY AGREE!! We have to care for the character as we would for a family member or best friend. If the AUTHOR doesn't care, why should we?

[@karissaomer2820]

I love these videos. I'm not an author (nor do I plan to be) but I love chatting about books and getting a little more in depth about certain subjects. Plus, it always feels good to have your opinion validated by someone else!

[@mayaboone5756]

Me: watches these videos and wants to write the novel I've been building in my head for years (I'm pretty sure we all have one of those). Also me: has no cohesive plot, can't decide between a dozen contradictory storylines, and is an overworked, broke college student with no time to write.

[@chuksdagamer6523]

THIS IS ME!!

[@Rie_Bot]

Awesome video, great points. I think fear would be invoked when like the whole story is going smoothly and you get the feeling that it's to easy/something doesn't feel right, that is so difficult to convey properly in books, but when its there, it's the best. Also the kitty is too cute. 4:28 she's trying to come back lol

[@fellix7531]

I really love this series and I just started watching last night... ♥

[@maem7462]

7:02 I agree either have the character work with an untrustworthy character or a character that both the reader and the character doesn't know if they can be trusted or not. Or a character the we don't know what their motivations are and we also don't know what that character might do. If there is a character that we don't know if they are working with or against the character then every time the main character is in danger we never know what the wildcard character will do

[@giseleamaral9641]

she's talking about fears and nightmares as a child but i'm only here for the cat

[@ardriemorgan2279]

That kitten is savage. I am feeling the suspense and fear of danger that it is creating in this video. I never know when it’s going to pop back up for another attack.

[@wattpadusergeek342]

Every single time I watch a video in this series, I find a nugget of gold that would vastly improve my WIP at the moment I’m watching it! I’m writing an NA romance novel right now and I just picked up on how to improve my character with a small tweak and yet this video is about fear and suspense. I love this series ❤️

[@ClefairyFairySnowflake]

Cute kitty! So cute, much d'aw! Also, i would love it if you would do a dear authors video about horror. I know fear and suspense are kind of related to horror, but i'd like a video about the horror genre specifically. That would be fantastic! Please and thank you! Have a great day!

[@hartsbane]

the kitten won this video... ❤

[@selispeks]

Your videos give me so many amazing ideas oh my gawd!!! Just watching this series is helping me develop my plot SO MUCH and you're really helping me step up my game, holy crap!!!

[@LauraBurtonAuthor]

That cat is too cute. I just stared at it the whole time LOL "yeah yeah. fear. right. gotcha. Ooh look at the cat biting Merphy" lol

[@ayesha9752]

Oh my god! I love the video don't get me wrong, but that Kitty is killing meeeeeee😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍 loved the video tho!!!!

[@bethanygardner1031]

I really like these, because as a writer, I forget about the reading part of the writing. This means that I forget to enjoy the book and just pick it apart as if I'm looking at a crime scene. It's really helped me enjoy books for what they are instead of what they could be, because, although books are plot, symbolism, character, etc. they're also enjoyment. I'm now putting myself into the reader's shoes to create a better reading experience rather than keeping a writer's mindset. So thanks! :)

[@Rorgosh]

Also important to do not overbuild tension. I often experience (for example in every book of wheel of time) that I am high level of tense, and the author build up more tense, and my tense level simple drops, so the effect is quite contrary the opposite of the planned.

[@daniellespencer5026]

Lockwood and Co! 😃 Tangible suspense, loveable characters. Some of my favorites.

[@rachelnelson9713]

The cat is my favorite character

[@FallnAngel616]

Came for the content and got bonus kitten!! I hope Locke is enjoying playing with his friend

[@amitabhyankar3342]

can you do a dear authors "family" or "plot twists" plzz??

[@marshwiggle8364]

I think one of the biggest things is you have to have characters your emotionally invested in. i.e. i care about what happens with frodo and sam because i've been on this journey with them. definitely had dreams where I couldnt yell or run away from some pursuer.

[@pheela]

the way you don't miss a beat while attacked by a cat is peak parent energy

[@fatimasajid1026]

11:23.. IT is a great example of this

[@tedwunderlich2741]

I think another element of creating fear is the tension and the buildup to it. Then, when it happens, it can’t be over the top and take like 4-6 pages for the confrontation to play out. After a certain point, the confrontation can become tension less and exhausting, taking the dread and realism out of the situation.

[@fourcatsandagarden]

the tewifwying munster that kept attacking you nonstop had me on the edge of my seat for this whole video