Brian Randleas's Blog

People tell me all the time that they would love to do one thing or another. The "thing" mentioned is one of their life long dreams. For example, when they find out I am a published author they express their desire to write a book of their own. When I tell them they should pursue their dream, I get one of several limiting words. Words that rob us of the ability to make our dreams come true.
These are words like::someday, eventually, maybe, and later. Just as tomorrow never comes, no one ever did anything "someday." A very wise but small, green character of fiction summed up the misuse of limiting words when he told his pupil "Do or do not. There is no try."
We always think we will have time to get around to the things we want to do. Considering that way of thinking I have this to say in response. There is one intrinsic feature to time. It passes. We should view our time as we would money. We can gbank our time or invest it.
If we choose to bank our time we should consider it an account of diminishing returns. Unlike your monetary bank account time does not accrue interest and grow. Even banked time is subject to fees and penalties. The longer it remains unused the less there is of it.
Investing our time may not give us more time but it does pay us in other dividends. Invested time can increase the quality of our time and it can even make it feel like we have more.
If there is something that you have always wanted to do then invest your time in it. How do you start? By using empowering words like: begin, today, now, and working. Give it a try and I think you will be surprised by another empowered word. The "results".
Brian Randleas Harmony

Perhaps one of the most important elements of finishing a story is deciding what to do with the villain. Do you kill them off? Leave their fate unknown until the next book? Incarcerate them? Or do they have a change of heart, and realize the error of their ways? The preceding is a list of just some of the many ways that a writer can deal with their villain. Some writers are even so bold as to combine several of these options into one very poetic end.

***Example death of a villain.
Jhobehr looked into the eyes of his adversary. Robert Frazier was an American. He stood five foot nine inches, with a perfectly groomed goatee and a thin manicured moustache. His appearance, in his tailored grey suit and understated patent leather shoes, belied the depths of malice contained in that mind. Jhobehr knew that he was looking into the face of true evil, the face of the man French newspapers referred to as the Paris Ripper. He held in his hand a slender blade sixteen inches in length, that glramrd like a sliver of light. It was pointed at Jhobehr's chest.

"I ave you monsieur Frazier." declared Jhobehr. He was bluffing, but he hoped that Frazier would not notice. "It is no use. You must give up." Jhobehr covertly cast his gaze about him looking for a weapon. He was surprised that monsieur Frazier had not seemed to notice that the detective had dropped his pistol in the pursuit of his quarry. There seemed to be nothing within reach he could use to defend himself or subdue Frazier.

"No my dear inspector you are mistaken." replied Frazier. "Things are proceeding just as planned. You know and I know that I am evil. There is a part of my mind that screams in horror at the things I have done. It is that part of me that left behind the breadcrumbs which have led you here. It wants you to stop the evil which lurks beneath my flesh."

"Then you admit defeat monsieur?"

"I admit nothing inspector. Evil does not surrender. It does not cease. It breeds in darkness and thrives in secret. It plots and it schemes, and it does not feel remorse. Evil does not fade away, and it most certainly does not give up! It must be vanquished!" With a scream Frazier launched himself at the inspector, his blade leveled at the heart of his foe. Jhobehr tried to step back startled. He threw up his arms in defense, and that was when he discovered the one item he could have used for his defense.

Jhobehr's right foot came down on a twenty inch length of pipe. The pipe rolled beneath his weight throwing him off balance. As Frazier's blade came within striking distance of Jhobehr's chest, the inspector’s arms deflected the point upward. Frazier had not anticipated the inspector’s actions or his clumsiness, and therefore Frazier's momentum carried him forward, and off balance.

***

Jhobehr was trapped beneath Frazier’s weight. He struggled rocking back and forth until he was finally able to extract himself from beneath the body. Frazier had a frozen look of surprise on his face. His deadly blade that had carved the flesh of thirty-seven victims had been deflected up under Frazier's chin and exited through the top of his skull. The most feared man in Paris, the man who had held a whole nation in fear for the past 23 months lay still at Jhobehr's feet. Frazier's reign of terror had been undone by a simple trip.
***

If the writer chooses to end the life of his villain then they must be sure to make the punishment fit the crime. By this I mean that if your villain was rather a nasty sort, then your readers are expecting him/her to meet with a rather nasty end. If your villain was merely an antagonist that spread rumors and lies, then they can get off with a bit of embarrassment and die peacefully in their sleep. If the writer chooses to let the villain escape then they must find another form of closure for the story. One or two cliff hangers in a story ending are acceptable, but not too many. The reader needs to be left in a spot where they can take a deep breath, and relax. (Anticipating book two of course.) A good way to do this is to find personal closure between friendly characters or form temporary alliances. Making a profound discovery is also a good form of closure in the middle of a cliff hanger. Give the reader hope that good things could or will happen in the future.

Letting your villain escape can open your book to a sequel. (Readers today love series.) If your villain is well written then your readers will love to see them face off with your hero for round two.

Some of my favorite novels ended with the villain coming face to face with themselves and realizing the error of their ways. Let us take for example Mr. Ebeneezer Scrooge. In this story the villain/antagonist does a complete one hundred and eighty degree turn around to become one of the good guys. If you should choose this route you really must make it plausible. I.e. the villain cannot merely be confronted and then say "oh yeah, right. I hadn't thought of that. Let's do lunch and be friends." and then walk off into the sunset singing the Barney song "I love you. You love me...." (A sure sign of evil in itself.) Your readers would scream "OH COME ON." and burn your books for kindling. If your villain is going to change character at the end of the story and become good then they must be confronted with some degree of angst throughout the story. MAKE IT BELIEVABLE.

I like the ending I term (The Satisfying Crunch). An ending so poetic and extreme the reader cannot help jumping up and yelling "YES!" in an otherwise quiet room, and then dealing with their embarrassment after. This can lead to breaking the ice in a conversation, and maybe to a book sell when the reader has to explain the book, and its awesome dramatic ending to observers and passersby. This style of ending was personified in the old Road Runner cartoons. Wiley Coyote would set an elaborate trap for the road runner. The viewer (usually in the age range of 5 to 12 years old) would watch enraptured fearing for the Road Runner’s life. The villainous coyote would lay in wait for the heroic road runner looking to spring out at the right moment and capture the unsuspecting bird. At the last moment something would go wrong and the trap would instead poetically be sprung upon the coyote. Not only did the bomb explode in his face or the trap suspend him above the canyon walls, but a new chain of disasters were let loose upon him. With each boulder that rolled over him, or anvil that landed upon his head the viewer screamed "YES!" They then proceeded to jump up and down with joy and satisfaction.Ah yes. Now that was a satisfying crunch!

Whatever choices you make in dealing with your villains remember two rules. Make it poignant.
Make it believable.

Until next time, good writing!

MEASURING SUCCESS
Many people have tried to define success and with each attempt there is always a new take. Here is mine presented with tongue in cheek.

I do not equate success to financial status or how much stuff a person has. Rather my gauge for success is the impact you have or have not made on the people around you. You can be financially secure and possess all the toys a grown man/woman could want and be a huge failure. On the same note you can be dirt poor and scraping by and be successful.
By my measuring tape if you walk into a public place and people are happy to see you then you are probably a success. People wish the best for you, and on occasion do what they can to facilitate your continued success.
On the other side of the coin I have seen individuals who were wildly successful financially walk in and no one was happy to see them arrive but overjoyed to see them depart. (This applies to not as financially secure people as well.)
How do you become successful if this is the case? I remember a few years ago I was being honored for contributions of my time and energy to a certain organization that shall remain nameless. My friend and neighbor told me that he was jealous. I asked why? He responded that he was jealous that I was receiving an award and he wanted to receive one as well. I was shocked by his revelation of envy. His family was financially better off than mine. He drove a more dependable vehicle, had a better job, etc... I pointed to the wall where my wife had hung the few awards that I had already received and told him "Pick out any of them you want and take them home with you." He declined saying that they were not his and he had not earned them. I told him "They are only pieces of paper. They do not feed my family and they do not pay the rent. If you really want to earn some of your own I can tell you exactly how I got them and how you can get a few of your own."
Here is a shortened version of the list that I gave him.

1. Show up.
2. If there is a line, stand in it.
3. If no one else wants to do it volunteer.
4. If you see someone who needs help, help them.
5. Help others succeed and they will be more willing to return the favor.
6. If you don't know how to do it then be willing to learn.
7. Complain less and listen more.
8. Have a good word to share.
9. Be pleasant to be around.
10. Above all if you are doing it for the piece of paper then print one out yourself and hang it on your wall.

People can spot fakes. They appreciate truth. So if you are going to do it then learn to love it. If you care about the person or the cause that you are committing to help you will be able to do it with a smile.
If you are wondering if you are a success then ask your self "If I were a character in a television sitcom, would I more likely be a character from Cheers or from Seinfeld?" In other words when you walk into the room are people more likely to greet you with an exuberant "NORM!" or will they scowl and say "Newman"?
If your answer is the former, then congratulations. Keep up the good work. If it is the latter then back to the drawing board.
Perhaps you have a different list. If so I would love to read it. Please feel free to post your thoughts and comments.
-Brian Randleas

I have a deep love affair with those who do not feel the need to rage against the creative soul who bravely steps up and shares their vision with others. It may not be polished or professional, but it has added something to the ether that is life. I believe that constructive criticism has its place and its value. I do not believe that constructive criticism however should be mean spirited or offensive criticism. Sometimes the old axiom applies "If you cannot say anything nice then don't say anything at all".