input from the outside world... if you will, please ^.^

[jonjon]

Ok, so i write and i have this idea to put into my story. I feel it will be a challenge and also something different.

Right, imagine you're reading a book and it's already to the 12th chapter and there's a bit of information missing which is crucial for you to know the main character well. The 12th chapter ends at a crucial point with many things left unexplained and the 13th chapter immediately throws you away from the story itself for an in depth explanation of the things you need to know about your character and it's in the form of the character sat in a class room on their own with just one tutor being taught everything that the reader needs to know. It will be outside the story-line as if everythings been put on pause just for this explanation catch up.

And after chapter 13 and everything explained, we get thrown back into where the story left off.

Doing this will put the main character in a completely unusual situation for the story at hand and will cast down on a totally different environment. For one chapter only.

What worries me, is the fact that many readers may get confused by this. What i dont want is for people to get too confused to put people off reading it. It's a risk that, right now, i'm willing to take on.

Should i do it?

[Robyn]

Hmmm.  I'd have to dig through my writing books for a 'definitive' answer, Wishy, but - in general - it's not a good technique to completely interrupt the story line or to "teach" the reader.

Better, I think, if you can work bits and pieces of the needed info into chapters 1 - 12.  Perhaps you can use some flash backs, or have part of the one-on-one as vignettes in the preceding chapters. 

What's the story about???

Robyn

[jonjon]

the link for the site is in my siggy. It's a vampire novel... or at least it plans to be. Inspired by Laurell K Hamilton's Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Novel's.

I've not really had chance to work bits into it. It's in 1st person and the main character is stubborn and doesn't like to talk about or even associate with the information the reader needs to know. It has gotten to a point of the story where it's now the information is crucial. The character is put into a 'kill or be killed' situation and the reader needs to know why.

I was going to make a whole chapter simply dedicated to the main character just explaining what exactly it is that he really is. But i thought that would be boring some. And besides, not even the main character knows everything or understands it exactly.... so i thought doing it this way... kinda like an intermission, the main character learns and so does the reader.

[Pica Pica]

same old words from me...

give it a go.

Personally, unless there are other metafictional devices in the text this may be a bit sudden. However it may also build tension - i imagine it will be the chapter people either skip or take the book down and read alone. Whichever, it'll be a huge wrench out of the story and chapter 14 will have to be as interesting and involving as chapter one to get the reader back in again.....sounds more a film device to me (and a Tarantino-type film at that.)

However you know your work best and if it is right, go for it.

[Jonie]

The only way anyone will even bother to read to the thirteenth chapter is if they care enough about the character to become interested in what happens to this person. The only way that will happen is if they get to know the character and become emotionally or otherwise invested in this person.
Wrong way: He fell to the floor kicking and screaming.

Right way: Richie waited paiently for his dad to come home, a tall order for someone who's only six years old. Nobody said anything but by the way everybody was acting some how he just knew
someting unusual was about to happen. This worried him as he was instinctively protective of his friends and family. He sat there going over the events of the day trying to piece together what was just out of his grasp, try as he may this time he wasn't going to be any help to his family. The front door opened and Richie's dad bent down and whispered into his ear, he fell to the floor kicking and sccreaming because Richie and his family were going to Disneyland.