-=> Quoting Michael Nellis to Jan Chandler <=-
 
 JC>   The beef was something to the effect of "But, that isn't the way
 JC>   it happened!" and the other person responded, "So?"
 MN> Ah, but that is actually a valid point.  In some cases following what
 MN> happened too closely can detract from the rest of the work.  An
 MN> example one author gave was a novel that a student had written and
 MN> shown at a workshop.  It was autobiographical, and she had wanted it to
 MN> be true to what happened, and the teacher told her to throw out the
 MN> entire last chapter.  The second last chapter ended with the young
 MN> woman on her father's doorstep ready to ask for forgiveness for bucking
 MN> family tradition, and her father had just opened the door.  The author
 MN> said that leaving them there, face to face, would keep the reader
 MN> wondering about what happened afterwards; a la cliff hanger.
 MN> However, in the original last chapter, the young woman answered all of
 MN> those questions, so the reader was left nothing to wonder about.  Once
 MN> the reader finished that original last chapter, the book would be
 MN> tossed aside and forgotten.
  But, during the novel, should the reason somebody does something be
  upfront?  
  The follow up chapter shows the results of the parents conspiracy.  
  I had already planned the chapter, but without the prior conversation,
  I'm not sure the reader will understand that the "judgement" is unjust.  
  Here's another thing. 
  Do I want the reader to know the judgement is unjust?  Or, just hint 
  at it?  
  For example, at the very end of the book, the boy is now a man and 
  he confesses to all that the destruction of the planet was his father's
  fault.  
  The effect the conversation has on the boy is pivotal, warps him forever.
  Does the conversation *NEED* to be there or is it ok to tantalize
  the reader?
  Am I making sense or do I sound like I've a headache and a vein full of
  caffine?  
  Thanks, 
    Jan C.  
... "42? 7 and a half million years and all you can come up with is 42?!"
--- Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 [NR]
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