In 2021, any writer can get stories out for purchase with minimal effort: great for access, terrible for quality control. The rapid evolution of the publishing process have flooded vendors and bookshelves with forgettable filler, “names doing stuff,” that easily overwhelm quality work and deter all but the most determined browsers. Finding and cultivating your audience in today’s market presents a serious challenge.

How can authors break through the noise and attract their readers?

At the end of January, I’m presenting a master class through Writers for Diversity called Dynamic Duo: worthy adversaries. The class was actually inspired by Pam Binder of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association who wanted me to teach an in-depth session about character conflict that looked beyond bickering and literal combat. The result was a deep dive touching on audience satisfaction, fan favoritism, and the bottomless pleasures of comeuppance.

For many authors, the idea of friction or conflict or struggle presents a murky throughline. We all know that characters need to face challenges, but it’s easy for authors to get lost in empty squabbles and sparring that leave readers cold. Trouble is, If your audience doesn’t care, no amount of “thrilling” superpowers, “brutal” confrontations, or “vicious” insults will grab ‘em by the goolies.

Think about it: how many times have you flipped through channels or pages and thought, “Meh. Who cares?” and moved on without a backward glance. No matter how many times things blow up or people knock each other down, literally or verbally, yammering and explosions don’t guarantee entertainment. Sentimentality and clichés are the low-hanging fruit of genre.

The key is emotional legibility…creating confrontations that entangles an audience at first glance.

The only fights we care about (and actively seek in stories) are those that engage our interest and our empathy. We see them and instantly situate ourselves inside the context. Without that personal hook, our natural detachment holds sway.

No wonder canny authors look beyond tit-for-tat and tackle the core of a story: meaningful friction that generates real emotional energy. We want to see virtue rewarded, evil punished, and an equilibrium of comeuppance. “Everyone got what they deserved.” Timeless entertainment springs from a deeper well: our bottomless addiction to fairness.

In essence, ALL stories are anchored in the desire for moral balance: the knowledge that the cast in this story will get what’s coming, because everyone living in the real world know how awful unfairness feels firsthand. That addiction to the fiction of fairness drives all entertainment. Depending on your genre and audience, the shape of that fairness may vary drastically, yet follows a few simple guidelines that keep readers on the hook.

And so what fiction (and film, and every other narrative artform) offers, and what every artist grapples with is the pleasure of just desserts. Depending on your genre, your market, your fanbase, the type and timbre of that comeuppance may vary wildly. But craft desserts with skill, and you tap the most powerful urges and loyalties in every audience. The best conflicts, the strongest emotions, the most fascinating characters plug directly into that universal impulse.

So, yes…The masterclass I’m presenting on January 30^th is about protagonists and antagonists, heroes and villains, but the core of this workshop tackles the craft of comeuppance, so that no matter your genre, experience, or interest, you can get past “names doing stuff” and connect with readers where it counts most.

CLASS LINK: http://bit.ly/3WFD20DS

BIO:

Damon Suede grew up out-n-proud deep in the anus of right-wing America, and escaped as soon as it was legal. Having lived all over, he’s earned his crust as a model, a messenger, a promoter, a programmer, a sculptor, a singer, a stripper, a bookkeeper, a bartender, a techie, a teacher, a director… but writing has ever been his bread and butter. Beyond romance fiction, Damon has been a full-time writer for print, stage, and screen for almost three decades. He has won some awards, but counts his blessings more often: his amazing friends, his demented family, his beautiful husband, his loyal fans, and his silly, stern, seductive Muse who keeps whispering in his ear, year after year. Get in touch with him at DamonSuede.com.