There was this book I read recently that made me all kinds of frustrated. My inner growl came out. I found myself skimming through the last third of the story, rolling my eyes, muttering things like, “Come on, already!”
Which got me thinking.
As writers, we talk a lot about the importance of tension. Heck, Donald Maass says we better have it on every single page. So the question begs to be asked.
What’s the difference between tension and frustration?
Is there one?
When I think of frustrating books, two titles come to mind. Both are best-sellers.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
New Moon (the second book in the Twilight series)
These books frustrated me for the same reason. Which involved the disappearance of a beloved character for a much-too-big chunk of the story.
Yet they are incredibly popular novels and much-loved by readers. Including me. So is frustration a mute point? Should we go for it?
I don’t know….
Frustration has to be one of the most annoying emotions. And I’m not sure annoyance is something we should ever aspire to do to our readers.
Tension. Good.
Frustration. Not so good.
The first brings readers to the edge of their seats. The second makes them want to light the book on fire.
So how do we embrace the first and avoid the second?
Avoid drawing things out for an eternity.
Yes, we want to prolong tension. But not to the point of frustration. Sometimes, best practice involves giving the reader what they want, then hooking them with something else.
Keep popular characters in the story.
Don’t make a beloved character disappear for too long. Unless absolutely necessary. But even then, you risk the wrath of your reader.
Sprinkle in moments of gratification.
Sure, maybe you can’t have your hero and heroine get together until the end, but that doesn’t mean you can’t throw in some chemistry-laden tender moments between the two. There needs to be a positive correlation between frustrating moments and gratifying ones. The more frustrating a novel may be, the more gratifying moments we better include.
Make the ending uber satisfying.
And I do mean uber. Like ultra uber. Especially, especially, especially if our stories lend themselves to frustration. The more frustrating a novel, the more satisfying the ending better be. Because even if we frustrate our readers, they will forgive us anything in the world if we satisfy the heck out of them at the end. Just like I forgave Stephanie Meyer the minute Bella hurled through the crowded square of Volterra and catapulted herself into Edward’s stone-cold arms.
The book I brought up in the beginning? The ending wasn’t as satisfying as it needed to be to soothe my frustrated nerves. So it left a bad taste in my mouth. Despite the good writing and character development.
When I think of a team of writers who have figured out this whole tension/frustration dichotomy, my mind automatically jumps to Vampire Diaries. They are experts in magnifying the tension without causing frustration. Which is why I love the show so very much. I even wrote a post about it:
Tips from Television.
Let’s Talk: What do you say about frustration? Is it okay to frustrate readers? Is there a book that frustrated the heck out of you, but you still love it to pieces?
*Photo by Ellie Goff
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When will you post again ? Been looking forward to this !
This is a great post. I have a section in my novel-in-progress where my main protagonist is very ill, and it's meat to be a little frustrating – but he remains in scenes with other characters and I try to get him back conscious as soon as possible!
I agree. I'm a fast food reader, I need it hot and I need it now.
I don't like to be frustrated!! LOL But I'm afraid I have done that with some of my endings:)
Totally agree with all those points. I just finished a novel that I found myself skimming. Mostly because they were character developing scenes, which are good, but there was way too many.
Susan – no rocks from me! I read that book in high school and was absolutely crushed when I read the end. Couldn't believe it. Didn't want to believe it. So read the sequel. Scarlett. Basically fan fiction. But it did the trick. In my mind – Rhett and Scarlett are together. 🙂
Such a great post, Katie! I love it when there's an underlying sense of something hanging over the character's heads throughout the book, but there are little moments of satisfaction between. It's a wave of tension-release-tension-release that hovers over the big, big tidal wave.
Don't throw rocks at me, but I hated Gone With The Wind. The ending left me frustrated and feeling cheated. I could have forgiven all Scarlett's selfishness if she'd come to her senses.
One thing that came to mind is this: a plot point that may frustrate one person to death may not bother another at all. In a book club we read Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah and some parts of the book annoyed the crud out of several readers while others weren't bothered by it at all.
I totally agree on your points though. Drawing out a frustrating point FOREVER is so annoying to your readers, and your ending BETTER make up for it!
Oh, LOVE LOVE LOVE this Katie!!! Because I HATE HATE HATE to be frustrated when I read! With a PASSION!
One of the things that frustrates me is when there is tension just for the heck of adding tension. To the point of roll-your-eyes unbelievable. Or when you think… Seriously??? They really WOULD never get together after this. Would he REALLY think that? Nooooo, he would not. Would she REALLY react like that? Not a chance, unless she is an idiot.
Now, I do give room for a bit of comedy. If what they are doing makes me laugh, I can usually forgive a little, but many times it doesn't. It just makes me want to throw the book.
Again, GREAT post!
I suppose with Twilight it brings an opportunity to talk to young readers about the character's choices and point out ways Bella could have made stronger decisions (like dating someone human, going to college, not cutting her biological family out of her life… )
I was beyond frustrated with Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander." If I ever see it come up online or in conversation, I always want to hear what people liked about it since the cult-like fandom for Jamie & Claire has me baffled. I stuck through almost 600 pages of it because I was told I would love it… I'm glad I finished it, and now I know more so what type of story I like to read, and what I'm not willing to put up with!
I'm loving this conversation today!
Heather and Cathy – I totally hear you. Normally, when I don't enjoy a book, I stop and that is that.
However, recently I found myself DETERMINED to finish a book I didn't like all that much. A little book called Water for Elephants? Ever heard of it? (note sarcasm). The reason I kept trying with this book is because everybody and their mother seems to be in love with it. I was determined to see what all the fuss was about. I'm actually glad I continued because I did end up really liking the book as well. It just took a long while.
I love what Cathy said. I so agree. If a reader doesn't like a book, put it down and walk away. Everyone knows that not everyone likes every book. This is why I simply removed the book I mentioned above from my Goodreads. I didn't finish it, therefore I'm not giving it a great review, so I just removed it. No since slamming an author. Her writing was actually good, just wasn't my taste. And like Cathy said, why read something you aren't enjoying. There are SOOOOO many more books to move on to.
Great discussion today. I feel like we're sitting around drinking coffee, chatting it up.
Misha – I'm not officially obsessed with that analogy. That is awesome! And exactly how we should do it. 🙂
I think of tension as an elastic. I start small, stretch it a little, relax. Stretch a bit more, relax, every time going a little further.
What I don't do is yank at the elastic until it snaps.
Just so, too much tension to the story at one time can break it. Because it will lead to the reader getting frustrated by the lack of release.
I HATED New Moon. But also for another reason. It feels like filler for the third book, as if Twilight wasn't supposed to have a sequel.
🙂
Another fantastic post, my friend. One I needed to read, too! I think tension is essential, frustration allowable in small amounts, and like you, the payoff better be worth even that little bit of frustration.
For me, even the ending of New Moon wasn't worth all of the depression-laced frustration of the majority of the book. 3/4 of the way through I was ready for Bella to forget Edward and just be with Jacob. Frustration in large amounts is definitely not a good thing.
Heather – that is a beautiful thing. To be able to discuss books and life with your daughter. Actually, I was just thinking that as I typed my comment. I don't think teenage girls should read Twilight UNLESS they have an adult female to debrief with afterward. An adult female who understands the dysfunction that exists between Edward and Bella.
Oh, Katie, I know. All of my daughter's friend were reading them in fourth and fifth grades, and my daughter is a fairly mature reader, but I didn't let her read them until recently b/c of the emotional issues. She is headed to seventh grade, so I didn't hold her off for long. However, she and I always discuss issues that come up with books that go against either our worldview or how I think teenagers should behave.
It's actually nice to have the open conversation in a way. I hope she and I can always discuss issues like this. This is a lot of why I read so much young adult these days – to keep up with her and have these amazing mother-daughter discussions.
Thanks for the great thoughts today!
Perfect lesson for me. As I write the first draft of my story, I find myself getting frustrated with the whining of the character. I've already made notes to toughen her up in the rewrite and this just confirmed it. Thanks, Katie! I'm bookmarking this post!
I just finished a historical book that was really frustrating. The main character just wasn't growing until the very end and poof…she changed all of a sudden. Bleh…
I love great tension in a story, but frustration? Nope. I would love to learn to close the book before the end.
Unfortunately I find this happening a lot lately. I look forward to reading a book, but then I just lose interest very quickly and like Heather, I just close it. I don't have time to waste slogging through something that I'm not enjoying. Most times I know it's a personal preference because the book has rave reviews. That's why I don't get too concerned when I get someone who says they 'slogged through' my book – while I don't like hearing that obviously, and it's only happened once so far (!!), I want to ask them why they didn't just put the book down if they didn't like it. But we all know this is a subjective business. Authors can only do what they feel is their best and it may work, it may not. Great thoughts, Katie!
I recently read a book where the end was never the end. Each time I thought I was going to finally get to the wrap up point, the current problem was solved and another one swamped the characters. I was frustrated that I couldn't seem to figure out what the main characters' goals were, because the target kept shifting. Was it to recover the stolen property? Was it to receive forgiveness for a past sin? Was it to rescue the kidnapped child? Was it to arrest the robbers? ARGH!!!!
If I start a book, I force myself to finish it…no matter how frustrating it becomes. I give it a fair shot. I think I learned this from when I did book reviews about six years back.
Sometimes a novel can surprise you in the middle or near the end. When you least expect it…it all comes together.
I've read a few books that leave me frustrated to the point of pulling my hair out. I hate that feeling! When you're screaming at the book, "Come on already!" or "That is so not how a woman would act!" it's a bad sign. But then again, I did finish every book. 🙂
I know exactly what you mean by being frustrated. I read a book this summer where the MC's motivation for having a huge life change was hinted at but not revealed until the very end, and the book suffered for it. It just wasn't "wow" enough to make me care. We should have had the info mid-way through and the author should have found another hook to sustain the rest.
It's tricky!
Yes. The Deathly Hallows is the one. Rowling drags out the appearing and disappearing and time away in the wilderness. We just rewatched the movie/part 1, last night, and I noticed that the film-makers have Ron missing for a shorter time, and during that time they really play up the scene with the old woman who is a snake. And, yes, the ending is satisfying, so we forget (for the most part) the frustrating, slow, middle.
Not a fan of frustration. I like tension but when it doesn't come across too manipulated or forced.
My computer is dying. Maybe I need more time away. 😉
~ Wendy
I think it's incredibly valid to point out the differences between tension and frustration. At first thought they may seem small, but within the pages of a book, there's a fairly fine line and one to the other can make such a significant difference.
Excellent tips, Katie!
I agree with you about New Moon, Katie. And like Heather, I skimmed through portions to get to the good stuff again. It was frustrating.
Vampire Diaries is one of my favorite shows and while I love to dive into it, I still make mental notes on how they twist and leave cliffhangers.
Great tips, thanks. I'm sending a cupcake your way. 😉
I can honestly say that I've never read a book where I felt frustrated. Bored, maybe. But, not frustrated. It takes a lot to make me feel that way though. But, I would agree that is something that we as writers want to try and avoid. And, great point on Vampire Diaries (I"m still reeling that Ian and Nina are really together…)
Heather, this is brilliant: "if I become overly frustrated with nothing inspiring me to keep reading, I close it and never look back."
That is the key! The take-away point. If our books are going to frustrate, we also have to put in lots of moments that will gratify the readers and keep them reading.
I skipped a huge chunk of New Moon too. And I totally agree about the message the books send – I don't think any teenage girl should read the Twilight books. As an adult, I have the wits about me to realize Bella's obsession with Edward is not healthy and not something to emulate!
I saw a lot of my 5th grade girls reading these books and would say, "Hey! That is SO not appropriate for you!" Alas, they did not listen 90% of the time.
I am not one of those people who must finish a book I start. If it loses my interest, if the characters start annoying me, if I become overly frustrated with nothing inspiring me to keep reading, I close it and never look back.
I closed a book this weekend because the main character was not making heroic choices in my mind and I did not see hope for her doing so any time soon. This is a heavily advertised book by a major publisher right now, and I closed it.
As far as Stephanie Meyer's second book, I skipped huge sections of that book to get to the end. I didn't love it b/c I thought Bella was horrible in that book, and I was so thankful for the trick they used in the movie to skip her huge sulking period. Not a lesson I was excited about for today's teens.
Now I want to know what book inspired such frustration! I don't think it is wise for writers (at least writers hoping to sell books) to frustrate their readers, but I also don't know if all writers can let popular choices dictate my writing. When telling a story, sometimes characters need to move on. Right?
Maybe I just can't imagine having a book so popular that readers would care in this way! =) Great post!
-Miss GOP
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