Stories About Photographers: Is ‘War Correspondent’ The Only Option?

Apply the word ‘photographer’ to writing fiction, and many listeners think of ‘war’ right away. If you’re over sixty, you’ll have more than a ninety per cent chance of thinking war correspondent.

I say this because my first test readers assumed the same. They were surprised (or disappointed) to find out that my story had been sent to another location. The cliche didn’t appear where it should’ve.

My writer’s group were the first to lay eyes on the early SEETHINGS manuscript. Their ages ranged from 30 to 70, and each gave their critique on my book’s first chapter. Yes, there is a war in the story, but the conflict is internalised and waged a little closer to home.

No. There are no guns. No missiles. No foreign lands. The war photographer didn’t apply.

The other critique of consequence was the delivery of key story details in the chapter. I didn’t spell it out quickly enough, soon enough.

For a writer, summarising a story in its opening chapter is risky. That’s why not every piece of information is deposited in Chapter One, nor should it. According to my peers, contemporary writing demands quick action. If the story isn’t apparent by paragraph three, there isn’t a story worth reading.

Boo hoo! (LOL)

But a big thumbs up went to a special character I’d written into the first chapter. Readers despised her right away. They wanted karma to judge and sentence her. They weren’t aware, but my evil plan had taken shape. I got my readers to murder her without knowing it. Maxine Sewell would die, and no one would feel regret when it happened.

That’s the type of journey I programmed throughout SEETHINGS. The reader becomes the protagonist.

Their journey into the darkness matters as much as my character’s. My real protagonist arrives in Chapter One, but their intention is gradual, developed over time. Eventually, they’ll rise to the top of the narrative, but for those younger readers, it’s not fast enough. Yes, it’s true. I don’t hit readers with obviousness. They have to do some work. There are no free rides. In time, the pieces will fall into place… and then it’ll leave them shuddering just before closing the book.

There are no camouflage uniforms, bombs or trenches. This photographer’s war is found inside a sub-tropical thunderstorm. He photographs lightning.

Somewhere inside that raging Sky Beast are the answers to some serious questions he asks of himself. His wife, Samantha, thinks his storm obsession is dangerous and unnecessary. Nevertheless, she supports his foolish hobby because he had been doing it before they got married. She doesn’t want to be blamed for changing him. They are in it for sickness and in health, for better or worse, until death do them part.

At the last minute, I told my writer’s group I had a prologue. They felt cheated. I reminded them that they only asked for Chapter One, and I provided it. Prologues weren’t discussed. They admitted that they wanted the first part of my book. Chapter One wasn’t that.

Honestly, the first part of any book starts before Chapter One, or a Prologue. It begins with the text font chosen to tell a story, its chapter headings, the table of contents and even the book’s cover image and its title. Every little thing goes to set the scene and lead the reader into what will be a story.

Clearly, my story is targeted at older readers. It’s for those who have experienced married love. The struggle to keep the happy-ever-after on track can be difficult. The pressures of modern life keep us on our toes. I doubt young readers would get most of the themes I wrote into SEETHINGS.

So, I went with my gut, published the story, and then composed these blog posts to find new audiences, so you can experience SEETHINGS in all its sinister glory.

Yes, it has a Prologue, a Chapter One, and a slow entry (and probably a whole lot of other rule-breaking flaws), but that’s not what I get from those who have finished the book. By the time they reach the other side, the comments and reviews have been surprisingly positive. It seems I’ve hit the mark well and hard with SEETHINGS. The creepiness factor is high and the ending is unsettling — both of which were intended.

If those hadn’t happened, I’d be disappointed and feel that my job was incomplete.

Curious?

Okay, here’s where you can get a copy of SEETHINGS. It’s a digital book that’s downloadable right now — for any device — and you can start reading it within seconds. The best part is that it’s free (for a limited time). So go and get it now. Tell me what you think. Leave a review and add a comment below this post.

You won’t be disappointed.

-Michael Forman (Dark Fiction Author)