Comments on: Short Story Writing Project: Beware of the Twilight Zone Ending http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/ Writing Career Center Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:00:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: gina http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/comment-page-1/#comment-222269 gina Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:14:29 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/#comment-222269 come home twilight zone briliant programme Gina come home twilight zone

briliant programme

Gina

]]> By: John Hewitt http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/comment-page-1/#comment-220510 John Hewitt Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:33:15 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/#comment-220510 @ Al Thank you for the feedback. @ Al

Thank you for the feedback.

]]> By: Al http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/comment-page-1/#comment-220509 Al Fri, 31 Oct 2008 07:20:06 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/#comment-220509 I don't understand how you can begin your article with the focus on The Twilight Zone and end with examples of M. Night Shyamalan to prove your point. Your article would have been more honest and cohesive if you used clear examples from The Twilight Zone to support the title and subject of your article "Short Story Writing Project: Beware of the Twilight Zone Ending". I don’t understand how you can begin your article with the focus on The Twilight Zone and end with examples of M. Night Shyamalan to prove your point. Your article would have been more honest and cohesive if you used clear examples from The Twilight Zone to support the title and subject of your article “Short Story Writing Project: Beware of the Twilight Zone Ending”.

]]> By: John Hewitt http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/comment-page-1/#comment-220506 John Hewitt Thu, 30 Oct 2008 23:00:10 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/#comment-220506 @ Al I appreciate your passionate defense of the Twist ending, but I do not agree. I enjoy the Twilight Zone, not every episode was spectacular, but there were plenty of good ones. In the hands of a masterful writer, a twist ending can be great. I say that in my article: "If done properly, a twist ending can be very effective. It provides the audience with a jolt at the end that gives them a reason to actually think about the story." My point is that there are many pitfalls to writing a twist ending, and that is why I steer away from them. In the hands of a master, a twist ending can be great, but the people who make up my audience are mostly beginners, and the twist ending is not a tool for beginners. Think of it this way. A few weeks of training can teach a dexterous person to juggle well, but only a master juggler who is confident in their skills should attempt to juggle knives. Watching the master juggler juggle knives is great because you know the risk involved. A master can take those risks, while an amateur is taking too big a risk. That's how I feel about the twist ending. A great writer can pull it off, but even then, there is risk. An amateur should work on the basics and have them solidly within their control before they attempt such a thing. @ Al

I appreciate your passionate defense of the Twist ending, but I do not agree. I enjoy the Twilight Zone, not every episode was spectacular, but there were plenty of good ones. In the hands of a masterful writer, a twist ending can be great. I say that in my article:

“If done properly, a twist ending can be very effective. It provides the audience with a jolt at the end that gives them a reason to actually think about the story.”

My point is that there are many pitfalls to writing a twist ending, and that is why I steer away from them. In the hands of a master, a twist ending can be great, but the people who make up my audience are mostly beginners, and the twist ending is not a tool for beginners.

Think of it this way. A few weeks of training can teach a dexterous person to juggle well, but only a master juggler who is confident in their skills should attempt to juggle knives. Watching the master juggler juggle knives is great because you know the risk involved. A master can take those risks, while an amateur is taking too big a risk. That’s how I feel about the twist ending. A great writer can pull it off, but even then, there is risk. An amateur should work on the basics and have them solidly within their control before they attempt such a thing.

]]> By: Al http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/comment-page-1/#comment-220504 Al Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:57:27 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/#comment-220504 I think your topic is a duality: A well written story with a twist ending vs. a poorly written story with a twist ending. I don't believe a not so effective twist ending could ever negate a well written story. There is no better ending to stir emotions and thoughts than a twist ending. One does not need to cheat the audience by "purposefully withholding key information from the audience in the hopes that the “twist” will make it worth it". A great twist ending is an adjunct to a well devised story. If one believes it must hold back critical parts of a story for the twist to be effective, then the twist is not right for the story or the storyteller does not have a firm grasp of storytelling; neither of which is the fault of the twist ending. I get the impression from your article that you are a bit hostile towards The Twilight Zone. Two facts are unarguable concerning The Twilight Zone - 1. Rod Serling was one of the most original creative minds ever to pen a story. He was not some sort of hack turning out sub par stories with the singular goal of trying to trick people with his twist endings 2. The Twilight Zone stories are so much more than "stories with twist endings". These stories are highly polished dramas that explore every facet of the human condition, the dialog is masterful, the tone and pace is exacting, and the twists at the end were usually unforgettable in their brilliance. As proof, I ask anyone to view a Rod Serling written Twilight Zone and make a list of what they think Rod held back in his story to make the twist ending work. The Twilight Zone stories were true dramatic masterpieces, the likes of which are non-existent in todays anemic television world, and most of them just happen to carry a nice surprise at the end. I think your topic is a duality: A well written story with a twist ending vs. a poorly written story with a twist ending. I don’t believe a not so effective twist ending could ever negate a well written story. There is no better ending to stir emotions and thoughts than a twist ending. One does not need to cheat the audience by “purposefully withholding key information from the audience in the hopes that the “twist” will make it worth it”. A great twist ending is an adjunct to a well devised story. If one believes it must hold back critical parts of a story for the twist to be effective, then the twist is not right for the story or the storyteller does not have a firm grasp of storytelling; neither of which is the fault of the twist ending. I get the impression from your article that you are a bit hostile towards The Twilight Zone. Two facts are unarguable concerning The Twilight Zone – 1. Rod Serling was one of the most original creative minds ever to pen a story. He was not some sort of hack turning out sub par stories with the singular goal of trying to trick people with his twist endings 2. The Twilight Zone stories are so much more than “stories with twist endings”. These stories are highly polished dramas that explore every facet of the human condition, the dialog is masterful, the tone and pace is exacting, and the twists at the end were usually unforgettable in their brilliance. As proof, I ask anyone to view a Rod Serling written Twilight Zone and make a list of what they think Rod held back in his story to make the twist ending work. The Twilight Zone stories were true dramatic masterpieces, the likes of which are non-existent in todays anemic television world, and most of them just happen to carry a nice surprise at the end.

]]> By: Kangga http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/comment-page-1/#comment-206438 Kangga Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:47:00 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/#comment-206438 I love twist ends. Has anyone seen Don: The Chase Begins. Who would have known? Who would have suspected? Who would have thought of it? I did. I love twist ends. Has anyone seen Don: The Chase Begins. Who would have known? Who would have suspected? Who would have thought of it? I did.

]]> By: Terry Finley http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/comment-page-1/#comment-189276 Terry Finley Wed, 28 May 2008 23:54:26 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/#comment-189276 Great advice...thanks. Great advice…thanks.

]]> By: John Hewitt http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/comment-page-1/#comment-189246 John Hewitt Wed, 28 May 2008 21:53:19 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/#comment-189246 It is perfectly all right to like a movie because it is bad, as long as you recognize that it IS bad. It is perfectly all right to like a movie because it is bad, as long as you recognize that it IS bad.

]]> By: Lee http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/comment-page-1/#comment-189242 Lee Wed, 28 May 2008 21:43:27 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/#comment-189242 side note night of the lepus RULES! side note night of the lepus RULES!

]]> By: Lee http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/comment-page-1/#comment-189240 Lee Wed, 28 May 2008 21:41:22 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/short-story-writing-project-beware-of-the-twilight-zone-ending/#comment-189240 well admittedly i am a sucker for a good twist but it has to be executed perfectly for the effect to be good. perfect case in point Fight Club which in my opinion was executed brilliantly. others such as the sixth sense were good as well. the tv series twilight zone or the outer limits were supposed to have cheezy unbelievable endings it was part of their charm. bottom line is it's all based on individual preference. I like cheezy b-flicks with the man in the lizard suits with the visible seams in the costumes or the giant mutated monster with the visible marionette strings and the more the utter ridiculousness of plot line the better. but that is movies vs. writing and writing has to be more believable cause it can't rely on the editing goofs and sight gags of cinema well admittedly i am a sucker for a good twist but it has to be executed perfectly for the effect to be good. perfect case in point Fight Club which in my opinion was executed brilliantly. others such as the sixth sense were good as well. the tv series twilight zone or the outer limits were supposed to have cheezy unbelievable endings it was part of their charm. bottom line is it’s all based on individual preference. I like cheezy b-flicks with the man in the lizard suits with the visible seams in the costumes or the giant mutated monster with the visible marionette strings and the more the utter ridiculousness of plot line the better. but that is movies vs. writing and writing has to be more believable cause it can’t rely on the editing goofs and sight gags of cinema

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