Drama vs Comedy

Which do you prefer? Or does a story, play, movie, tv show need both? I say yes, but the dominance of one over the other depends upon the story. My story his mostly a drama with bits of humor. I show humor through wit or scenes. Rawlings is my wit and Mrs. B has provided at least one good funny scene.

I am not a drama person except when it comes to thrillers and spy stories. Otherwise I enjoy being caressed by humor. I am not a slapstick kind of person but if an excellent scene comes on and it is slapsticky I will laugh and appreciate it. For instance, I recently watched Rush Hour. Slapstick everywhere but for me it was done right. Usually it is the use of wit that causes me to give my "thumbs up." I believe every story needs humor, especially the dramas.

Now dramas to me are only good when there is something real at stake. Saving the world for instance. (or saving the cheerleader!). Perhaps it is saving the victim of a serial killer. Or finding the treasure that will save the world. But some "stakes" are merely the human heart. P&P is full of drama and it mainly is about the heart and character of two people. Change the character and get the girl. Change the heart and get the guy. and vice versa.

In studying how to write novels, I learned the most important thing (well, according to the writers everything was the most important) was to create a change. Each scene needs a change, each chapter needs a change and the novel as a whole needs a change. Suspense, tension and change. I try hard with each chapter to live up to this ideal. When I start a scene I try to determine what I wish to do, who is to change or what is to change. It is hard but without change the scene becomes fluff. and all the experts say NO FLUFF.

Change can be something inside a person. A thought finally reaches the character's brain. People react to change and that is why you need the next scene. YOu need the reaction and a new need for another change. Quite complicated. Writing without fluff.

Well, even humor can be used to create this change stuff. Mrs. B certainly changed the look of a few gowns of Elizabeth's. I should have said the morning dresses remained unchanged only some of her gowns and especially her social gowns. I digress. But my Caroline story created a change and an in-depth one. This time the change was not in the characters minds or actions, but in the readers. that was another lesson I learned. Change can be aimed at you. Many reader's minds were opened about who Caroline was (at least for my story). I changed their perception and gave them a way to understand her better and not be so critical of everything she does. Once we recognize the reason for a person's behavior the behavior becomes a bit more tolerable. We can dismiss it easier than when we were left in the dark.

As I move the chapters forward to the story "change" I will use humor some, but drama mostly. For this is a dramatic story.

gayle