My name is Reed. I'm a 21-year-old gay anti-theist in Roanoke, Virginia, US. I'm currently trying to write my first novel and I'm not sure if it's too over-the-top to allow one of my characters to burn down a daycare full of children. Your thoughts?

Well, what's the context? What is your prospective arsonist supposed to be like? Why is he doing it?

Hi J.R. Welcome to the forums.

Is it over the top? That depends on the context or the character's motivation for doing so... and your motivation for having the character do so. If it is to make a point that advances the plot or establishes something important for the story... nothing is over the top.

(June 5, 2010 at 6:49 pm)Rev. Rye Wrote: Well, what's the context? What is your prospective arsonist supposed to be like? Why is he doing it?

Without giving too much away, my main character and his partner discover they have unique abilities almost like super-powers. The main character can convince anyone to do whatever he wants with a mental 'push (which he mostly uses to get people to kill themselves) and his partner can visualize the Butterfly effect with exquisite accuracy (i.e. "If I hit this pipe in this location with this brick at this force, I can blow up a subway car.") Both characters met in a mental institution and are, in essence, sociopaths. It works well in the story, I just don't know if people are ready to read the details of a daycare fire set by an unfeeling monster.

Anyhoo, nice to meet you, Rev.

(June 5, 2010 at 7:11 pm)J.R. Braden Wrote: It works well in the story, I just don't know if people are ready to read the details of a daycare fire set by an unfeeling monster.

I'm an avid reader of fiction and I have read a lot worse. Horrific events can make a story more emotionally investing, in my opinion. I write short stories sometimes and often use horrific events, but then, I usually have a psychopathic serial killer as a character.

Make it a xtian day care center. The little fucks would just grow up to be big ones anyway.

Welcome Reed

Sounds shocking out of context, sure. Is that a bad thing? Women would throw themselves involuntarily at such a hook I'm sure!

(June 5, 2010 at 7:16 pm)Paul the Human Wrote: Horrific events can make a story more emotionally investing, in my opinion.

I'm definitely not short on horrific events. My concern is just with the age of the victims and the fact that I can't blame it on necessity if anyone complains: If I take it out, it doesn't alter the course of the plot... but where's the fun in that?

(June 5, 2010 at 7:24 pm)J.R. Braden Wrote:

(June 5, 2010 at 7:16 pm)Paul the Human Wrote: Horrific events can make a story more emotionally investing, in my opinion.

I'm definitely not short on horrific events. My concern is just with the age of the victims and the fact that I can't blame it on necessity if anyone complains: If I take it out, it doesn't alter the course of the plot... but where's the fun in that?

Welcome and keep it.

Just don't let your readers connect Atheism, burning children and possibly Timothy McVeigh together.

I've often found it puzzling that some folks feel the need to announce their sexual preferances at first introduction. Why did you feel the need to?

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(June 5, 2010 at 7:21 pm)Minimalist Wrote: Make it a xtian day care center. The little fucks would just grow up to be big ones anyway.