Ready, Set, Unexpected
November 12, 2008
You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
~Kahlil Gibran
This morning we have a very special present for you, all wrapped up with a red bow. This is the very first ever guest post of Oktober 5, an up-and-coming, extremely talented writer and photographer. This post is part of Oktober’s 100 squares of Christmas, and I think it’s better than anything wrapped under a tree this year. Thanks Oktober.
I’m gonna stop yapping now, seriously.
Ready. Set. Unexpected.
by Oktober 5
So much of what makes good humor, writing, or art is the unexpected. Being unexpected can give you the upper hand, and if you’re a creator of any type you should use that upper hand to smack your audience around a little. It will keep them awake and interested. I promise.
Encyclopedias in Pickle Juice
Predictability in a plot or a piece of art or even a how-to article on termite extermination techniques is only truly helpful when it comes before or after the unexpected. Watch what happens when I say, “Encyclopedias are as bland as baked potatoes marinating in pickle juice.”
Something in that sentence makes you think, “What is wrong with this guy!?” Yet you’re so taken aback, or curious, or amused, or mortified that you read at least one more sentence before giving up on me. That next sentence is key. It’s there that I need to deliver what you were expecting before I interjected my random nonsense.
The Plot Twist
Hollywood calls this interjection of nonsense a plot twist. It’s a small, often unnoticed change in circumstances that keeps you happily crunching your carcinogen-laced popcorn until the finale. For example, it was no surprise to anyone that in Titanic (the movie) the ship sank. Of course the ship sank! But that didn’t stop people from going to see it in throngs, multiple times. And why? Plot twist.
Unexpected Seasoning
The unexpected is best used as a seasoning to the overarching message. Coming back to my example above, it’s not good manners for me to leave you by saying encyclopedias are as bland as pickle-flavored potatoes. So in order to not lose your attention or respect, I must proceed to prove to you why encyclopedias are in fact not bland and boring but rather pickle-flavored. Maybe the reason is because they can make you smarter, or because they are good at holding doors open, or because you actually did spill pickle juice on them. The important thing is to deliver the expected value in an unexpected way.
The other important thing is that I end an article about the unexpected with something inappropriately unexpected. So, without further ado: peanut butter.
If you want more peanut butter twists, visit Oktober’s site. You won’t be sorry, I promise.
(BTW, I found the quote above at Joyful Jubilant Learning. It’s worth a look, too.)
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Jamie Simmerman
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Oktober Five
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Writer Dad
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His Wife
