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This is something I wrote a while back after running into story that completely failed on the whumping aspect.
The following meme is based on various observations I've gathered over the years of reading whump fic. Feel free to agree, disagree and add your own two cents. Just remember: we've probably all been guilty of some of the things that will be mentioned and one point or another. To whump someone isn't as easy as it sounds ;)
Whumping
Whumping: causing physical or mental harm, usually to a fictional character.
And the number one rule when it comes to whumping a character is to remember.
1. Remember that injuries hurt.
2. Remember that illness leads to weakness.
3. Remember that mental/emotional trauma does not have a be-all, end-all cure.
Overall, remember that all three of the above do not magically clear up just because the story is heading toward the end.
Injuries: You do not have to be a doctor nor memorize medical journals to write convincingly about an injury. Unless there's a doctor in the house (or it's a doctor being whumped) chances are good that your character knows just as much about the injury he/she just received as you do, or less. Technical terms are not necessary and, in fact, will more than likely bore the heck out of your reader if you try to pack in as much medical jargon as you can.
But to have even a mild working knowledge of the injury you are writing about is necessary. Again, you don't have to flip through various medical journals just to know what it means to have a broken arm or a broken rib. Wikepedia will do just fine in giving you an overview of the injury you're using. Don't be afraid to see what it means to have a broken arm, rib, a concussion, etc. Not only will you make the injury believable, you may even come across ways to make it more interesting (for example, can you get an infection from a broken bone? Because if you can, that might come in handy as a future complication.)
Above all, and as mentioned above, remember that injuries – whether broken bones or bruises – hurt. When I pulled a muscle in my chest, I was unable to lay on my left side (the location of the pull) or my back for two nights. Bending over to pick something up, even just breathing wrong, made my life very miserable. And all from a pulled muscle. I don't even want to imagine what broken ribs are like.
When you injure your character, even mildly, even the smallest action can cause the greatest discomfort.
Illness: again, research it. Again, you may discover ways to make the illness more complicated and the whump more interesting.
For illness – whether a virus, bacteria or poison – remember that they weaken the body. Don't give your character a vicious flu and all he has to show for it are the sweats and vomiting, and all while running around and saving the day. Show a little stumbling, some dizziness, something to let the readers know this illness is kicking your character's butt.
Illnesses also have very unpleasant side affects – get over it. With the flue comes vomiting and diarrhea. With a long term illness, you may have loss of appetite and weight loss. It's kind of hard to believe a character has been sick for a long time while they're still well-nourished and buff.
Mental/emotional trauma: It's fascinating, an interesting way to study a character, but also a fine line to walk. Because, somewhere out there, is someone who had probably gone through what you're currently putting your character through, and suffering what your character is currently suffering.
For that reason, above all, have respect for the particular trauma you are using. Don't rely on quick fixes – they are insulting to the reader, even if the reader hasn't gone through the trauma him/herself. Know your character: put yourself in his/her shoes. If your character has just lost a loved one, a loss you've never experienced, then try to imagine life without a loved one. Research: don't settle for just wikipedia. Dig a little deeper, see what psychology books have to say about a particular trauma, seek out stories by those you have experienced the trauma you are writing about (all the more so for heavy trauma, such as abuse or rape). Pay the most attention to the human aspect rather than the clinical aspect, because everyone handles trauma differently and responds to treatment differently.
It's easy to stand on the sidelines and think we have all the answers. It's easy to look at your character's trauma and think all he/she needs is a wake-up call, a hug, healing sex from their favorite lover. It's easy to go for the quick fixes and put our character back together within a few chapters just to end the story where it had begun, as though the trauma had never happened. But that just isn't real life. In real life, to put your character back together, you'd need to write a whole new story just to encompass everything involved (probably more than one story). When it comes to trauma, there is no such thing as a quick fix; there is only planting the idea that someday the character will be fine, that they are on the road to recovery, but they are far from recovered. I call it ending on hope – you know the characters aren't fine, but they've at least been pointed in the direction toward healing. It also leaves things open for a sequel if you want.
But the fact remains, when it comes to trauma, your characters will move on, but they will never be one-hundred percent again.
Writing whump: Be as realistic as you can. This isn't as easy as it sounds. We sometimes tend to forget that a character has an injury, forget to have them react to that injury accordingly, and either go overboard to the point that, really, the character should be dead by now, or so vague our readers don't even know where or how the character was injured. Or we don't injure them like we should according to the method of whump.
You don't have to list a character's injuries, symptoms or emotional reactions all in a single paragraph just to let the reader know what's wrong with the character. But you do need to let the reader know, at some point in the story, what is wrong with the character. This is a situation in which showing and telling go hand in hand. For example, it's not enough to let us know a character's leg is injured by having them limp. Why are they limping? Is it because of a twisted ankle, a broken toe, a bullet to the calf?
Something that always drives me nuts in a whump story is when the writer tells us that the character was stabbed or shot in the side, but never where in the side. In the ribs, above the hip, under the arm-pit? There's a lot of side where a bullet or knife could have ended up. So don't wait too long to let your reader know where your character was injured. It's a little disorienting to think the character was shot in the shoulder, only to find out they were shot in the stomach (yes, I have read stories where the writers were that vague).
Don't get so focused on one injury that you forget about all the other injuries. A bullet wound may be the worst of the worst, but a broken arm still hurts like you wouldn't believe. This also goes for illness or mental trauma. If you put your character through physical torture only to set it aside to focus on the mental trauma that follows, then you're disregarding part of what's causing the mental trauma. Serious injury and a weakened body can also weaken emotional defenses. You as the writer may be able to ignore the character's physical injuries, but your character isn't supposed to.
Let there be compassion. It sucks to be hurt, can even be traumatic. The character's in pain, they're tired, cranky, stressed. Don't have your story go from major physical trauma to “let's laugh at the cranky sick man because he's so cute when he's grouchy.” Just because a story is whump doesn't automatically make it an angst fest. There is room for humor, but there should be a balance. I've read stories where a character is hurting, having problems, and the other characters barely bat an eye about it. They get worried when they think the character is not breathing, then go right back to laughing at him when his breathing stabilizes. If it's humor you're going for, don't make the whump something incredibly serious. Be careful what you have your characters laugh at. If needs be, whether you like it or not, have a voice of reason to point out what isn't funny (especially when it comes to mental trauma.)
Understand the consequences of your whumping method. If you've got a big guy who doesn't hold back when whipping someone, that someone isn't going to come out of that whipping with a few welts and shallow cuts. If your character is getting beaten by a bunch of thugs with bare knuckles and sticks, they're going to have more than just a few nasty bruises. Don't hold back just because you don't want to deal with a specific injury. If your character falls from a cliff and lands on his leg, he's not going to limp off with a twisted ankle. I once fell off a two foot wall onto a sidewalk, broke my upper arm clean through and had to get it reset. If that's what happens if someone falls off a little tiny wall, then someone falling off a cliff is going to be a heck of a lot worse.
What it all comes down to is to think before you whump. Do the needed research, get your ducks in a row, and remember, remember, remember.
Whump hurts your characters, which is, after all, what you're going for ;P.
The following meme is based on various observations I've gathered over the years of reading whump fic. Feel free to agree, disagree and add your own two cents. Just remember: we've probably all been guilty of some of the things that will be mentioned and one point or another. To whump someone isn't as easy as it sounds ;)
Whumping: causing physical or mental harm, usually to a fictional character.
And the number one rule when it comes to whumping a character is to remember.
1. Remember that injuries hurt.
2. Remember that illness leads to weakness.
3. Remember that mental/emotional trauma does not have a be-all, end-all cure.
Overall, remember that all three of the above do not magically clear up just because the story is heading toward the end.
Injuries: You do not have to be a doctor nor memorize medical journals to write convincingly about an injury. Unless there's a doctor in the house (or it's a doctor being whumped) chances are good that your character knows just as much about the injury he/she just received as you do, or less. Technical terms are not necessary and, in fact, will more than likely bore the heck out of your reader if you try to pack in as much medical jargon as you can.
But to have even a mild working knowledge of the injury you are writing about is necessary. Again, you don't have to flip through various medical journals just to know what it means to have a broken arm or a broken rib. Wikepedia will do just fine in giving you an overview of the injury you're using. Don't be afraid to see what it means to have a broken arm, rib, a concussion, etc. Not only will you make the injury believable, you may even come across ways to make it more interesting (for example, can you get an infection from a broken bone? Because if you can, that might come in handy as a future complication.)
Above all, and as mentioned above, remember that injuries – whether broken bones or bruises – hurt. When I pulled a muscle in my chest, I was unable to lay on my left side (the location of the pull) or my back for two nights. Bending over to pick something up, even just breathing wrong, made my life very miserable. And all from a pulled muscle. I don't even want to imagine what broken ribs are like.
When you injure your character, even mildly, even the smallest action can cause the greatest discomfort.
Illness: again, research it. Again, you may discover ways to make the illness more complicated and the whump more interesting.
For illness – whether a virus, bacteria or poison – remember that they weaken the body. Don't give your character a vicious flu and all he has to show for it are the sweats and vomiting, and all while running around and saving the day. Show a little stumbling, some dizziness, something to let the readers know this illness is kicking your character's butt.
Illnesses also have very unpleasant side affects – get over it. With the flue comes vomiting and diarrhea. With a long term illness, you may have loss of appetite and weight loss. It's kind of hard to believe a character has been sick for a long time while they're still well-nourished and buff.
Mental/emotional trauma: It's fascinating, an interesting way to study a character, but also a fine line to walk. Because, somewhere out there, is someone who had probably gone through what you're currently putting your character through, and suffering what your character is currently suffering.
For that reason, above all, have respect for the particular trauma you are using. Don't rely on quick fixes – they are insulting to the reader, even if the reader hasn't gone through the trauma him/herself. Know your character: put yourself in his/her shoes. If your character has just lost a loved one, a loss you've never experienced, then try to imagine life without a loved one. Research: don't settle for just wikipedia. Dig a little deeper, see what psychology books have to say about a particular trauma, seek out stories by those you have experienced the trauma you are writing about (all the more so for heavy trauma, such as abuse or rape). Pay the most attention to the human aspect rather than the clinical aspect, because everyone handles trauma differently and responds to treatment differently.
It's easy to stand on the sidelines and think we have all the answers. It's easy to look at your character's trauma and think all he/she needs is a wake-up call, a hug, healing sex from their favorite lover. It's easy to go for the quick fixes and put our character back together within a few chapters just to end the story where it had begun, as though the trauma had never happened. But that just isn't real life. In real life, to put your character back together, you'd need to write a whole new story just to encompass everything involved (probably more than one story). When it comes to trauma, there is no such thing as a quick fix; there is only planting the idea that someday the character will be fine, that they are on the road to recovery, but they are far from recovered. I call it ending on hope – you know the characters aren't fine, but they've at least been pointed in the direction toward healing. It also leaves things open for a sequel if you want.
But the fact remains, when it comes to trauma, your characters will move on, but they will never be one-hundred percent again.
Writing whump: Be as realistic as you can. This isn't as easy as it sounds. We sometimes tend to forget that a character has an injury, forget to have them react to that injury accordingly, and either go overboard to the point that, really, the character should be dead by now, or so vague our readers don't even know where or how the character was injured. Or we don't injure them like we should according to the method of whump.
You don't have to list a character's injuries, symptoms or emotional reactions all in a single paragraph just to let the reader know what's wrong with the character. But you do need to let the reader know, at some point in the story, what is wrong with the character. This is a situation in which showing and telling go hand in hand. For example, it's not enough to let us know a character's leg is injured by having them limp. Why are they limping? Is it because of a twisted ankle, a broken toe, a bullet to the calf?
Something that always drives me nuts in a whump story is when the writer tells us that the character was stabbed or shot in the side, but never where in the side. In the ribs, above the hip, under the arm-pit? There's a lot of side where a bullet or knife could have ended up. So don't wait too long to let your reader know where your character was injured. It's a little disorienting to think the character was shot in the shoulder, only to find out they were shot in the stomach (yes, I have read stories where the writers were that vague).
Don't get so focused on one injury that you forget about all the other injuries. A bullet wound may be the worst of the worst, but a broken arm still hurts like you wouldn't believe. This also goes for illness or mental trauma. If you put your character through physical torture only to set it aside to focus on the mental trauma that follows, then you're disregarding part of what's causing the mental trauma. Serious injury and a weakened body can also weaken emotional defenses. You as the writer may be able to ignore the character's physical injuries, but your character isn't supposed to.
Let there be compassion. It sucks to be hurt, can even be traumatic. The character's in pain, they're tired, cranky, stressed. Don't have your story go from major physical trauma to “let's laugh at the cranky sick man because he's so cute when he's grouchy.” Just because a story is whump doesn't automatically make it an angst fest. There is room for humor, but there should be a balance. I've read stories where a character is hurting, having problems, and the other characters barely bat an eye about it. They get worried when they think the character is not breathing, then go right back to laughing at him when his breathing stabilizes. If it's humor you're going for, don't make the whump something incredibly serious. Be careful what you have your characters laugh at. If needs be, whether you like it or not, have a voice of reason to point out what isn't funny (especially when it comes to mental trauma.)
Understand the consequences of your whumping method. If you've got a big guy who doesn't hold back when whipping someone, that someone isn't going to come out of that whipping with a few welts and shallow cuts. If your character is getting beaten by a bunch of thugs with bare knuckles and sticks, they're going to have more than just a few nasty bruises. Don't hold back just because you don't want to deal with a specific injury. If your character falls from a cliff and lands on his leg, he's not going to limp off with a twisted ankle. I once fell off a two foot wall onto a sidewalk, broke my upper arm clean through and had to get it reset. If that's what happens if someone falls off a little tiny wall, then someone falling off a cliff is going to be a heck of a lot worse.
What it all comes down to is to think before you whump. Do the needed research, get your ducks in a row, and remember, remember, remember.
Whump hurts your characters, which is, after all, what you're going for ;P.
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no subject
Date: 2009-10-15 07:42 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-10-15 01:55 pm (UTC)From:Depending on the severity of the injury, it may be technically possible to run on a twisted ankle, but it's not fun. It may also be possible to finish the hike without realizing the severity of the injury, only to discover the next day that some movements are rather uncomfortable and an Ace bandage would be really helpful right now.
no subject
Date: 2009-10-15 02:43 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-10-15 03:47 pm (UTC)From:I also hate it when a writer has all these severe whump and forgets things like permanent injuries. Can't shatter a leg and expect healing in six weeks...try a year and a limp for life.
People love to write about a character being whipped, yet they forget that it leaves scars and can cause nerve damaged depending on the severity for example.
no subject
Date: 2009-10-15 05:16 pm (UTC)From:Perhaps what bothers me most are those who insist in writing whump and then tie it all up in a neat package with a bow......
If it is trauma there is no happy ending, just a way
of dealing with it day by day......
no subject
Date: 2009-10-15 06:33 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-10-15 06:38 pm (UTC)From:Something that really bugs me is when a writer gets so focused on one injury that they don't make mention of any other injuries. The character will be severely beaten with broken bones, but the author decides to focus on a broken leg and the rest of the injuries get shoved to the back. Sometimes, we don't even know if the character does have other injuries.
no subject
Date: 2009-10-15 06:40 pm (UTC)From:Adrenaline also makes it possible to keep going while injured. The problem is in the aftermath, in that some writers will have the character push through the pain and injury to escape, but not deal with the pain and injury after the moment of crisis is over and the adrenaline as worn off (which I'm sure I've been guilty of, myself :P)
no subject
Date: 2009-10-15 06:41 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-10-15 06:42 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-10-15 06:47 pm (UTC)From:I sometimes leave a note, sometimes don't as I never know
if the writer even cares to hear anything after the fact.
What continually amazes me is how they just tie it all up
almost like we need to make certain his life is entirely
back on track......no matter the situation.
The character I told you about, Harry Bosch, not only
deals with present day difficulties in his job as a sort of maverick cop homicide div. LAPD, but issues from VN......and same can be said for Elvis Cole, a PI......I forget which of them keeps a box of pix etc. from his VN days as a tunnel rat........seems the latter maybe. It makes for fascinating reading.
It is there. It never goes away, they just deal with it.
If it were that simple, life would then be simply a marathon of turning it on and off at will. It is never that simple.
no subject
Date: 2009-10-15 09:36 pm (UTC)From:Of course, I understand why some ficcers gloss over injuries when canon does the same at times, but the more realistic appoach is the better way to go. And yes, I'm saying this to myself as well! I don't think I've made really bad mistakes in the physical and emotional whumping in my fics, but I know that I could have done a lot better in some of them. I tend not to dwell on the physical much, going for the angst - I'm just hoping that I've not glossed over things too much!
Ah well, if I have, I have, but as of now, I must try to make sure I don't!! (Hmm, one past fic that I can think of, and the present awaiting betaing fic just completed, certainly don't leave Rodney all fixed after torture - so at least I've got that side of things right!)
Thanks. I'd like to put a link to this on my website as well as point people this way from my LJ. Is that oaky?
no subject
Date: 2009-10-15 09:53 pm (UTC)From:Either that or we get lazy and don't want to research (been guilty of that, as well.)
I'm trying to be more careful, do more research and give the physical whump just as much attention as the mental whump.
Feel free to link away :D I love discussing this stuff with others ;)
no subject
Date: 2009-10-15 11:45 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-10-16 12:26 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-11-09 03:50 am (UTC)From:With that said, I must also stress the fact that some injuries are overcome through adrenaline (like you stated) or sheer force of will. Most people will say you cannot walk on a broken ankle let alone exercise with it. I've done it- for two years I ignored having the ligaments and tendons of my left ankle completely torn and the talus broken (not fractured) despite the fact my ankle would completely bend to one side and lay flat against my leg. I continued throwing shot put and discus through college until I finally had to have a multi-hour surgery to put it back together (and sand and saw the bone) with pins and screws. Now, I don't even walk with a limp or have any deficiency.
As a writer, I've had stories in the SW fandom where people have commented "he couldn't do that" when it's something that I've, or someone that I know has, done. Remember that athletes and soldiers can put their bodies through A LOT of things that a normal person couldn't imagine. I think you sell yourself a bit short questioning some of your own stories- I haven't had any moments of cognitive dissonance with your stories that I've had with so many others. I think Sheppard is one tough cookie and that he could man up and soldier through quite a bit of whump- beyond what a normal person might do.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-07 11:04 am (UTC)From: