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To whump or not to whump?
Actually, I've never written or thought up a story where somenoe doesn't get whumped, and I'm talking in both original stories and fanfic. I can't help it, I love whump. But because I like torture, violence, get a kick out of someone getting the crap beat out of them? I've been thinking on it lately and I've come to realize that it's none of the above. I like whump because, as a plot device (rather than as the plot) it makes for some interesting outcomes. I've come to realize this since I've started writing many a fanfic in which I skip the hurt entirely and move straight on to the comfort. The whump is hinted at, with tid-bits through out the rest of the story instead of chapter after chapter of whumping details that aren't really necessary in the long run. Because it really isn't about the whump, it's about overcoming the whump. Or at least for me it is.
Putting a main character through the wringer really does generate a lot more interest for that character. It can't be helped. Even though you already know he makes it out alive, you still want to see it happen. But more than that, you want to see the results. You want to see if this breaks him/her (okay, let's be honest, him) or strengthens him. That's just one purpose for having whump in a story.
Personally, despite my tendancy to prefer shoot-'em-up action over romance and feel-good stuff, I like the mushy comfort aftermath of some pretty bad whump. Not so much for the sympathy aspect but because I like stories in which characters show kindness to eachother, help eachother heal, but without getting drenched in sugar-coated fluff about it. For me, that's why I love doing Stargate Atlantis stories. John is fun to whump and Rodney - as the concerned friend during the comfort scenario - is the kind of character that has a lot of growing potential. His rude, abrasive, etc. He's generally not a kind person. So when thrust into a situation in which he is forced to be kind, he grows as a person, comes to better himself even if he isn't all that good at showing his concern. And in a lot of stories, that's what it's all about - character gorwth, character learning. We even see this on the actual show. Where as he started off as a character meant to be a haughty jerk not meant to be liked, we come to gradually like him as his abrasive self is set aside when he is faced with situations where he must be their for others, focus on others rather than himself. I love stuff like that. I love character growth, especially when that character starts off as unlikeable and grows to become likeable. Whump provides a means for such a growth.
Whump is also a good way to establish a character's personality from the start. My original character, Amrin, is a good example of this as he is very shy, timid, and uncertain because he was abused for a very large portion part of his life. Another character of mine (for a story yet to be written) starts off as the rather cliche hero (albeit a bit shy) until he is falsely accused, sent to prison, and tortured. The year-long isolation and cruelty inevitably change him, not to someone dark, bitter, and violent, but to someone who doesn't trust easy, dangerous, cautious, and just a little strange in a way that make people wary of him. Of course, it's not the torture that defines him, but the entire experience of being wrongly accused and imprisoned. But the torment he suffers plays a very large part, even endwoing him with unusual quirks such as avoiding physical contact and having quicker reflexes, especially when someone tries to strike out at him. So as you can see, I don't merely whump someone and have them get over it. There are long term effects that makes the character who he is.
All in all, I don't whump for the sake of whumping. I do admit to getting pretty vicious about it, but if the whump, whether big or small, doesn't lead the characters and the readers somewhere, then there's no point in having it. I've thought up many a whump fic that goes no where, so I never write it.
Although whump is popular, and I will read it whether it's used as the plot or a plot device, whumping is better off being used as a plot device. The best whump stories I've read are those that have the characters put through a traumatic event then dealing with it afterwards. The comfort/ healing part doesn't have to go on for many chapters. Heck, the healing doesn't even have to happen. Some of my favorite stories are the ones where nothing is resolved since most problems can't be resolved over night, but you are left with the impression that, eventually, there will be a resolution. In some stories, there's a resolution, but it's not a good one. Kodiak Bear Country's "It's Always Autumn in the Old Trees of Despair", Baroqy's "Honor Bound" Friendshipper's (Sholio's) "Running on Empty" and Pilgrim Soul's "Keeping the Faith" are just a few examples of stories with great whump and great whump after-math. Drufan's endings lead us into whole new stories and adventures later on. Alipeeps whumps the crap out of Shep, but even if there isn't a comfort/healing aftermath, the whump itself is so much more than whump for the sake of it. It is used to bring out emotions in the characters not usually seen. AnCa has a story that uses the whump as a catalyst for some great emotional anguish - Sheppard is hurt, Teyla must help him, but she's having one heck of a hard time aiding John while keeping herself together. It's not even complete, but it's beautiful stuff. In some parts, you're almost in tears for both John and Teyla.
Whumping for the sake of whumping, from what I've seen, is extensive descriptions of someone having the crap beat out of them with no after math, not even any insight into what the victim is going through mentally. I've read stories where we have John stoically taking a beating, making snappy comebacks, handling it all with aplomb, then being sarcastic to his team because they took their sweet time about rescuing him, then skipping to John being all better and happy, and ending there. Most would say it's simply the writer living out a fetish, getting their kicks over broken bones and blood, which is probably true. To me, it stirkes me more as the writer being lazy, or naive on how to handle emotional fallout. They want the torture, but since they don't know how to handle the after math, they fall back on the larger-than-life hero who laughs in the face of danger. Come on, the least we could have is a few nightmares, maybe a heartfelt thanks to the team for rescuing him, an overwhelming sense of being safe once again, or some introspection as he's being tortured. Without the aftermath, the trauma, even the nightmares, the story is pretty much pointless. It's a scene from a story, not an actual story.
I think the same could be said for any device, genre, etc - including romance: het or slash. I don't read either but I've come across discussions involving both. You have stories where both are used as plot devices to either change a character, study them, make a statement or to bring out certain emotions in the character. Then you have stories where they exist merely to have a sex scene and indulge in sexual fantasies. Whump can be the same way. Hurt for the sake of hurting or hurt in order to guide the story in a certain direction, change characters, bring out emotions, etc. When you do the former, it's a self-indulgent fantasy. The latter makes for great reading.
It's all about the plot. If you're going to whump someone, make it count, milk it's potential for all it's worth.
Well, I think I've rambled on quite nicely. Drop a line if you'd like to add your Two-cents. Just please be nice about it. Flames are never welcome and these are opininated musings, not something I'm stating as fact. I know there are a lot of views concerning whump. This one's just my view.
Actually, I've never written or thought up a story where somenoe doesn't get whumped, and I'm talking in both original stories and fanfic. I can't help it, I love whump. But because I like torture, violence, get a kick out of someone getting the crap beat out of them? I've been thinking on it lately and I've come to realize that it's none of the above. I like whump because, as a plot device (rather than as the plot) it makes for some interesting outcomes. I've come to realize this since I've started writing many a fanfic in which I skip the hurt entirely and move straight on to the comfort. The whump is hinted at, with tid-bits through out the rest of the story instead of chapter after chapter of whumping details that aren't really necessary in the long run. Because it really isn't about the whump, it's about overcoming the whump. Or at least for me it is.
Putting a main character through the wringer really does generate a lot more interest for that character. It can't be helped. Even though you already know he makes it out alive, you still want to see it happen. But more than that, you want to see the results. You want to see if this breaks him/her (okay, let's be honest, him) or strengthens him. That's just one purpose for having whump in a story.
Personally, despite my tendancy to prefer shoot-'em-up action over romance and feel-good stuff, I like the mushy comfort aftermath of some pretty bad whump. Not so much for the sympathy aspect but because I like stories in which characters show kindness to eachother, help eachother heal, but without getting drenched in sugar-coated fluff about it. For me, that's why I love doing Stargate Atlantis stories. John is fun to whump and Rodney - as the concerned friend during the comfort scenario - is the kind of character that has a lot of growing potential. His rude, abrasive, etc. He's generally not a kind person. So when thrust into a situation in which he is forced to be kind, he grows as a person, comes to better himself even if he isn't all that good at showing his concern. And in a lot of stories, that's what it's all about - character gorwth, character learning. We even see this on the actual show. Where as he started off as a character meant to be a haughty jerk not meant to be liked, we come to gradually like him as his abrasive self is set aside when he is faced with situations where he must be their for others, focus on others rather than himself. I love stuff like that. I love character growth, especially when that character starts off as unlikeable and grows to become likeable. Whump provides a means for such a growth.
Whump is also a good way to establish a character's personality from the start. My original character, Amrin, is a good example of this as he is very shy, timid, and uncertain because he was abused for a very large portion part of his life. Another character of mine (for a story yet to be written) starts off as the rather cliche hero (albeit a bit shy) until he is falsely accused, sent to prison, and tortured. The year-long isolation and cruelty inevitably change him, not to someone dark, bitter, and violent, but to someone who doesn't trust easy, dangerous, cautious, and just a little strange in a way that make people wary of him. Of course, it's not the torture that defines him, but the entire experience of being wrongly accused and imprisoned. But the torment he suffers plays a very large part, even endwoing him with unusual quirks such as avoiding physical contact and having quicker reflexes, especially when someone tries to strike out at him. So as you can see, I don't merely whump someone and have them get over it. There are long term effects that makes the character who he is.
All in all, I don't whump for the sake of whumping. I do admit to getting pretty vicious about it, but if the whump, whether big or small, doesn't lead the characters and the readers somewhere, then there's no point in having it. I've thought up many a whump fic that goes no where, so I never write it.
Although whump is popular, and I will read it whether it's used as the plot or a plot device, whumping is better off being used as a plot device. The best whump stories I've read are those that have the characters put through a traumatic event then dealing with it afterwards. The comfort/ healing part doesn't have to go on for many chapters. Heck, the healing doesn't even have to happen. Some of my favorite stories are the ones where nothing is resolved since most problems can't be resolved over night, but you are left with the impression that, eventually, there will be a resolution. In some stories, there's a resolution, but it's not a good one. Kodiak Bear Country's "It's Always Autumn in the Old Trees of Despair", Baroqy's "Honor Bound" Friendshipper's (Sholio's) "Running on Empty" and Pilgrim Soul's "Keeping the Faith" are just a few examples of stories with great whump and great whump after-math. Drufan's endings lead us into whole new stories and adventures later on. Alipeeps whumps the crap out of Shep, but even if there isn't a comfort/healing aftermath, the whump itself is so much more than whump for the sake of it. It is used to bring out emotions in the characters not usually seen. AnCa has a story that uses the whump as a catalyst for some great emotional anguish - Sheppard is hurt, Teyla must help him, but she's having one heck of a hard time aiding John while keeping herself together. It's not even complete, but it's beautiful stuff. In some parts, you're almost in tears for both John and Teyla.
Whumping for the sake of whumping, from what I've seen, is extensive descriptions of someone having the crap beat out of them with no after math, not even any insight into what the victim is going through mentally. I've read stories where we have John stoically taking a beating, making snappy comebacks, handling it all with aplomb, then being sarcastic to his team because they took their sweet time about rescuing him, then skipping to John being all better and happy, and ending there. Most would say it's simply the writer living out a fetish, getting their kicks over broken bones and blood, which is probably true. To me, it stirkes me more as the writer being lazy, or naive on how to handle emotional fallout. They want the torture, but since they don't know how to handle the after math, they fall back on the larger-than-life hero who laughs in the face of danger. Come on, the least we could have is a few nightmares, maybe a heartfelt thanks to the team for rescuing him, an overwhelming sense of being safe once again, or some introspection as he's being tortured. Without the aftermath, the trauma, even the nightmares, the story is pretty much pointless. It's a scene from a story, not an actual story.
I think the same could be said for any device, genre, etc - including romance: het or slash. I don't read either but I've come across discussions involving both. You have stories where both are used as plot devices to either change a character, study them, make a statement or to bring out certain emotions in the character. Then you have stories where they exist merely to have a sex scene and indulge in sexual fantasies. Whump can be the same way. Hurt for the sake of hurting or hurt in order to guide the story in a certain direction, change characters, bring out emotions, etc. When you do the former, it's a self-indulgent fantasy. The latter makes for great reading.
It's all about the plot. If you're going to whump someone, make it count, milk it's potential for all it's worth.
Well, I think I've rambled on quite nicely. Drop a line if you'd like to add your Two-cents. Just please be nice about it. Flames are never welcome and these are opininated musings, not something I'm stating as fact. I know there are a lot of views concerning whump. This one's just my view.
