Questions in the narrative

[Ankari]

I have long been against authors using questions in the narrative. From my experience, it is used to create a false sense of tension. But, while writing tonight, I continually ran into a need to use a question. While considering what I would do, I skimmed the internet and discovered some of my favorite authors using questions. They used it to set up the character's thoughts.

So, the question is, do you find questions in the narrative as I once did? What would you use them for? What practices don't you like seeing (concerning questions in the narrative)?

Thanks!

 

[Feo Takahari]

I have long been against authors using questions in the narrative. From my experience, it is used to create a false sense of tension. But, while writing tonight, I continually ran into a need to use a question. While considering what I would do, I skimmed the internet and discovered some of my favorite authors using questions. They used it to set up the character's thoughts.

So, the question is, do you find questions in the narrative as I once did? What would you use them for? What practices don't you like seeing (concerning questions in the narrative)?

Thanks!

If you're talking about what I think you're talking about, I've most frequently seen it in third-person limited. Typically, the narration asks the same question the character is thinking. However, I think you can usually write around it if you'd rather not have it.

Example scene (thought up off the top of my head):

The stranger moved his hand in a slashing motion, and a bloody wound opened in the monster's neck. He smiled as it collapsed.

Who was this guy?

Alternate way of writing it:

The stranger moved his hand in a slashing motion, and a bloody wound opened in the monster's neck. He smiled as it collapsed.

Johnny decided not to risk asking who the hell this guy was.

 

[BWFoster78]

Ankari,

Maybe it would help if you defined the reason for your objection.

My guess is that you don't like it because it feels like author intrusion, as if you, as the narrator, is asking a question directly of the reader. If that's what you are actually doing, I don't like it either.

If you're using it as Feo does above, it's just another way of presenting the character's thoughts. I do this a lot; I'm surprised you haven't commented on it in your beta reading.

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

I tend to feel their use should be limited. If they occasionally come up in narrative, it won't bother me much. However, if they appear with even a moderate frequency it would probably irk me a bit.

I have used the technique in my own writing to convey a thought when a character was alone or if a POV wanted to keep his thoughts private from other characters nearby...where dialogue is not an option.

If used sparingly, questions in narrative like this, can be used to a decent effect. They will draw the attention of many readers though, because by their very nature, an interrogative looks so different from common narrative. That's where a cunning author can cause an effect in the reader. Do you want to draw attention to that bit of prose? Sometimes, writing something slightly jarring, with the intention of highlighting a character's internal thoughts, can have powerful impact.

 

[Penpilot]

To me story is about asking questions, so I don't have any problems with questions in narrative. It's like any other tool, overuse can wreck things. During the coarse of a story, questions come up, sometimes they're simple questions other times, the questions speak to the overall story. It doesn't matter if it's first or third person, questions pop up for your characters, and are IMHO perfectly valid to be expressed in narrative.

Part of the problem I think is some people use questions in place of "As-You-Know-Bob" dialogue. Eg. How is that Zeke knew my plans to stop him even though I had taken every precaution like blowing up the bridge and sending four assassins?

I think it's perfectly fine to use questions like below.

Imagine a scene where the hero must defeat a 7'6 giant to enter a temple. One valid response when seeing the giant is Holy crap. How the hell am I going to get past him?

OR

Something like this:

Sam watched Darla leave, and he didn't know what to do. He'd never been alone before, and the thought made him tremble. Should he go after her? Should he chase her down and fall to her feet and beg and plead and say how sorry he was? Should he? The thought lingered and Sam stood unmoving until it was too late.