Satire or political thriller????

[maggie]

Hi
I want to write about the breakdown of politics, governance and rule of law in Africa using Zimbabwe as a case study. The vehicle l was hoping to use was a fictional novel. Is a satire the best way to go about it or should l stick to political thrillers? Help needed urgently.:Soapbox:

[maggie]

I would definitely go for a political thriller.

[sleepsheep]

It can be a political thriller written satirically.

[ClaudiaGray]

You don't want to write about the breakdown of governance in Africa using Zimbabwe as an example.

You want to write about a character who is dealing with that.

Figure out who your book is about. The tone will probably come from those people and their natures.

[Gillhoughly]

Just don't use "fictional novel" to describe it to anyone.

It's like asking for a cup mug of coffee java from your waiter server! ;)

[maestrowork]

Just don't use "fictional novel" to describe it to anyone.

Tell that to those who asked me, "Is it fiction?" after I told them I was writing a novel.

[dpaterso]

If your location info is accurate... then I have to wonder... is it a good idea to write this if you're in Zimbabwe? What I mean is, would the present gov't frown upon this kind of speculation?

-Derek

[quickWit]

Just don't use "fictional novel" to describe it to anyone.

It's like asking for a cup mug of coffee java from your waiter server! ;)

My daughter's 7th grade English teacher uses the term 'fictional novel'.

*sigh*

Hope is lost. :D

[dempsey]

I would definitely go for a political thriller.

I think you answered your own question.

[maggie]

If your location info is accurate... then I have to wonder... is it a good idea to write this if you're in Zimbabwe? What I mean is, would the present gov't frown upon this kind of speculation?

-Derek

Yes, my location info is correct. You are right about the present government's attitude to creative writing and art of such a nature. It's kind of heartwarming that you said this. However, I am thinking of moving from Zimbabwe sometime next year and so l figured l would publish abroad.

[Angkor]

Maggie:

Go for it. You have rare on-the-ground perspective onto a society in turmoil which also happens to be in the news regularly.

I agree with sleepsheep's suggestion that you can write a political thriller that is also satirical. (Though events in Zimbabwe are so dire, I'd personally have a hard time dealing with them satirically. A story more along the emotional lines of "Blood Stone" might be a better fit. But this is a personal call.)

I also write political thrillers, based on my own personal experiences in government and overseas. I take real settings and often real events and I populate them with fictional (actually composite) characters. It's called verisimilitude. I find it works very well and is noted positively in reviewers' write-ups. It takes some practice. Reading established genre authors who use this device helps a lot.

[Henri Bauholz]

What a wonderful opportunity. Is it a risk to write from within the country, even if you plan to publish in another country.

[Shamrockgreen]

Folks you have to remember, the average person has an 8th grade reading level. If you are writing for a specific audience then your interest group is going to small than if you are writing for a general fiction audience.

It takes a great bit of skill and finesse to pull all the information into one well rounded package. I was 20 when I first started reading TOM CLANCY, no internet back then for us peasants. My husband was in the navy and he loved these books. I did too, except I did not get all the acronymns right away. (now 20 years later I can recite them by memory) Why did I love these cold war Clancy books? because when I finished reading them, I had a knowledge I did not have before of the current political climate. I have not read anything of Clancy since his last Jack Ryan novel. So sad...I miss the cold war.

You want your reader to become knowledgable on the subject you are writing about in an interesting and adventurious manner, without them struggling to understand the concepts you are putting forward.

Hope that helps, and I am not going to check for typos because it is 1:30am in the morning, so all you "defenders of the english syntax" will just have to excuse me. :-)

[sindy9001]

I like political thriller. My boyfriend love it too. He is a navy.http://photo-collection.co.cc/img/3177/a08b1010ygij/grin.gif