Voice Annoying the Reader

AshleyEpidemic said:

I intend to write it in a Deadpool like snark/meta way. She will be very self aware that she's in a story.

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Like Maryn, I have no clue what "Deadpool" etc. means. As to the MC being self aware, if that means she breaks the fourth wall and makes snide quips directly to the reader, I'd probably move on to the next book on the rack. But, it's all in the execution.

I've been annoyed by the voice of many novels that were traditionally published. Also Deadpool is a popular character that a lot of people hate. It's one of those cases where even if you do it well, you can't please everyone.

On the other hand, breaking the fourth wall (well, obviously!) would make me want to read the book

I can think of several first person books where the narrator is well aware they are telling a story (from a later point) and so injects lots of snark and "if this were a story, oh right, it is" etc. I've done it myself (though I tried not to be too obvious about it)

But I do love me some snark It'll annoy some people, but if well done, will attract others imo

[Had to look it up--Deadpool is a Marvel character. All I could think of was the Clint Eastwood movie (Dirty Harry's last).]

To the OP: Yeah, why not? Give it a few chapters and see how it's going. If it works, continue. Sounds like it could be fun.

No idea what the Deadpool refers to, but when an MC gets too clever I usually toss the book. (All too often it comes across as narcissistic, at least that's how it reads to me.)

Do you mean that the narrator is aware that she's telling a story? This is pretty common in first person, and I wouldn't say it's even breaking the fourth wall if it makes sense for the character to be telling their story to someone in their world (say they're in prison talking to a cell mate, or is writing their confession, or something else). In the novel Traveler, the narrator (a horse, btw) was telling his story to a cat, and there were occasional breaks in the story's timeline where the horse commented on something that was happening in the "here and now" that would remind him about something else from his past.

If you literally mean that the character knows she's in a story, though, as in, it's not real at all and she is essentially an actor in a play who occasionally addresses the audience or comments on the plot (this is the part where I'm supposed to fall in love, of course), then it would only work for me if it's clearly meant to be humorous. But I tend to be the kind of person who wants to believe that the world, story and character are real for the duration of the read.

As for the voice of the character? That's never going to make everyone happy. There are some people that some of us find irritating, and that's certainly true for literary characters too.

Marlys said:

[Had to look it up--Deadpool is a Marvel character. All I could think of was the Clint Eastwood movie (Dirty Harry's last).]

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Me too. I was thinking of the Dirty Harry movie and trying to remember why it was the gold standard for snarkiness. I'm really not a comic book person, though.

My Deadpool chibi and I agree that you should go for it. Use sparingly, of course. I'm currently writing 1st Person with a snarky narrator that often points out the fact that he's in a story. He's an amalgamation of characters, one being Deadpool so.... do what you want!

Heads up for the (philistines) people who don't know who (philistines) Deadpool is (philistines)

The Merc with a Mouth -- a comic book character who snarks to the camera a lot.

Philistines!

Philistines? Are those people who live in Philadelphia?

Not as far as I am aware?

(I always equate Philadelphia with the cream cheese we get here. So not very philistiney*)


*Unless you put marmite on as well.

Mr Flibble said:

Not as far as I am aware?

(I always equate Philadelphia with the cream cheese we get here. So not very philistiney*)


*Unless you put marmite on as well.

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OMG, Marmite + Philly = best chicken sauce EVAH.

You are TOTES the Philly-stine in this thread, Seniore Shower Cap!

Ahh, Deadpool. I say go for it. Write all the extra spunk to your heart's desire. You can tone it down later... *Grin.*

I'm currently working on a story in which one of the characters has a fourthwalling power. She's not snarky, but she does have an odd side to her. And when I'm narrating from her older POV, where she knows about her power, she does talk to the reader occasionally.

So... go for it.

Kallithrix said:

OMG, Marmite + Philly = best chicken sauce EVAH.

You are TOTES the Philly-stine in this thread, Seniore Shower Cap!

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So you guys get our cheese (I'm not from Philly, but I'm an American who often eats cream cheese), but we don't get marmite? No fair!

Wait. What is marmite? Not made out of marmots, I hope.

1. Anything will work for a large number of readers, if it's done well enough. 2. Anything can fail completely, if it isn't done well enough. 3. The more off the wall something is, the harder it is to do it well enough.

I guess my question is, are you doing this because you think it will make a great novel, independent of any Deadpool love floating around in your head, or are you doing this simply because you are a Deadpool fan? It makes a difference.

I find Deadpool breaking that fourth wall funny, but I can't take those comics seriously, and for me, there's no way in hell I'd read all the way through a novel with such a character reminding me that I'm just reading a novel. That's the last thing I want a character to do, ever, for any reason. But that's just me.

marmite/cheese derail

Roxxsmom said:

So you guys get our cheese (I'm not from Philly, but I'm an American who often eats cream cheese), but we don't get marmite? No fair!

Wait. What is marmite? Not made out of marmots, I hope.

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Not marmots, no, yeast extract. It's advert campaign is "Love it or hate it". There can be only one no middle ground. Hence the British phrase "It's a marmite job" about something that is very polarising.


It is also phenomenal on fried bread. *drooools*. I may have to try mixing with philly for chicken....

end marmite/philly derail

So the Uk equivalent of Vegemite, and probably one of those acquired taste things. I've been over there a few times, but if I ate any, I've forgotten.

Mr Flibble said:

marmite/cheese derail



Not marmots, no, yeast extract. It's advert campaign is "Love it or hate it". There can be only one no middle ground. Hence the British phrase "It's a marmite job" about something that is very polarising.


It is also phenomenal on fried bread. *drooools*. I may have to try mixing with philly for chicken....

end marmite/philly derail

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I think of The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy when I think of snarky main characters who are aware they're in a story. I love the show, but in books it can be hard to pull off unless you're doing it in a fairly humorous way. I think of Mary Tyler Moore:

Suzanne: Do you like my dress. I made it myself.

Mary: I'm surprised you were able to find enough fabric.

People can be mean, but clever humor can make a nasty comment into a funny one. Having supporting characters, especially for comic relief can help balance the snark. It depends on how it's done, it can work, but I've seen many people fail at this, so be careful.

I don't read comics (small exception made for Sandman, and I'm a big fan of the MCU, or Marvel Cinematic Universe for you uncultured heathens), but I knew who Deadpool was.

I also don't often put vile and appallingly expensive spreads in my mouth, and I knew what vegemite and marmite were.

You guys need to come out of your writey-caves more often.

Vile?

VILE?

PHILISTINE!

That's why you get charged so much

I think of The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy when I think of snarky main characters who are aware they're in a story. I love the show, but in books it can be hard to pull off unless you're doing it in a fairly humorous way.

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I think it does work better in humour, but it could be pulled off in a more serious work. I've got an example on the tip of my brain but I can't recall it....

Mr Flibble said:

Vile?

VILE?

PHILISTINE!

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It's not my fault that the British are so determined to torture their taste buds that they've conditioned themselves to enjoy it.

You've tasted MacDonald's, right?

I love Deadpool, and love snarky meta stuff, so I say GO GO GO!

It won't be the kind of story that'll please everyone, but the people who love it will REALLY love it. Like Deadpool himself, it'll be strongly divisive, and that's not something to be afraid of.