I Need To Study ‘Mare Of Easttown’


by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

Even though the first episode of this limited series opens with a very lazy “heroine wakes up” trope, the first episode of “Mare of Easttown” is very inspirational because it’s very character driven. The two novels that I have added to this series have a different dynamic than the last two novels in the series and, as such, I have to lean into the characters.

But there’s a problem — I have a very narrow, passive method of content consumption. So I have to go outside my comfort zone and watch a series that makes me uncomfortable in how dark it is. Thankfully, I can buy the series episode by episode so I can push through it without becoming too upset.

And, yet, I really need to do this. Mare of Easttown is very character driven in the context of the plot and the series’ setting of tone is very engaging. And the two additional novels I’ve come up with would gain a lot from me studying both character and tone development.

Or, to put it another way — for the time being, I have huge holes in my outlines and the only way I can think of to fill those holes is to put scenes in that help with character development.

Also, the two additional novels are not as obviously in the thriller genre. The issues at the center of their plots are more slow burn frustrations than running around in any type of thriller manner.

Anyway, I have set this evening as when I’m going to start writing again. I’m back from my writer’s retreat and it’s time to get this show on the road.

Author: Shelton Bumgarner

I am the Editor & Publisher of The Trumplandia Report

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