Mastering the Cerebus Rollercoaster

I was going to create a longer first post, but then the Data Vampires ate it.

Basically, the Cerebus Rollercoaster like a real rollercoaster aside from the ups and downs, twists and turns. A safe and exciting rollercoaster requires good planning and lots of it.

Careful planning also applies to this trope. Done well and it will be an experience the audience would never forget. But if one does it poorly, the audience might feel that the work lacks direction and can't make up it mind on what it wants to be.

I want to know if any Tropers here have a good grasp on this trope and to ask what advice they would give to those wanting to create work full of ups and downs.

edited 9th Jan '15 3:10:41 PM by Worlder

"I want to know if any Tropers here have a good grasp on this trope"

Well, that knocks me out of the running. But I'll give it a go anyway.

The fact that you're even asking about this in the first place means that you're on the right track. And really, I think you've got the gist of it down; the way I see it, it's all about those highs and lows. It's all about keeping things fresh, and giving audiences something to be surprised by. If a story gets too down and gloomy — and more importantly, STAYS THERE for too long — then people might get turned off by that and say "things aren't going to change, so why bother?" (I speak from experience.) On the flip-side, if a story's nothing but jokes and happy feelings all day long, it lowers the tension and the stakes. You might be able to get people to laugh, but it's a low risk, low reward situation.

If you want to think of it as a rollercoaster in a literal sense, that's good. Imagine it in your head — or better yet, graph it out. Assign chapters/events a rank on a scale of one to five (I've done as much with a "Tension Gauge" in mind), and you'll be able to see for yourself if things are flowing as they should. Too low tension too often, and there's no excitement. Too high tension, and people get stressed out — or just get bored, because the high-tension becomes routine. Adjust as needed.

Even so, no one's FORCING you or anyone to think of it in terms of Cerebus-based tropes. Instead, it's helpful — if not important — to think of chapters/events in terms of what they can do for characters...and by extension, what those characters can do for you. A story gives a creator a chance to answer questions via their characters, and they do so using the tools at their disposal — i.e. the elements of the story. "What would happen if...?" is the starting point, and key moments in a story should cater to that — be they high or low, they're both vital. "What would happen if zombies came rushing in?" can show a cast in one light, while "What would happen if there was a big dumb birthday party?" can do the same, albeit on a different axis.

It's not necessarily about "THINGS NEED TO BE DARK NOW!" or "LEVITY MODE, ENGAGE!" It's about using the tools you have to carve out a win.

...I probably shouldn't have written this with Guilty Gear on the brain. And its music playing in the background. Well, whatever; here's hoping that my little spiel helped with the topic at hand.

Unfortunately it's not easy to prescribe how to do it correctly. The best I can do for you is to point you towards authors who do it, and do it well. Patrick O'Brian is the one who comes immediately to mind, author of the Aubrey-Maturin book series (a.k.a. Master and Commander). This review suggests it:

Tips on how to do it correctly are beyond me; subtle exploration of mood and tone calls for a literary master. Fortunately, Patrick O'Brian is one such. The best I can do for you is to point you towards the book series and wish you happy reading.