6.17.2014

That 'Oh Crap' Moment

By now, most of us have heard of that 'Aha!' moment popularized by Oprah. It's the term used when you receive a life-changing epiphany--a new thought or understanding that you didn't have before. It's very cool when it happens. Sort of makes you feel smart and special when you understand something on a deeper level.

In my Indigo Eady Paranormal Mystery series, I use something similar, only it's more like, 'Oh Crap!'.

That 'Oh Crap' moment is when my main character, Indigo Eady, realizes trouble is afoot. That both she and her gang of teenage paranormal investigators are in deep doo doo and the task ahead is not going to be easy. In fact, it's going to be hard.

I like to make it clear to my readers that doo doo is happening, so at the end of the first chapter in each book, when Indigo understands what the problem is, she actually exclaims,

 "Oh crap!"

In Givin' Up The Ghost, it's that moment when Indigo realizes that her missing friend's father is a ghost, and therefore, not only dead, but murdered.

In A Guilty Ghost Surprised, it's when Indigo realizes that her little cousin has returned--from heaven.

While I use the term Oh crap! literally, it works like the thesis statement of an essay that directs the focus or point of the paper through to its final conclusion. It's a writing device that says, here's the problem, how are you going to solve it? When you write mysteries, that's what the book is about: how to solve the problem.

And of course, when you're writing for tweens and teens, words involving excrement of any kind is always good for a giggle.

I didn't consciously set out to employ the oh crap! writing device, but now I really enjoy using it.

What about you?
 
Do you use writing devices, either consciously or unconsciously?
 
What are they?

29 comments:

  1. I left tweendom and teendom behind a loooong time ago - but still respond to oh crap moments. Probably better than I do to the Aha moments in books. Somehow the crap moments seem to be more universal, and the aha moments an individual thing.

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  2. I write Adult/New Adult, so my 'oh crap' moments are heavier and darker, but they're there. ;)

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  3. I love those "Oh crap" moments in books--adds to the tension.

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  4. Those "oh crap" moments are also very Indigo-speech. It's become part of her identity, at least for me :-)

    I don't know if I use an "oh crap" device. This works well as a page turner for your stories, Gwen, but gosh, I think I'd have to re-read some of my stories to see if I use a device like this. And I don't think I'd mind re-reading them :-)

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  5. I believe I use 'oh crap', because I heap a lot of it on my characters. Sometimes they get slightly deep, but not too deep. They seem to have small epiphanies when they do.

    I need to go write some more 'oh crap', or maybe it's just plain crap. lol

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  6. E.C., I still have Oh Crap! moments as well. Far too many, LOL!

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  7. Melissa, as an 'old' adult, I have Oh Crap! moments quite a bit. Not the ghostly murderous kind, though, thank goodness!

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  8. Melissa, and the tension is sort of a directional guideline!

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  9. Angela, LOL, it really is an Indigo-ism at this point. I'm pretty sure we all use the Oh Crap! moment, just not as literal as I do :)

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  10. Mary, we know your writing is not just plain crap. It's good crap :) And as writers, we have to leave our characters standing knee deep in it quite a bit ;)

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  11. I've definitely used oh crap before. Love the phrase, lol. But I hadn't really thought about it in this light. Compared to an ah ha moment. But it's really true. I guess I just used it unconsciously. Nice post to read. Thanks :)

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  12. Not a day goes by when I don't have an "Oh crap" moment, so it always makes me feel better to know that others are going through the same thing.

    Julie

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  13. Those "oh crap" moments are what make stories interesting. :)

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  14. Siana, thank you. I'm a writer, so, you know, I can come up with such brilliant phraseology. LOL!Not!

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  15. Siana, thank you. I'm a writer, so, you know, I can come up with such brilliant phraseology. LOL!Not!

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  16. Empty Nest, I have Oh Crap moments everyday, too. Mostly at work :)

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  17. Cherie, yes. As writers, we get them into the crap, then we have to get them out of it :)

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  18. I have had plenty of "Oh Crap" moments-hahahaha Many will remain a mystery but i like how you use that for your books and I can see how one brings that to the front and then solves it. Your books remind me of a series i used to read about ghost hunter kids but i can't recall the titles. I think one was The Green Ghost but I can't quite recall. These are always great books to read

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  19. Birgit, The Green Ghost sounds familiar--and fun. And when ghosts are involved, there are plenty of Oh Crap moments :)

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  20. Writing devices like that are fun! Plenty of oh, crap moments in life and readers respond well to them, I think. I love that you've adopted the saying as Indigo's own.

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  21. *Raises hand* Yep, I use the "Oh crap!" moment in my books. And one of my characters says it too...but then, so do I. As in, "Oh crap, I forgot to turn off the stove when I went to make a note about my book and now dinner is burned to a crisp." :)

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  22. I like the idea of Oh Crap moments, but don't think I'e ever had a character exclaim that.

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  23. River, it's a fitting exclamation for those moments that occur far too often!

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  24. Connie, I say it, too! Hmm, maybe that's where Indigo learned it :)

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  25. Patricia, sometimes that's all there is to say. LOL.

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  26. Oh yeah. "Ohcrap" should've been my middle name, so I can definitely relate to crapola oopsies when I encounter them in books... or write about them. Who wants to read about someone's ideal nothing-ever-goes-wrong life of utter perfection? Not me.

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  27. Looks like you found a solution to your writers block.

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  28. That's a great device. I think I'll figure out how to incorporate it in non-fiction, given it happens all the time in my life. Like "Oh crap! Troy might read this. I'm screwed. I'll never get screwed again." All of the writing devices that I use are unconscious. I can't actually tell you if I use any, though. If I do, I don't know what they are or how I'm using them so cleverly and without my knowing. Weird, huh? Smiles.

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  29. I love those oh crap moments! I get glares from my characters from how much I load upon them.

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