Rule of Corny

This is a writing trick that not many people like to use, because it either creates unwarranted fame or results in their death or the deaths of others. Puns are dangerous weapons, mind.

RULE: The limit of the willing suspension of disbelief for a given element is directly proportional to how corny the element is, as long as the writer knows it's corny.

Think about it: How many times has some character pulled a cheap pun or trick for the sake of humor? In this way, the Rule of Corny is related to the Rule of Funny, where reality can take a rain check if a certain element is too hilarious to fail.

Our project, entitled "CIA", meddles with the Rule, because the movie is about cookies. What's the name? "Cookie Intelligence Agency." Groan.

What about the beginning to CSI: Miami? "We've got a serial killer who murders his victims based on puns!" "I guess our suspect isn't... *sunglasses*... clowning around." YEAHHHHHHH! (Groan.)

In conclusion, corniness can work if it's conscious corniness. Otherwise, you look stupid. You are stupid. Puns are stupid. But they're so fun. They're pun-sational. Kill me.

Cliffhangers

Cliffhangers: a devilish device used by any fiction creator to keep an audience on the edge of seat or stay tuned in. Cliffhangers are very popular in television, especially at the end of an episode leading up to a break or hiatus in episodes. Writers lover them and audiences love to hate them. Many shows have figured out clever ways to keep audience members dialed in, even when they are on the verge of quitting. We all have that one show we keep watching because at the very last minute a major plot point is revealed, story flipped flopped, secret spilled, or story arch you've been waiting for finally makes a break through. A good show will space out their cliffhangers strategically with a nice blend of closure. In my humble opinion cliffhangers can be good, but there are definitely spots were they do not belong.....such as at the end of a movie, book, or any other place where it is supposed to be a finale. When cliffhangers are used in movies and books they appear to be there only to hook the audience in to want more so they will come back for the inevitable sequal.....which was only made as a money trap.

Listen up media world: use cliffhangers wisely. I want to be amazed when the screen goes blank and the credits roll, not annoyed.