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I've heard that changing tone is a bad thing, because we're expected to remain consistent in tone, but I am wondering if this is really true and if there can be exception to the rule.

For example, in my thriller, the story starts off as a slow-burn psychological suspense, and then transitions into a more action-oriented, high-stakes thriller halfway through, the change in tone reflect the escalation of danger and intensity, and then at the end the story shifts to a slice-of-life comedy. Is there anything wrong with my plan?

  • What purpose do these tonal shifts have? Is there a reason you want to shift the story's tone so drastically at the end? – F1Krazy Jun 20 '23 at 21:39
  • The shift is intended to provide a cathartic release for the audience. It would allow the audience to experience a sense of closure and emotional release after feeling tense. –  Jun 20 '23 at 21:45
  • It's perfectly fine. If altering the tone helps you achieve your goal—providing emotional release after a tense moment—then by all means, change it. The priority isn't about adhering to strict rules, but about crafting a unique and engaging reading experience for your audience through your writing. Your description reminds me of Ryuichi Sakamoto's song, "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence." – JWen Apr 25 '25 at 08:48

3 Answers3

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It's not bad at all.

If you need, you must change tones and even story-leading style. Because readers may get bored of the same tone. I can explain this better, if you have experience of watching horror movies.

What happens there? Is the protagonist or central character always haunted or chased by some insatiable ghost or spirit?

No.

Horror stories do need scary scenes, but it won't do if the audience is always put up with frightening screenplay. Such is the way with books. You can start writing a science fiction, add slice-of-life or even fantasy and make your book no worse.

Actually, a change of tone, which mustn't be too frequent, might even better your scenes, if you are professional while doing it.

Let's take some examples.

Percy Jackson, a bestseller series, has the mixture of adventure, slice of life, comedy and even nostalgia. Harry Potter also has mixture of tones. Lord of the Rings doesn't change tones often, but it also isn't the same throughout the books.

But one thing can't be ignored. Don't change tones in an amateur way. Readers won't like it. Show to your readers the change is necessary and doesn't hurt the story or plot at all. Comedy is a good thing. Lord of the Rings is mostly serious, but now and then it does make you smile.

The last thing is, guess what your readers are expecting. Surprise them, since you're writing thriller. But if the surprise or turn of story is too unexpected for readers, then show logics and you may as well put obscure hints to make it more acceptable.

F1Krazy
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Raian Janik
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It looks like you have a reason and a plan for doing it. This is primarily the only thing that needs to exist to justify writing it that way. It is your story.

The other question implied is if this is a good thing for an audience or to guarantee success in selling your work.

This question can only be answered if you conduct something to have a base to make a decision if this is going to work or not. Meaning, if you are not sure, then for example write a few pages in each tone, then give it to someone who can be considered a "target audience" and hear what they say. Keep in mind: feedback and opinion is not the truth, it is just a distorted reflection of the truth. It can take a while to get to a point where you feel you can be certain it works. Sadly, nobody can tell in advance really. Only afterwards.

Antares
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To maintain a single tone through a story is possible only in a short-short. Inconsistency does not mean that you change tones, but that you change tone in a manner that jolts the readers -- to the detriment of the story. This can be tricky because mood whiplash is, in fact, an aesthetic tool that can have great impact when used artfully.

In your story, the biggest danger is that the readers may be frustrated that they aren't getting the story they expected from the earlier chapters. You may need to foreshadow the change.

It is possible that you will need beta readers to judge whether you succeeded.

Mary
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