How Do You Write A Satisfying Face-Slapping Scene?

Just as the title says, what are some dos and donts of writing face-slapping scenes? I'm really struggling here T_T

 

For me, a good face slap scene has to be done at a good time. It has be a well-deserved face slap!
I think for me, I want to be able to envision a good face slap, so I like details! Such as knowing how the face slap felt; was it a crisp slap? A hard slap? A cold slap? A head-turning slap? Did it cause the other person's cheek to burn?
Then I want to know how the person felt about receiving the face slap. Were they embarrassed? Was it humiliating? Did it hurt? Etc.

Honestly, I find myself enjoying most face-slapping scenes when I'm like "OOOF That person really deserved it! About time!"

 

If THIS is a problem for you then you have way worse issues to deal with...

Also: Rule of thumb is: The more despicable the target the better the roast.

 

yeah, frustrate your reader. Can be from how stupid/evil the enemy is.
But tbh, if the same person has been slapped so many times but is still coming back for more, i will be like "eugh the roach is here again" and will get frustrated with mc, not antagonist.

 

So would you say its after the "antagonist" or cannon-fodder has pushed the main character to a really bad extent, that it would be the most satisfying? Would face-slapping for small events be satisfying or just too rushed?

Ahaha what are the way worse issues? XD

Ooo I see, so don't overly bring back the same person too many time unless it drives the plot forward?

 

If you have issues getting a face slap done you fail to convey emotions (and you probably lack a bit in sheer knowledge). Readers will simply feel little for your characters, be they enemy or protagonist.

 

I guess it would depend on if the antagonist or cannon-fodder did something that deserved a good face-slapping! It doesn’t have to be really bad, but as long as they did something to deserve it, then it’d still be satisfying. But I think I really like the face-slaps that are after the MC has been pushed too far and slaps the other person who really deserves it!

 

i feel like small face slapping won't be satisfying, but it will reduce my frustration, so i can keep going. "Yeah, MC can be awesome too! Just you wait!".

hmm depend on the antagonist.
For example, a good rival is fine. They let each other grow. (Some shonen rival) sometimes the rival is the one that makes sure the protagonist don't give up.
Typical josei antagonist, who scheme for mc to be raped, miscarriage, murdered, hated, suffer, etc multiple times and keep coming back? Why won't mc kill them or throw them to jail!

 

Yeah shows more on teh development of the MC rather than on the antagonist. Unless you have a shitty antagonist to boot.

Coz MCs are supposed to be the good guys. I don't really like Mary Sues so I'm in favor of MCs having a bad or 'despicable' trait or two. But most readers like a likable MC so, she has to be a Goody two shoes even she's already being harassed or duty.

*sorry, my default for MCs are usually girls, hence the pronoun

 

lately i read transmigration / reincarnation story witch revolves around revenge so i forget MC is usually good. the MC's i read now is.. eye for an eye to good people, and revenge 1000000x worse to bad people... except when the bad people is handsome now that i think about it????

 

Most chinese MCs are neutral at best, and walking disasters at worst. For every Richard you have a Leylin (and a dozen Yun Ches).

 

If no multiple teeth came flying after a slap, then that aint satisfying.

 

Implied face slaps tend to be great too

 

He stares down into her hate filled eyes. To her, he's nothing but a detestable insect. One that should be stomped on again and again. Then kicked aside. Everything that happened was because of her. Because of her, he lost her job, his fiance left him, and his mother died.
She's so certain to her victory, that she made the mistake of coming forth to gloat.

A loud crack echoes as her neck jerks to the side. She's pulled off her feet and falls face first into the muddy street.

 

The silence between us lasted as a long instant, hazy in my memory, as the anger welled up in my chest. He was looking kinda dumb with his gaze of expectation, as if saying it as a joke made the words feel any better. I didn't expect anything different frankly, but that didn't make it any less regretful. The sharp snare drum of a punchline I made with his face certainly lightened the mood for me. I laughed and left his wide to eyes memorise the sight of my back, a final show of magnanimity for a man I'll never meet again willingly.

 

Hm, I was able to evoke anger from the readers, but then a few said the face-slapping went overboard, so I had mixed emotions about that T_T

Would push too far also qualify as a verbal attack, physical, or both?

Ooo so mini-face slapping that eventually leads to the big one?

 

I really like those antagonists that drive the MC into doing better, but then, my story revolves around the antagonist-turned-mc, so the "antagonist" was technically supposed to the mc of the story? Lol does that even make sense XD. But in regards to killing or thrown in jail, I feel like that's not a satisfying face-slap because there's no pain behind it hmmm

 

What do you mean by shows more on the mc development?

Would an eye for an eye be a satisfying face-slap, or would two eyes for an eye (as in antagonist does 1 bad thing, MC does it twice as bad as them) be better?

Yeah I'm not really a fan or writing the weak push-over MCs of Chinese novels, it pisses me off to read and write about it lmao

LOL really putting the "action speaks louder than words" into emphasize there XD

Aren't most face-slapping implied? What would be one that's not implied (that doesn't involve literal PAK PAK violent slapping the face)?

Ooo in this case, it's a literal and violent one, but would it be even more satisfying if the antagonist (the person pushed to the floor) was someone highly respected, then pushed in front of a crowd of people that respected her?

H-huh? XD

 

A good face slapping scene needs a few things:

1) A villain. It doesn't have to be a villain who is an ultimate embodiment of evil, they just have to be the target of the face slapping. Don't overlook the villain, it's not enough just to have a cliche, obvious blowhard, cardboard cutout target. A good villain makes or breaks the face slapping. Its best if the villain is arrogant and sure of his or her invincibility.
2) Witnesses. A face slapping is meaningless if there is no one there to see it.
3) The setup. Once you have a villain, now you need to create a situation in which your villain and your witnesses are certain that they will be victorious.
4) A protagonist or side character that is seen as weak. A good face slapping needs an underrated hero. The villain needs to be certain that this character is completely inferior.
5) The slap! Now that you have your setup, your witnesses, your villain and your hero it's time to let turn the tables on the villain. A good face slapping scene needs to contain a surprise turn around. The hero of your face slapping scene needs to act calm, cool and merciless. Let your hero win easily but not arrogantly. Let your witnesses pile on with taunts, comments or laughter while your hero just remains clam.

Honestly though, I think if you really want to know how to write the best kind of face slapping you should first read Invisible Dragon. It's pretty much the bible of face slapping.

 

m, not sure how to describe it. Case in point!

• MC situation is still dire. He has face slapped the culprit, but 1 friend is still dying & another is dead
• Got kicked out of school dormitory by culprit's friend subordinates
• Still in front of the subordinates someone cone running "young master we bought a house for you"

Mc didn't mean to face slap, mc just wanna sleep. They still got slapped
Mc have slapped, but the situation is atill frustating. Mini "mc is great, just you wait!" Moment for me.

uh not sure.. Can you add a voting thingy on this thread? Let the people decide.
Beside your mc is villain(?) so both make sense: he can go overboard because he's bitter, BUT he can also go not overboard because he know what is like to be bullied.

maybe they like/don't like narrator description? The ones like "cheek stings" "loud noise" "cheek red" "handprint" etc even tho there's no physical contact? Not sure tho