When Is a Shocking Scene Necessary…or Gratuitous?

Whether in real life or in our stories, horrible things can happen to people. Undeserved misfortune preys upon everyone.

Good people can be attacked, criminals can get away with their crimes, the innocent can suffer from devastating diseases, etc.But how we react when exposed to those situations in real life can differ from how we react to them in stories.

When it comes to real life, we know that life isn’t always fair, and things don’t always make sense. Heck, I’m dealing with one medical c...