☕️ Alice’s Mad Tea Party Presents: Storytime
🫖 Alice Spills the Tea on: Breaking the Fourth Wall (and How I Do It So Much)
Well, well, well, my darling readers, let’s talk about something very important—something near and dear to my slightly unpredictable heart. The art of breaking the fourth wall. You see, I do this a lot. But don’t worry, this isn’t some sort of grand mystery to solve or deep secret to uncover. Nope. It’s actually quite simple.
It’s just how I do things. I’m Alice, I like to be unpredictable, and sometimes I like to talk directly to you. After all, you’re reading my story, aren’t you? If I can’t speak to you about what’s going on in my little mad world, then what’s the point?
Now, I’m not alone in this, oh no. I mean, just take a glance over at the pages of The Immortal Gazette—you know, the place where Rumplestiltskin and Loki have their regular chats. They break that fourth wall like it’s their full-time job. If they were paid to do it, they’d be rolling in cash. And I suppose I’m just following in the footsteps of some very talented, well-dressed chaos-makers.
But let me explain a little more about why this happens—why I, and the others, like to flip the script sometimes, break the rules, and throw in a bit of madness into the mix. See, the thing is, stories can get a little stuffy if you just tell them the same way every time. Oh sure, you could sit back, read your classic tales, and just follow along like it’s some well-oiled machine. But what if you want a bit of spice? A little extra flair? That’s where I come in. And Rumple. And Loki. (Although, I suspect Loki is more into it just to mess with people. But I digress.)
Sometimes, when I’m telling you a story, I might just pause and say something like, “Alice sipped her tea...” or “At that moment, she raised an eyebrow.” And you might think, "Why is she doing that? What does it mean?"
Well, here’s the thing: It doesn’t really mean anything, darling. It just means I’m in the mood for a little shift in tone, a little change in perspective. Maybe I want to show you what I’m doing while I’m telling you about something else. Maybe I feel like letting you in on a little secret—just so you know, I’m still here.
It’s all very simple. Some days, I’m feeling super dramatic, and I’ll narrate a whole scene from the outside—like I’m a distant observer. Other days, I’m feeling a bit playful, and I’ll toss in a bit of self-reflection, a little wink to you, my reader. There’s no big mystery to it. It’s just mood, darling. A little mood.
And hey, sometimes, I might even change things up completely. One moment, I’m narrating in third person, and the next, I’m talking directly to you. This isn’t a plot twist—it’s just me being me. Some days, I’m feeling like I want to give you a little more room to think, other days, I’ll get cozy and chat with you like we’re best friends at a tea party.
Now, let’s be clear, I do love the drama. Oh, the drama! The tension! The suspense! But just because I break the fourth wall or switch up my storytelling style doesn’t mean there’s some grand puzzle to figure out. It’s just me having a little fun with the narrative. It’s all part of the experience. I’m not here to make you work for the fun—no, darling, I’m here to make sure you enjoy the ride, even when it gets a little bumpy.
And if you’re still thinking, “Why does she do this?” Let me remind you—it’s simply a matter of mood. I’m not hiding anything. I’m not pulling the wool over your eyes. Some days, I feel like slipping into a bit of light-hearted banter, and other days, I just want to leave you in suspense, waiting to see what I do next.
So, next time you catch me talking directly to you, or maybe casually sipping my tea like it’s just part of the story, don’t fret. It’s not some clever riddle for you to solve—it’s just me, doing my thing. And if you’re looking for anything deeper, well... maybe you’re just overthinking it. It’s no big deal.
But, hey, isn’t that the fun of it?
- Alice
