Poohlive's One Lie Theory

[Whispersecret]

In a recent thread, poohlive said,

The only thing I have learned about writing, is that you get one lie. The reader allows you one lie in the story (and that lie is the fact that they know it's fiction and it never happened) apart from that you had better keep it realistic.

Cause once you don't, you not only lose the reader, but the reader's respect as well.

That is a very interesting theory to me. One lie. I found myself thinking back to stories and books I've read to see if this hypothesis holds true. I think, in general, this could be a good rule for beginning writers to follow.

Opinions?

 

[LivingUnicorn]

In a recent thread, poohlive said,

The only thing I have learned about writing, is that you get one lie. The reader allows you one lie in the story (and that lie is the fact that they know it's fiction and it never happened) apart from that you had better keep it realistic.

Cause once you don't, you not only lose the reader, but the reader's respect as well.

Taken in full context I couldn't agree more with what Poohlive said. I have always felt that the writer should never lie to the reader.

If the narrator says a character is a woman and then it turns out it's a man, the reader will be incensed. However characters may lie. If a CHARACTER says another character is a woman and it turns out to be a man, then as long as the explanation was good it would be okay.

As far as realism goes. I write fantasy. My readers don't mind that my stories are, hmmm, unlikely . That is the one lie I'm allowed, but other than the story itself being fantasy, I better not lie to them.

Oh well, just my opinion.

LU

 

[cherrylips_au]

I agree with the one lie being that it is fiction.

If it's written well enough just about anything can be believed in the realm of the story. If the plot and characters have been realistic within their boundaries then it should work.

Suddenly changing the plot to add a twist to a story doesn't work if you haven't back up the change. It would be like reading a mystery to find at the end some new character who has just been added, did the crime.

 

[Whispersecret]

This is funny. I am just realizing that I misread what pooh said. I didn't see that the fact that it was fiction WAS the lie. LOL.

I was thinking more along the lines of an author having the freedom to really push the envelope of believability in one area, and then needing to toe the line in the rest of the story for fear of messing up the suspension of disbelief. Because the problem I often have with stories is that the author just goes out on the limb just once too often, and I backclick.

Still, it really depends on the type of story. Fuckfests needn't adhere to this at all. No one expects those types of stories to ring true.

 

[BigTexan]

Still, it really depends on the type of story. Fuckfests needn't adhere to this at all. No one expects those types of stories to ring true.

Sorry to be a newbie and stepping in here but ...

IMHO even Fuckfests should stay within certain bounds. If I am reading a good fuckfest story and then a girl whose breasts haven't been mentioned before, comes along and suddenly has tits the size of a blimp, it just ruins it for me.

I guess what I'm saying is consistancy is important no matter what the story is.

BigTexan

 

[its Leslie]

Hmmm

The back click thresshold, I don't think it's that easy to determine.

Best book I ever read had me so utterly and entirely aggitated. I was angry, outright angry at the material. I would read a few pages and have to put it down.
I was reading Blood of the Fold by Terry Goodkind. God how I hated the bad guys in it.

Best fiction book I ever read. I have never been so completely swept up by an author.
The man is a true genius.

I am not sure how I would deal with erotica that powerful.

Writing is like comedy, only a few can take something and make it good. And an even smaller few, to make it great.

 

[JUDO]

The Realism of the Fantasy

One lie.

I have a different way of thinking about what we do, but possibly it's just a different way of expressing the same sentiment.

When we write, we have to pay attention to the realism of the world we create.

If, for example, we create a world where vampires live, then we must pay attention to the rules that govern how vampires live.

I remember a story that my neighbor told me once. He was on the set of "Interview With The Vampire." They shot almost exculsively at night (for obvious reasons), but this particular night, the shoot was behind and the eastern horizon was already beginning to glow with the coming dawn.

Tom Cruise was standing outside, and a camera setup was taking much too long, when he shouted, "Hurry up, damn it! I'm a vampire for God's sake!"

Funny, maybe. Ridiculous, maybe. But paying attention to the realism of the fantasy is where we have to set our minds when we write.


- Judo

 

[Quasimodem]

Originally posted by JUDO
When we write, we have to pay attention to the realism of the world we create.
- Judo

I was taught to call it "internal integrity".

Is same idea, different words.

 

[Whispersecret]

Judo, I agree, when you're creating a world that goes beyond the natural, like Interview with a Vampire (Plus Cruise and the rest had to adhere to fans' expectations!) that you have to be consistent within your world.

So, CONSISTENCY WITHIN THE WORLD YOU CREATE is a tenet of good writing. Hmm, that gives me an idea for another thread.

 

[gaigirl]

I've also given a lot of thought to the "one lie" theory.

Recently I told a friend about my stories, with the caveat that he wasn't in any of them. After he read the stories, he said, "But they are all fiction, aren't they?"

Busted....

 

[Guest]

Over on the Story Ideas board, several people have agreed that we enjoy (both reading and writing) realistic stories. As for me, personally, I try to write about things I understand and know. Hell, even if there is a small detail I do not know much about, but I am passionate about writing it, I will do research. To me, adding realism to a story will grab the reader and keep them hanging on for more.