tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post121115240895899558..comments2024-03-17T02:30:04.788-06:00Comments on Shallee McArthur: 3 Keys to Promoting a Willing Suspension of Disbelief for your ReadersShalleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09907680428735740943noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-8758614838771762782023-04-02T15:41:39.645-06:002023-04-02T15:41:39.645-06:00I don't buy the "logical" shedding l...I don't buy the "logical" shedding like a dog, and actually prefer the original description of the birdlike thing. I think in general it doesn't matter how well or how real you describe something, there is always going to be someone who won't buy it. I personally can't understand how some people can write fiction with limited suspensions of disbelief. What will take me out of a story is bad writing, bad characterization, and pretentiousness.<br /><br />Always remember you can't please everyone. But you can tell a story the best way you can.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04187541907680659261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-18054704644722977832015-03-25T02:39:34.468-06:002015-03-25T02:39:34.468-06:00In step #3, can you also mean not to editorialize?...In step #3, can you also mean not to editorialize? I see your point, and its true that sometimes narration steps over the boundary of a "good showing" of the story.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09921613050185967641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-34465940817265734412015-03-25T02:37:49.599-06:002015-03-25T02:37:49.599-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09921613050185967641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-38376087353023093522011-08-21T21:31:51.109-06:002011-08-21T21:31:51.109-06:00Great post, Shallee. I'm bookmarking this.
Wi...Great post, Shallee. I'm bookmarking this.<br /><br />Without a doubt, the Harry Potter world is one I felt I were living in while reading. There a lot of books, recently, especially dystopian ones, where the sketchy world building and spotty premises pulled me out of the story. If it was compelling enough, I'd still finish. But I wouldn't enjoy it as much as I'd have done otherwise.Emy Shinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08109925009902220083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-19008079757987845162011-08-18T23:45:49.594-06:002011-08-18T23:45:49.594-06:00Oops, wrong account.
I think most of the recent ...Oops, wrong account. <br /><br />I think most of the recent crop of YA dystopian novels suffer from high-concept premises that make no sense but are absolutely necessary for the novels to work. I have to force myself to accept that utterly unbelievable premise to get through the book, and while it doesn't always kill my reading experience it does bug me when I allow myself to reclaim my disbelief, haha.lindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16524291742541007382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-85046275242756803822011-08-18T23:42:41.303-06:002011-08-18T23:42:41.303-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Lindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10948619743159049240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-75504207098936841192011-08-18T14:36:34.938-06:002011-08-18T14:36:34.938-06:00Great points Shallee
I just recently audio-read (a...Great points Shallee<br />I just recently audio-read (as I couldn't get a written copy) the short story by Philip K Dick on which the film 'The Adjustment Bureau' is based. I was constantly being taken out of the world because the langauge was so terrible. Lots of telling rather than showing, too much description, not enough really happened in the story and while the reader was expected to suspend belief because of the bizarre occurrences, had I not seen the film I would have regarded the story as really bad!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-64289902424689882132011-08-18T12:49:47.757-06:002011-08-18T12:49:47.757-06:00Yes to both questions. I really got into Ender'...Yes to both questions. I really got into Ender's Game. Something of a mini obsession, really. The one I didn't get into? I better not say it, though I can't believe I read most of it and put it down with fifty pages left.<br /><br />If you make your reader interested in your characters, and love them for who they are (even with faults), that glues me to the book. Establishing that connection in the very beginning. VERY big!<br /><br />Great post, Shallee! :)David P. Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17259276981865439853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-40895535436287657662011-08-18T09:04:39.981-06:002011-08-18T09:04:39.981-06:00GREAT post. I've read amazing books like that ...GREAT post. I've read amazing books like that and some not so much, but when they manage to get me invested, I'm hooked.Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03237422917705115205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-59722108340957201622011-08-17T17:51:40.658-06:002011-08-17T17:51:40.658-06:00Great post, Shallee! Loved your German shepherd ex...Great post, Shallee! Loved your German shepherd example - how true it is - life's little realities turn the unbelievable into a good read - hadn't thought about that before. Thanks!Kittie Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07756250649095903317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-77420913923685458062011-08-17T16:43:51.987-06:002011-08-17T16:43:51.987-06:00So, so true! I've read dystopian books where I...So, so true! I've read dystopian books where I just didn't believe society would end up like that, and I couldn't get into the book. I can believe a lot of things when I read, but they have to be well-supported. Great post!Meredithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00462382909938737612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-47707901851026594422011-08-17T13:05:49.718-06:002011-08-17T13:05:49.718-06:00This is wonderful! I have been contemplating this ...This is wonderful! I have been contemplating this the last 48 hours, so this came in perfect timing! I think especially when we write fantasy, sci-fi, or paranormal we really need to make sure the reader can still relate and BELIEVE!Abby Fowershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08567978659174723198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-73993140704044186072011-08-17T12:16:28.655-06:002011-08-17T12:16:28.655-06:00This is a wonderful post! I'm working on editi...This is a wonderful post! I'm working on editing my first draft of my novel and it's UNBELIEVABLE how much I just TELL things instead of SHOW it!<br />I find that writing in the First Person POV makes things a little more believable because the reader feels that they are the main character. (Though I've read MANY awesome and believable stories that aren't in First Person... I just writing that way)<br />Anyway, awesome post! I'll definitely refer back to this post while revising!Jesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02000569858548717605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-30435152645329257552011-08-17T11:14:01.425-06:002011-08-17T11:14:01.425-06:00The second time I read These Is My Words it really...The second time I read These Is My Words it really became real to me. I think that's also why I love the movie Dan in Real Life - it's almost like watching a reality TV show about family!Stacy Henriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03303383087338174942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-13759155991069970242011-08-17T10:44:30.621-06:002011-08-17T10:44:30.621-06:00Excellent post! That is all such great writing adv...Excellent post! That is all such great writing advice. I think you hit on exactly why I couldn't read the Hunger Games. I just couldn't suspend my disbelief. Harry Potter on the other hand, Lord of the Rings--those are all real!Angiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01445455787485222068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-74990043249807084212011-08-17T10:19:39.775-06:002011-08-17T10:19:39.775-06:00Great post! I think that suspension of disbelief i...Great post! I think that suspension of disbelief is one of the most powerful tools at a writer's disposal, but requires very subtle handling. Too little and the story falls flat, but too much and you lose the audience. Groovy blog:)Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793077012143289985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-34902272193568761962011-08-17T10:05:32.044-06:002011-08-17T10:05:32.044-06:00This is such a great post...For me, the disbelief ...This is such a great post...For me, the disbelief factor of Twilight was what made me put the series down. The vampires and werewolves and superpowers I could swallow, but I just couldn't believe a guy as perfect as Edward Cullen could exist, lol. There's a moment where he pulls out his CDs from his car (first of all, who carries around CDs anymore?) and they're the EXACT SAME CDs Bella has in HER car. Obviously, they're meant to be soulmates because they like the same music. :P I mean, give me a break.Laura W.http://lauraplusthevoices.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-68095201969743263132011-08-17T09:37:13.107-06:002011-08-17T09:37:13.107-06:00That's some good stuff, Shallee. Thanks! I agr...That's some good stuff, Shallee. Thanks! I agree that it's those little tidbits of reality and reason that keep the reader believing in the world you've created.Ruth Jossehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08664678990038670303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-82559534696251515772011-08-17T09:16:43.392-06:002011-08-17T09:16:43.392-06:00I've read both sorts of books. Great tips on h...I've read both sorts of books. Great tips on how to suspend disbelief when writing. I loved your Harry Potter examples, because that is definitely one of the things about those books--how everything seems so real and how there's a reason behind the magic. I write a lot of fantasy (magic and non-magic) and finding those little tidbits that make it real is so important. I want to feel like it's real when I have to go back and read it.Laura Josephsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04239501665574945313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-52625391059800706562011-08-17T08:59:38.955-06:002011-08-17T08:59:38.955-06:00I think your example of the six armed bird sheddin...I think your example of the six armed bird shedding hair like a German shepherd is perfect!!! Great point about the magic in Harry Potter, too. <br /><br />I'm always impressed when writers can pull off the omniscient POV and still keep us immersed and willingly suspending disbelief. I agree its safer to stick to a close POV.Margo Berendsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03476308235642890474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-25099786035108912992011-08-17T08:34:43.964-06:002011-08-17T08:34:43.964-06:00I think any time we read fiction we enter the book...I think any time we read fiction we enter the book willing to suspend our disbelief for a while. What's disappointing is when the fiction remains just that, a story, rather than a world we were hoping to escape to. I can't think off the top of my head a particular book that didn't do that but I can think of many where the characters themselves didn't ring true. They may have started out fine but at some point they did something that didn't make sense. A good example is all those scary movies where someone does something you know is going to get them killed. I mean c'mon, after the first gory death are you not going to get as far away as possible just as quick as you can? <br /><br />as for doing it right, Steven King comes to mind. He is a master at writing a story that completely allows you to suspend your disbelief and of course, JK Rowling. Sometimes I look at certain objects and wonder if they just might not be a portkey.mshatchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06308916014310536449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-3435460265776945062011-08-17T08:16:23.633-06:002011-08-17T08:16:23.633-06:00This is excellent. I will add that writers need to...This is excellent. I will add that writers need to be very careful with narration. Stay in the point of view you've chosen. It's jarring to all of the sudden read a thought, opinion, or observation that isn't from the POV character, but is the author's, or another character's. It pulls the reader out.<br /><br />Thanks, Shallee!Kristahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03734014895825429358noreply@blogger.com