Keeping a story believable
Fantasy writers especially face the challenge of making their characters, situations, magic system, and world-building believable.
For me, the key to enjoying a fantasy series is being able to identify with the characters. I'm very character driven. And when it comes to magic, it has got to make sense. Likewise, the world has to be well thought out and developed. That was one of the reasons why I based Mermeia on Venice. One, Venice is uber cool. Two, everyone can immediately visualize a Renaissance-like city with canals.
As to my characters, I try to give them flaws. Goodness knows, real people aren't perfect, so characters shouldn't be either. A little bit larger than life is acceptable; heck, they don't call it fantasy for nothing. ; ) I like my locations and my characters gritty and real. My favorite fantasy series are filled with characters who I can't wait to visit again and again -- like real friends.
And when I set rules for magic, character behavior, action sequences, etc. I do my best to keep them consistent throughout the book. Nothing sticking out like a sore thumb and disrupting the flow of the story. Having a reader stop reading and go "huh?" is very bad. I hope I've managed to avoid that. The ultimate goal is a "suspension of disbelief," for you all to accept that goblins exist (and they're hot), that elven pirates prowl the seas preying on the rich and unsuspecting, and that a spellsinger can sing a baby to sleep in a nursery or sing a platoon to sleep (or to their deaths) on a battlefield.
I hope I've been successful.
Some of what's coming up:
For me, the key to enjoying a fantasy series is being able to identify with the characters. I'm very character driven. And when it comes to magic, it has got to make sense. Likewise, the world has to be well thought out and developed. That was one of the reasons why I based Mermeia on Venice. One, Venice is uber cool. Two, everyone can immediately visualize a Renaissance-like city with canals.
As to my characters, I try to give them flaws. Goodness knows, real people aren't perfect, so characters shouldn't be either. A little bit larger than life is acceptable; heck, they don't call it fantasy for nothing. ; ) I like my locations and my characters gritty and real. My favorite fantasy series are filled with characters who I can't wait to visit again and again -- like real friends.
And when I set rules for magic, character behavior, action sequences, etc. I do my best to keep them consistent throughout the book. Nothing sticking out like a sore thumb and disrupting the flow of the story. Having a reader stop reading and go "huh?" is very bad. I hope I've managed to avoid that. The ultimate goal is a "suspension of disbelief," for you all to accept that goblins exist (and they're hot), that elven pirates prowl the seas preying on the rich and unsuspecting, and that a spellsinger can sing a baby to sleep in a nursery or sing a platoon to sleep (or to their deaths) on a battlefield.
I hope I've been successful.
Some of what's coming up:
- Why does it take so long to publish a book?
- Books with plots/characters similar to Raine books?
- Let every scene advance the plot
- Never stop learning
- Why downtime is good time
posted by Lisa Shearin at
7:46 AM
3 Comments:
For me, suspension of belief problems most often occur when an author tries to inject a religious system into the story. When this is done well (Aurelia's Colors by Jeff Overstreet), it works really well, but otherwise, it just makes me uncomfortable.
I usually have no problem suspending disbelief for a magic system as long as the author is consistent.
Characters who are too perfect can be a problem. Rhapsody in Elizabeth Hayden's otherwise excellent Symphony of the Ages series was just a bit too perfect. I still loved her, but sometimes I wanted her to just be a little selfish, and maybe not so pretty.
As for Raine? She's got a bit of a temper, but her heart is in the right place. :)
I just re-read your first book--I'm on a total fantasy/sci-fi kick to combat finals--and I just caught the Venice thing this time through.
And that random note aside, I've been dealing a lot with world building in my own writing. It's really odd to go through as you write and think, "Ok, now will a reader accept this?"
Tia, it's the same with me (if I'm going to enjoy a book, I like consistency).
Cherity, it's not odd at all. ; ) I ask myself that all the time (will my readers accept this?)
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