tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post7907315367753109701..comments2023-12-28T03:29:56.836-08:00Comments on Melissa's Imaginarium: PlausibilityAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-92048648818740759082012-08-11T09:31:13.334-07:002012-08-11T09:31:13.334-07:00Yes! There needs to be proper plausibility built w...Yes! There needs to be proper plausibility built within the world so that the reader can suspend disbelief. Otherwise, we're just scratching our heads.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-12519702963291644222012-08-11T08:10:39.788-07:002012-08-11T08:10:39.788-07:00Melissa, I am so WITH YOU. I love imaginative stor...Melissa, I am so WITH YOU. I love imaginative stories, but there still has to be some sort of plausibility that exists even in that made up world. If something is fantastical, there has to be a great explanation that the reader buys into.Jay Noelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04757777693161610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-71790321592025974742012-08-10T23:14:36.147-07:002012-08-10T23:14:36.147-07:00Exactly! If you establish great parameters, then y...Exactly! If you establish great parameters, then you can build in plausibility. I think is what I have been trying to say, but didn't make it clear enough. Thank you!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-86571846123864050692012-08-10T23:09:53.608-07:002012-08-10T23:09:53.608-07:00I hate being sucked out of a book or movie like th...I hate being sucked out of a book or movie like that. Those head scratching moments where you're saying "Did that just happen? Oh come on, really?" I can suspend my disbelief, but there are times where I just can't. I've been hemming and hawing over Lockout. Maybe I'll haw a little longer.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-58876900058299743692012-08-10T23:05:51.197-07:002012-08-10T23:05:51.197-07:00I hear you! Finding a plausible way for characters...I hear you! Finding a plausible way for characters or events to unfold in a novel can be trying to say the least. I know that readers suspend disbelief and that it does work for many a tale, but I feel as a writer there are certain times where you cannot gloss over or expect people to accept it. <br /><br />I have to visit PMO someday. What a gorgeous place.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-45658356600429967132012-08-10T23:01:33.926-07:002012-08-10T23:01:33.926-07:00I knew you would agree with me, Dez. I'm sure ...I knew you would agree with me, Dez. I'm sure as a translator you have seen tons of examples of completely implausible things happening in books.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-72554128824579312322012-08-10T23:00:12.331-07:002012-08-10T23:00:12.331-07:00Thanks, Maurice! Glad you loved my little reality ...Thanks, Maurice! Glad you loved my little reality checks here. It is funny how we accept certain things and others we just don't. I like that turn of phrase "Never let reality stop you..." Awesome!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-45454846326665985102012-08-10T22:58:41.104-07:002012-08-10T22:58:41.104-07:00Crit is so very important. My own crit readers hav...Crit is so very important. My own crit readers have caught many a plausibility problem for me. <br /><br />I'm not always alert to plausibility problems, either. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-41997084333803258342012-08-10T22:56:26.996-07:002012-08-10T22:56:26.996-07:00I did too, when I first read it. I know that there...I did too, when I first read it. I know that there is a line when writing romance. Michael Offutt made some very good points, but there are certain things I just can't suspend my disbelief for. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-21887457991615208932012-08-10T21:22:18.086-07:002012-08-10T21:22:18.086-07:00I care about plausibility. It has to make sense t...I care about plausibility. It has to make sense to me, and be authentic. After reading Stephen Kings novel Cell, totally believed a cell phone could be modified that way to kill people. Even the author said it was a load of bunk, but it was so well written it required little stretch of the imagination.<br /><br />........dholedolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-28531486863733152662012-08-10T17:25:58.165-07:002012-08-10T17:25:58.165-07:00Stuff like that tends to bug me too. I saw that mo...Stuff like that tends to bug me too. I saw that movie, Lockout, recently and almost every scene was like that for me. Something entirely implausible seemed to happen over and over and over again. Too bad, because I really wanted to like that movie - well, I kinda still did - but it could have been so much better.Rusty Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09887821877521181811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-52946482392955911402012-08-10T14:24:11.099-07:002012-08-10T14:24:11.099-07:00It's been my goal to remain off the bad astron...It's been my goal to remain off the bad astronomy list since I started. My first novel, yet to be published, took forever because I needed a 'plausible' way to kill a solar system in a certain time frame. Not as easy as it sounds. Luckily, I'm now at PMO every summer and have scientists to ask.M Paxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14096697282530998519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-91202456407686953592012-08-10T13:33:42.957-07:002012-08-10T13:33:42.957-07:00I cannot stand unplausible books nor films! That&#...I cannot stand unplausible books nor films! That's one of the most important issues when you are a writer if you ask me.DEZMONDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14127166104359407763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-37054136625501725672012-08-10T12:18:45.194-07:002012-08-10T12:18:45.194-07:00Hilarious Melissa. LOL Never let reality stop you ...Hilarious Melissa. LOL Never let reality stop you I guess. Yet, we accept noise in space. Go figure.Maurice Mitchellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15338165486757095191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-37727023190631509172012-08-10T11:19:06.270-07:002012-08-10T11:19:06.270-07:00yeah... ummm... i'm not so clever a reader and...yeah... ummm... i'm not so clever a reader and often miss the plausibility inconsistencies... but these two? yeah. those are bad. <br />that's why crit, crit, crit (from honest and intelligent readers) is SOOOOO important!vic caswell https://www.blogger.com/profile/01218698236837610704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-71248590548493301032012-08-10T09:53:05.614-07:002012-08-10T09:53:05.614-07:00Love it! I've dropped several books right in t...Love it! I've dropped several books right in the middle because they messed up so badly. I thought the heroine in your scenario was going to help the poor guy out of the cell - not jump him! Silly girl :)Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-2861024584927528422012-08-10T09:45:26.669-07:002012-08-10T09:45:26.669-07:00Thanks, Craig! I have done the same thing. Sitting...Thanks, Craig! I have done the same thing. Sitting for hours trying to get past a plot point without contriving something or coming up with something that is completely illogical. <br /><br />I can suspend disbelief, but you have to establish good parameters in order to convince me to do so.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-54499902407144336522012-08-10T09:42:05.386-07:002012-08-10T09:42:05.386-07:00Thanks E.J. Michael made some compelling arguments...Thanks E.J. Michael made some compelling arguments for sure. I never thought about age, but you're right. Something a thirteen year old would find romantic is certainly not what an adult would. T<br /><br />You have a terrific weekend as well. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-42643135763044739752012-08-10T09:37:46.790-07:002012-08-10T09:37:46.790-07:00Exactly! Things can still get revved and going, bu...Exactly! Things can still get revved and going, but the human body is only capable of so much. <br /><br />Oh how those revisions haunt me sometimes. LOL I've taken out many a great scene because there was the plausibility factor staring me in the face.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-90945855434431567732012-08-10T09:34:55.653-07:002012-08-10T09:34:55.653-07:00Star Wars was definitely stretching the plausibili...Star Wars was definitely stretching the plausibility, but it was fun. You're right the nitty gritty reality is not romantic, but that's still no excuse to completely ignore all plausibility. A starved man suffering the effects of what the author describes as 50 lashes is not going to perform like a champion. She should have left that scene for later in the story when he was in better condition. That's just me, though.<br /><br />There are definitely two sides to this and I'm glad you pointed out the things you did. It's always great to see another POV. Thanks for sharing.:)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-68830534423585657972012-08-10T09:23:43.212-07:002012-08-10T09:23:43.212-07:00GRRREAT post! It's absolutely a deal breaker f...GRRREAT post! It's absolutely a deal breaker for me - when there's one little moment of illogic that the entire rest of the story would be negated by if it had gone the way of reality. I agree with Alex - in my screenplays I have sat for hours not proceeding because I can think my way around the plot point I just came up with - only when it makes total sense and there's no silly moments of illogic do I proceed. Plausibility. So important!Craig Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06037542638067599437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-61347685603578528422012-08-10T09:12:18.766-07:002012-08-10T09:12:18.766-07:00Thanks, Giulie! I'm so glad you enjoyed this p...Thanks, Giulie! I'm so glad you enjoyed this post. I know exactly what scene you're talking about and a friend of mine, who used to live in Paris talked about that same thing.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-73725171399935771002012-08-10T09:10:44.655-07:002012-08-10T09:10:44.655-07:00I read that scene and kept thinking about that sce...I read that scene and kept thinking about that scene in Aliens where Ripley blew the creature out of the airlock. That giant sucking vacuum of space.<br /><br />I had to re-write several scenes myself before the plausibility factor was there. It's hard! :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-60296484645303066482012-08-10T08:49:31.852-07:002012-08-10T08:49:31.852-07:00Excellent points. Though, I do see Michael's p...Excellent points. Though, I do see Michael's perspective. Audience, story type, etc. really impact the details that should be given. Anticipated reader age also impacts things quite a lot. What is gross or romantic to a 13 year old, might not do much for an adult, so there'd be no need to cover certain things, or perhaps a need to embellish others.<br /><br />Either way, you've given us a lot think about over the weekend! Hope yours is great, btw. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00273059558675234923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-65721352822299430082012-08-10T08:46:10.835-07:002012-08-10T08:46:10.835-07:00'I would err on the side of making it believab...'I would err on the side of making it believable. You know for the other 99%.' - LOL!<br /><br />I need things to be real and true. Things can still be hot. Just wait until they're back on land for the historical, or blow up an interior piece of equipment for the sci-fi. That's what the revision stage is for.Julia Phillips Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15392455413201190775noreply@blogger.com