State-Of-Mind Truth

[Mel L]

A line in a song I've been listening to lately keeps going around my brain: "But to a writer, the truth is no big deal."
This resonates with me, perhaps explaining why I made my career in advertising and PR rather than journalism. As writers of fiction, we bend and shape the truth in our stories. Even in creative non-fiction, it is malleable. Yet, truth is so essential to good writing: authenticity in the characters we create, accuracy in the details we use to show rather than tell. I once took a comedy writing workshop with the great Steve Kaplan, whose central precept was that comedy tells the truth.
I am not a writer who includes a lot of factual information in her stories, but it matters to me that the ones I do use are true. And I notice a big difference in betas; some require all the facts, while others are willing to suspend disbelief.
So, my question: as fiction writers, how do you feel about the truth? Is it really 'no big deal'? Or are we right to stick to it as closely as we can? Thoughts welcome!

 

[AnnieSummerlee]

I think it largely depends on what you're writing. If it's historical fiction, then there has to be some rigour there. My two cents would be that it's always best to be well informed. If your book takes place in a city you've never been to, then do some research on it, same thing with professions and what not.

 

[Dorm Ant]

Depends on genre. Every time Bernard Cornwell gets any facts wrong about anything from bluebells to buckles, he gets nerdslapped. Historical fiction readers are a demanding bunch. If I'm reading a story that's set in our world, in our times, and there's a glaring error or lie, it pulls me out of the story. However, there are some genres in which I expent the writer to obviously, unapologetically bend the truth. I didn't read Hilary Mantel expecting a history lesson - I wanted a story loosely based on true events and real people.

 

[Hannah F]

I enjoy historical fiction and tend to look up the real history after or even during my reading of the book. If I come across a historical error in the book, it annoys me. People who live in a place that is a setting in the book can become irate at inaccuracies in its description.

If I'm reading anything speculative or fantasy, I'm happy to suspend disbelief even if the setting is in the real world.

 

[James Charles]

Yes, that's my problem. I have, slightly, bent a detail, and one beta reader questioned it. So I tweaked it a bit, to make it more plausible, but that may still not be enough for some. If I don't bend this minor detail, then my whole story doesn't work and it must go in the trash.

 

[Mel L]

Depends on genre. Every time Bernard Cornwell gets any facts wrong about anything from bluebells to buckles, he gets nerdslapped. Historical fiction readers are a demanding bunch. If I'm reading a story that's set in our world, in our times, and there's a glaring error or lie, it pulls me out of the story. However, there are some genres in which I expent the writer to obviously, unapologetically bend the truth. I didn't read Hilary Mantel expecting a history lesson - I wanted a story loosely based on true events and real people.

Yes, I think it does all depend on our expectations as readers. I love the way writers like Hilary Mantel are able to blend fact and fancy.

 

[Mel L]

I think it largely depends on what you're writing. If it's historical fiction, then there has to be some rigour there. My two cents would be that it's always best to be well informed. If your book takes place in a city you've never been to, then do some research on it, same thing with professions and what not.

Perhaps that's why the advice 'write what you know' is so solid. By starting from a basis of truth, the writer can take creative liberties. But in the absence of knowledge, research is essential.

 

[Mel L]

I enjoy historical fiction and tend to look up the real history after or even during my reading of the book. If I come across a historical error in the book, it annoys me. People who live in a place that is a setting in the book can become irate at inaccuracies in its description.

If I'm reading anything speculative or fantasy, I'm happy to suspend disbelief even if the setting is in the real world.

I don't read much in the way of historical but as someone who lived in France for many years, it drives me crazy when writers fall back on tired clichés or fallacies about France and the French. As for suspending disbelief, I'm a fan of anything if the writing is good. 'If' being the operative word!

 

[Mel L]

Yes, that's my problem. I have, slightly, bent a detail, and one beta reader questioned it. So I tweaked it a bit, to make it more plausible, but that may still not be enough for some. If I don't bend this minor detail, then my whole story doesn't work and it must go in the trash.

It's tricky, isn't it? We have to be true to ourselves as writers, but if too many readers raise a red flag over a detail, it means something isn't ringing true. Of course we can always just write it for ourselves but that's not a road most of us wish to travel.

 

[Pamela Jo]

There is truth and there are facts. Don't let facts get in the way of story telling. The story telling that grips people articulates a truth of some kind for the reader. Goes back to Aristotle's instructions on drama.
I rewrote my first draft of One Magic Summer because my cop character didn't follow procedure according to someone who writes books on Dublin cops. I used my own knowledge of what happens in rural areas and was told off for it. However, after several incidents here at Mustang Haven (theft and arson) -turns out I was right. Rural cops in Ireland are about the same as in the US. The real point here is though I rewrote the 2nd draft worried about making my cop realistic, she was really there for the mystery. A valid critique from the Blue Pencil editor is that she doesn't seem necessary to the story-when her whole original function was to tighten the suspense. So draft 3, feck how police procedure works in Dublin. The reader doesn't really care in this book.

 

[Mel L]

There is truth and there are facts. Don't let facts get in the way of story telling. The story telling that grips people articulates a truth of some kind for the reader. Goes back to Aristotle's instructions on drama.
I rewrote my first draft of One Magic Summer because my cop character didn't follow procedure according to someone who writes books on Dublin cops. I used my own knowledge of what happens in rural areas and was told off for it. However, after several incidents here at Mustang Haven (theft and arson) -turns out I was right. Rural cops in Ireland are about the same as in the US. The real point here is though I rewrote the 2nd draft worried about making my cop realistic, she was really there for the mystery. A valid critique from the Blue Pencil editor is that she doesn't seem necessary to the story-when her whole original function was to tighten the suspense. So draft 3, feck how police procedure works in Dublin. The reader doesn't really care in this book.

Interesting point on the difference between truth and fact. As a reader, universal truths are way more important to me than facts. And as writers, sometimes we just need to follow our instincts on what's important to the story.