Ever wonder why someone would stop
reading your novel? There are several reasons, but one is
inconsistent details. This is particularly destructive of reader
trust in a mystery or thriller, but it can turn readers off in other
genres as well.
In my first novel, I had an
inconsistency that once I spotted it drove me crazy. I missed it
after numerous readings, my husband missed it and so did my editor. I
had a horse out on the racetrack and in the stall at the same time.
The discrepancy drew reader's attention away from the dramatic events
that were unfolding in the stable, because the tendency is to reread
the paragraph and preceding paragraphs to find out whether you've
missed something.
I recently reviewed a book that
purported to be a mystery. The reason for killing one of the victims
was that the person witnessed a scene. The problem was that the scene
was also witnessed by several thousand people on television. It make
the rationale for the killing to keep the scene secret very weak. At
that point, I became much more critical of the novel. It I hadn't
been reviewing it, I would have stopped reading right there.
For me, the issue of consistency
pertains to trust. You are trying to build your reader into the
fictional world you're creating. If inconsistent and obviously
impossible things happen (Unless this is fantasy of science fiction.)
your reader stops trusting that your world is real.
It's hard to find all the detail slips.
After a certain number of reads, we tend to skip right over them
because we know what's going to happen. There are some tricks to
avoid this. Put the manuscript away for several weeks or a month
before rereading. This technique is what allowed me to find my own
inconsistency. Other readers can help, but don't count on anyone else
to find your mistakes. Editors are wonderful, but it's up to the
writer to make his or her product the best it can be.
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