Believability & Bending The Law

My sister and I sat in the front row of a packed theater, watching Mission Impossible. During one scene, which involved a speeding train, a narrow tunnel, and Tom Cruise's strong fingers, my sister cried out, "Oh, come on!" She just couldn't help it. The movie had morphed from entertaining to completely unbelievable.

Another example of unbelievable? Los Angeles firefighters on television and in movies who rush into burning buildings without wearing their breathing apparatus. It doesn't happen that way, as my firefighter husband will tell anyone within listening distance.

Believability matters to most people, and I learned a big lesson in this recently. I wrote the first draft of my current wip after doing light research. I reached a point in the story where the plot relied on a certain police procedure with juveniles, but I didn't stop to research it thoroughly.

After the second draft, I knew I needed to confirm this procedure with an expert. I emailed a police officer friend with a list of questions, and promptly learned I had made a big boo boo. The way I wrote a certain plot line could not happen the way it was written.

What's a writer to do? Well, I could have tried to bend the law to fit my story, but why? If I'm striving for believability, I'd lose it for sure. I chose to re-write the last thirty pages of the manuscript.

Here's what I learned from my blunder:

Mistake #1

If a plot point depends on an official procedure, stop and ask an expert before traveling down the wrong road. Had I fired off a quick email to the police officer at this point in the first draft, I would have saved myself a lot of trouble.

The Solution

For several days, I brainstormed alternate plot points. I wrote them down, followed threads to the end, and then chose my favorite. I'm still in the process of re-writing those final pages.

Mistake #2

Rules of law differ between adults and juveniles, and vary depending on jurisdiction. Los Angeles, New York, Chicago. City, county, state. We can't assume the same rules in Los Angeles County apply to Los Angeles City.

The Solution

When reading through the second draft, I created a list of plot points that should be discussed with a police officer. And not just any officer. My story takes place in the city of Los Angeles, so I relied on an LAPD officer.

Mistake #3

Sure, there are certain plot points that could happen, even if it's only on leap year days at the turn of each century. But that doesn't mean it's likely. In my opinion, bending the law to fit my story would chip away at my credibility.

The Solution

Just because a plot line is believable, doesn't mean it has to be predictable. Hopefully my solution surprises the reader, just like it surprised me. And hopefully when others read it, they won't say, "Oh, come on!"

Have you ever followed a plot line, only to realize it couldn't happen the way it was written? How did you solve the problem?

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8 Tips for Slicing Through the Research Jungle

When you begin researching a project, do you ever feel like you're lost in a thick jungle and can't slice your way out? Me too. I actually love doing research, and have a habit of clicking from one subject to another, learning fun new facts. I have to be careful not to spend all my writing time doing research, because otherwise I'd never finish a project.

How can we avoid getting lost in the research jungle? Here are some tips that work for me:

1. Research as much as we can before writing the first draft. Not only does this arm us with important facts, but this research will likely spark new ideas to deepen our plot and character.
2. When writing the first draft, unless it's vital to the plot, do not slow down to do research. One trick is to type in (research) and follow up later. This prevents us from getting sidetracked during this phase and slowing down our momentum. Once the first draft is complete, we can find (research) and fill in the missing information.
3. Check multiple sources. One place to start is Wikipedia, although this cannot be cited as a reputable source. But at the bottom of the Wikipedia page there's a list of links and books that will lead us in the right direction.
4. Keep track of our sources. We can jot down book publisher information and page numbers on paper, and store them in a notebook. And we can create a new research file on our computer for each project and bookmark relevant websites.
5. Ask an expert. Most experts are willing to spend time speaking about their specialty. I wrote and sold an article based on the Sentinels who guard the Tomb of the Unknowns. Although I had done extensive research, the article truly came to life once I spoke with an actual guard.
6. Do a Google search for organizations that specialize in our subject. Often they'll have web sites with FAQ's sections, books on the subject, pertinent links on the sidebar, or discussion boards.
7. Search for personal blogs. If our research involves a human condition, it's possible there's a personal blog out there on the subject. I once found an online diary which provided all kinds of fascinating insight.
8. Enjoy! There's so much amazing information out there, and we're the lucky writers who get to gobble it all up.

Have you ever done research for a project? I'd love to hear what worked for you and what didn't.

Congratulations to our blogging buddy, Vicki Tremper, for winning our signed copy of Beauty Queens. Lisa Green, Leslie Rose, and I hope you love it!

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