This is not only an issue with fanfiction but with original works as well. Just because the story is fictional it does not excuse it from having elements of reality in it. There is always going to be a line of believability that all writers must keep themselves from crossing. Why must it not be crossed? Once it is, it invokes disbelief from the readers and they'll have a difficult time in enjoying the story, especially if the characters are lacking common sense.
There is a point where a lack of common sense is just ridiculous, because no one would be so foolish as not to see that aspect of things. Why would a character pick path B when path A is the obvious better and smarter choice? Or who wouldn't realize that action A will lead to consequence B? It would be common sense for them to choose an option that would benefit them the most.
If your characters lack common sense without a good reason why they're lacking it that’s when your story turns bad. If you can avoid crossing that line then you’re good to go. Just make sure that when your character overlooks something -- whatever it is, that it is a possibility that can happen.
For example: Two characters are trapped inside a pitch black room and they are both unaware of each other. They need to stay quite so that the killer won't find them. Both characters have the advantage in surviving because the killer doesn't have a flashlight, the power is out, and does not know where they are. One of them has common sense while the other doesn't. The one with common sense knows to stay in their hiding spot, to not to make any noise and to not call out for their friends. They know that in doing so it would reveal their location. However, the other doesn't have any common sense which is why they start to loudly whisper their friends' names for help, while moving around the room in hopes that they'll find an exit.
The main question the readers will be asking is why is the second character lacking common sense? If the writer doesn't provide a logical reason for the character to be doing what they are doing, the readers will become unhappy and annoyed with them. That makes the story and the character suffer. What can help prevent that is for the writer to provide an excuse.
The character lacks common sense because they are intoxicated. That is plausible and it explains their actions. Another excuse could be that they have a phobia of the dark and they can't help but react irrational. The writer does not have to explain outright the reason the character is behaving the way they are but instead implied it. Have the character tremble, have them breathing deep and act as though any minute they are going to die. The situation if written well can convey a believable story. Writers just have to make sure that they weave into the story of why their characters' fail to do the most logical thing.
Though the same could be said about the characters with common sense. Why aren't they reacting the same way? Why aren't they panicking and so on? Again that's another thing for writers to hint about. Maybe the character is familiar with the killer's ways? Maybe they have been in a similar situation and learned what not to do? It does deal with characterization but the whole point of this post is that it's highly annoying when the writer creates a character that is very sensible and yet does ridiculous things without any reason behind their behavior and actions.
 DamnBlackHeart · Fri Apr 05, 2013 @ 04:04pm · 0 Comments |
