  Drama
This week: "Perception is Reality" Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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Using perception of reader and character in creating stories brings about challenges but also helps to create the finished product. |
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Something my boss said in a meeting recently caught my attention. We were discussing a negative comment we'd received from a customer on the service at our store. While we try to provide the best service at all times, there are slips on occasion. One thing he said was: "perception is reality." This was in relation to the customer and their experience, but we can also use it to discuss readers and novel characters.
When it comes to whether a reader believes a story or character, along with general opinion, is based in large part on their perception. It is the reality they know and thus what many views are based upon. This doesn't mean the reader can't or won't suspend their belief for a story, as that would make all fantasy hard to sell, but it does mean that their views are affected by many different factors.
In literary criticism, a class I took in college, the style of critique that relates to this topic is simply known as "reader response" and means how the reader responds to the story. It's a method of critiquing based off reactions fueled by personal experiences. We take our own past, thoughts and things we have seen along with us with each story. A reader's life experience will be different than someone else's, which is in part why it's recommended to take criticism with a grain of salt and not to change things immediately based on the varied suggestions that come forth in reviews. Consider the viewpoint and their reality, yes, but then decide what works best for the reality of the story and your characters.
Which brings us to the next part of the newsletter. The main character, the one we see the story through, is the one that shapes the reality of the story. It's more noticeable in first person because that is the only view we get to see. When deep in the point of view of a particular person, we can know things that the character knows but nothing else. This can be true in third person as well but when it starts to get more and more different point of view chapters, that will change the overall affect of the perception and reality. It can also bring up another situation...
Unreliable narratives - While I've never written one, I know that there are times when a first person narration will later turn out to be inaccurate. Sometimes, the factor that is left out for the reader is used in the end as the twist. Think of the movie "The Sixth Sense" or "A Beautiful Mind" as examples of this. When we are in the main person's point of view, it all seems so real. However, we later see what other characters were seeing that affects the reality of the story. This can be hard to do well at times but it's an option for the right story when working with character perceptions and realities.
As we write or when reading over reviews, this is something to consider. What is the perception of the character? Is the reader's perception affected by anything in particular? Is the perception reality? What do you think? |
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Does the character perception match reality? Do you consider reader perception when working on a story?
Last time, as in last week, I discussed the drama of having too much on one's plate and how that concept might be used to add a little more drama to a story. I got one response since then about the topic.
Comment by Quick-Quill 
Im wondering about this. My novel was great. I must have done it right because I get. "I cound't put it down, I always wanted to know what was going to happen to the two MC's" I'm afraid ny NaNo novel needs more action. What can two people do on a cruise? 14 days to fall in love. (no Sex) what can they do that will involve conflict other than 5 women who want the man for one of them... Children that see the woman as a threat to their tribe.... Hmm?
- Thanks for the comment and good question. It's interesting how novels can span years or just days and the question can relate to all instances. For romance, I would think some things like miscommunications, other people, weird dictated cruise events (I haven't been on a cruise since I was 12 so not sure what adults do on them) would be possible. But there is something there. I'm sure you will come up with things during prep or when writing.
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Drama: October 07, 2015 Issue [#7251]
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