Suspension of Disbelief, Cop Out’s, and Teasing

Section 1 Part 6

Ok, we have now dealt with your plot so far, and you should know the ending YOU want to go for, the next thing I think needs to be considered is, the Suspension of Disbelief. While it is true, you can make ANY rules you want, 2 things must occur, #1 you must JUSTIFY WHY you changed a rule…For example, Superman is weakened by Kryptonite, if kryptonite no longer affects him it has to be a DARNED good EXPLAINED reason. (in fact it’s easier to MAKE a rule then Change it, Hence it was easier to “Protect” Superman from Kryptonite with a Lead shield then it was to find a “cure”) #2 It has to pass the COMMON SENSE TEST (KISS principal) Example…I would like everyone, they next time they are making love in real life, to look right at their partner and YELL “I’m CUMMING!” or do it in the mirror and try to keep a straight face.

There is also what I call the “Wonder Woman Syndrome” this is where the Gillian who has hunter Wonder Woman for DECADES, and when he finally HAS her helpless unconscious at his feet says “Ah ha! NOW I finally have you, and once I leave you here, unconscious unrestrained and take a nap I will come back and FINISH my revenge!” (see evil Overlord list)

The Wonder Woman Syndrome is a Cop Out… you set your readers up to BELIEVE something will happen, and then contrive a way to make it NOT happen, and frankly Cop OUTS are turn OFF’s….

Finally, teasing, this is not teasing like, hey I want to arouse you so you get more PLEASURE…this is teasing for the act of enjoying watching you squirm. These are the stories where, your heroine is captured, usually by a REALLY cool imaginative idea, but ALWAYS seems to escape, the bad guy NEVER actually wins. It is also, contriving something that would not HAPPEN…Guys, tell me the last time you were making love to a girl...and WANTED to pull out or stop… If you’re going to have the heroine get away, or not get pregnant...put some thought in, Villain’s CAN decide they do not WANT an offspring, but it has to make sense, not just be something because it bothers you as a writer.