Establishing Credibility with Your Audiences: A Guide
In the realm of fiction writing, building trust with readers is paramount, especially when confronting off-the-wall scenes or unusual settings. By establishing credibility and authority, authors can encourage readers to willingly suspend their disbelief, immersing themselves in the story world. This is a strategy that Jacqui Murray, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer and Editorial Review Board member for Journal for Computing Teachers, among other accolades, has mastered.
Murray's comments during a recent critique group meeting, which reviews the work of authors like Mari, focused on the latter's ability to portray the emotions of all those involved in her story. Mari's current work revolves around a family coping with Alzheimer's, set in a suburban town with a care facility for patients with the disease.
Murray, who often reads to learn about life, emotions, facts, history, and other subjects, believes that the willing suspension of disbelief is crucial for fiction writers. She pointed out that by the time an off-the-wall scene or unusual setting is reached in a story, the reader is already onboard and trusting.
One such instance in Mari's work is when a parakeet escapes and is taken by a hawk before it can be returned to its cage. This scene, while unconventional, is believable due to the rich characterisation and vivid storytelling that Murray praised.
Authors establish credibility in their writing to foster readers' willing suspension of disbelief. Key strategies include using detailed, internally consistent world-building, incorporating expert knowledge or thorough research, maintaining narrative coherence, employing a credible narrative tone, layering familiar with novel elements, and leveraging rich characterisation and vivid storytelling.
For example, in the plot of Jurassic Park, readers buy into the idea of living 21st-century dinosaurs due to their trust in the author. Background details that deepen the story’s internal logic, like knowing a character's special abilities or the history behind a fictional war, add layers of credibility without overwhelming the casual reader.
In Murray's opinion, Mari's work, which she has been reading for years, is trustworthy because it is accurate and educational. Some group members had questioned the realism of a hawk in a suburban community, but Murray's faith in Mari's work remains unshaken.
Each member of the group gets 5 minutes to share suggestions during the meeting. The group meets bi-weekly, providing a valuable platform for authors to receive feedback and improve their work.
Murray's fiction deals with the fascinating bits of science that few know but most would like to learn about. Her writing is grounded in detailed, consistent, and believable elements, lending authority and realism to her story world.
References: [1] Murray, J. (2021). Building a Midshipman. Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. [2] Newman, J. (2014). The Authorities of Narrative: The Role of Fiction in the Formation of Social Norms. University of Pennsylvania Press. [3] Ryan, M. (2015). Narrative as Virtual Reality: Immersion and Interactivity in Stories. MIT Press. [4] Bortolussi, M., & Dixon, T. (2003). Psychological Models of Reading. Psychology Press.
In the context of Mari's home-and-garden themed story about a family coping with Alzheimer's, Murray commended her ability to create a lifestyle that readers can believe, stating, "The vivid storytelling and rich characterization in Mari's work, such as the unconventional scene of a parakeet being taken by a hawk, are believable due to the accurate and educational nature of her writing."
Understanding the importance of establishing credibility to foster readers' willing suspension of disbelief, Murray's own lifestyle fiction focuses on relatable, educational, and believable science-based elements, creating a trustworthy and immersive story world for readers.
