It takes an incredibly astute writer to maintain the credibility of characters and plots throughout a fiction story. I mean, you’ve probably read stories that suddenly stopped making sense or in which a character has fallen out of character. And what did that do for you? It’s a disappointment, isn’t it? As far as you are concerned, it spoils the integrity of the story. And you may even stop reading and decide not to recommend the book to friends. Yes, folks, lack of attention to the details that hold your story together can be the death of your book.
Even a nonfiction writer must stay true to his book or article theme—preserve a continuity and consistency throughout—in order for it to be effective. If you say in one chapter of your book that it is okay to feed cats table food and in another that it can kill them, what reader is going to take you seriously?
When I am editing a book, I am constantly on the lookout for inconsistencies. Here are some of the blatant contradictions I find in fiction manuscripts:
• The author decides mid-story to change a character’s name from Maggie to Ruth, but I still find instances of Maggie buried in the manuscript. (Use the search and find to make sure that you have made all changes.)
• The author can’t decide which spelling of an uncommon word, term or name to use, so he is constantly changing the way it is spelled. (Decide and be consistent.)
• The author beds the characters down in the wilderness in the dark of night and then he has them awakened a few hours later and they seem to be able to see clearly—in the dark? (If you need them to see the bear approaching, for example, keep the campfire glowing or have the moon shining brightly.)
• A rider might be walking his horse when he approaches something in the trail and then he is suddenly on his horse. (Follow your own story with a meticulous eye. Visualize the scene as if you are seeing it for the first time and make certain that you do not leave the reader stranded or with questions. If the man needs to be on the horse for this scene, make sure that you show him climbing back into the saddle before the encounter.)
I think that inconsistencies in fiction manuscripts show up generally when the author changes something in the story. If you have made a change or are contemplating one, spend tons of time making sure that you have caught each and every single dependent detail.
It does no good to expertly craft a scene, when you don’t stay true to it. When you deviate—when you attempt to force an action or offhandedly insert a point of view that doesn’t fit—your reader loses respect for your story.
Some professionals recommend that you do not have friends read your manuscript. But here is one reason why it is a good idea. Your friends may not be editors. But they have a set of fresh eyes and they may spot areas of inconsistencies. You definitely want these corrected before self-publishing your book, before approaching agents or publishers and definitely before your book reaches your reading public.
Here’s your assignment: Carefully go through your manuscript and see if you notice any inconsistencies. I’d love to receive a report. Leave a comment here or contact me at PLFry620@yahoo.com
My article-writing course starts Friday July 24, 2009. Sign up today at http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm
To refresh your memory, I started my writing career by writing articles for magazines. My articles have appeared in hundreds of magazines such as Entrepreneur, Your Health, Writer’s Digest, Cat Fancy, Quarter Horse Journal, Los Angeles Times, Catholic Digest, The Artist’s Magazine, Woman’s World, Country Woman and many, many others. I supported myself by writing magazine articles for about 20 years. Read more about me and my work at http://www.matilijapress.com (About us–consulting)