Plausibility is critical in order to keep your reader engaged in a novel. The moment someone pauses and says “this couldn’t happen” the spell is broken and they’ll shut the book. Some think plausibility is only important with conspiracy theories, thrillers, suspense, crime, and sci-fi novels but really every genre, no matter how simple, needs to have plausible elements to allow someone to fully submerge into the text.
But plausibility can be a very strange thing when writing fiction. I remember a session at a writer’s workshop where many in the group brought up that the order of events seemed implausible in another’s piece. The author protested that she based it on an actual event that happened to her. The teacher stepped in to explain that as fiction writers we must write for the greatest acceptance of our reader and to ultimately write the best story possible. Sometimes real life doesn’t seem believable and if someone tells you something doesn’t seem possible it will affect their investment in your story.
This seemed so ironic to me that you would have to change a story that actually happened to something different for those to believe it. But then I reread the definition of plausibility and that it’s not necessarily what is true but more what others will deem as credible or likely.
So how do test your draft for plausibility?
Critique partners and beta readers!
Yes, listen to these incredibly helpful (and valuable) self-less people who will let you know where you lost them or when something a character does doesn’t fly. Listen! If they say something doesn’t seem realistic (even if it happened) you must change it so that they can accept it better. Beta read widely and early in your drafts since you may have to change major elements.
Plausibility crops up its ugly head many times for me since I love to include little-known and odd details of past cultures. I don’t like the normal facts and well-known history, but my eyes widen and my pulse races at the bizarre and seedy secrets buried deep inside dusty research books. Well, this makes an interesting story but I hear so many times–“did this really happen?”
I can’t site these amazing details since I’m not writing non-fiction. I know that some historical fiction authors may throw one or two footnotes here and there to back up a true event but I would have one on every other page. Plus I’ve found that many detest these notations in fiction. So what did I decide to do?
Remove these details…
Heck no! My creativity thrives on these crazy real-life events. I didn’t want to write about the ancient Egypt that everyone knows from 9th grade history text-book or the Spartan society depicted in the movie 300. I wanted to surprise people! I want to take the reader deeper into a past that will even expand a historian’s knowledge.
So I decided to listen to my betas and tried to make the details as credible as possible. But I thought it would be best if I created a whole page on my website that will discuss these incredible facts and suggest further reading for those who are interested. I will post this background information upon my novel’s launch.
What about you? Do you ever struggle with plausibility in your novels or have heard those horrible words from a beta reader?
laurenwaters 
This is such a great post Lauren! Plausibility can be SO frustrating, but it’s also absolutely vital. I’ve written a couple of posts on immersion before and the two are very tightly related. I think your story actually does a really good job and remaining plausible, even though some of the events are pretty fantastic. History is AWESOME that way. 🙂
And P.S. I promise I’ll get your pages back to you tomorrow, complete with email! I’ve been getting ready for school, so things are kind of crazy. 🙂
You’re right, plausibility and immersion are completely dependent on each other. And I’m so lucky to have you (fabulous crit partner that you are) to check me for credibility. Don’t even think about rushing the pages back, I’m up to my eyeballs in book formatting right now. Have fun before you have to go back to school!
I’ve had a beta question a character of mine. I was told that my character sounded “creepy” and that I should change a few details I had on them. Well, the character was based on my own mother and the details that were “creepy” actually were things that my mother did. To me, they weren’t creepy and I was shocked by her thoughts on it. Creepy is a pretty strong word and I had no idea that my mother owning a few teddy bears would put her under that label. I mean, it’s not like I had them talking to her- that would be creepy!
This is quite a conundrum. I’d be upset if a character based on my mother were called “creepy.” Unless you’re writing creative non-fiction, maybe you could change the character so that she’s very different from your mother. Certainly other women in the world have teddy bears.
It’s good to keep the things you love and value out of your fiction, I think, because otherwise it may get dragged through the mud. When readers think something is fiction, they’ll have no problem calling it creepy or anything else because they don’t know the emotional value it has to you.
Another good reason not to base a character solely on yourself since the feedback on character likability could be eye opening!
A very important topic, and one I think about constantly as I write. And, like you, I find there are always issues I hadn’t noticed that beta readers call me on. But, as Erin points out, it’s sometimes hard to get inside a beta-reader’s head and sympathize with how they see your story or characters.
Plausibility is apparently not a universal standard!
Good point Anne! Just another reason to have a handful of trusted beta readers and if more than two people cringe at the mom with the teddy bears than you might have alter it a bit (and possibly seek some therapy..haha)