http://knittingknots.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] knittingknots.livejournal.com) wrote in [personal profile] luxken27 2010-09-24 03:46 pm (UTC)

The technical term I learned for it was "Willing suspension of disbelief," but it's the same thing. Anything which blows out the reader's ability to go along with what the writer is saying will do things that chase the reader off.

It even works in movies. I never watched the move JFK because I was in New Orleans when the events that the movie portrays took place and knew very much what the character that Keven Costner played looked like....I could never ever suspend disbelief enough to start watching it....LOL. A rather blatant example of not giving consent.

One reason I don't read standard SK fics is I can't believe in 99% of the scenarios that would put the two together, based on my understanding of their personalities in the canon, and my desire to see them together is not strong enough to overide that feeling that it is of low probability, and requires putting someone out of the way or out of character to accomplish. I can't consent to it. I have read stories that I could, but they are few and far between, but they have resolved the scenario issues for me in believable ways, so I could give consent.

Sometimes, though, it's not a believability issue. Sometimes it's a "been there, done that" issue...I've seen this story done too many times and you, dear author, are not doing it in any way that deserves my time to see a cookie cutter version of a worn out trope. Happens a lot in fanfiction, a bit less often in published fic.

And occasionally, I just don't like the protagonist enough to keep reading the story. Or the writing style drives me crazy.

Anything that seriously shatters that willingness to go on with the writer does this. Writers who know their market, or who click into their market and are well received match with their audience, and don't do this a lot. But no writer reaches everybody. Even bestseller writers. I've put down many a best seller...evidently I have niche tastes!

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