It’s been awhile, but writer Samantha Seidel is back at JPC Allen Writes with her post “Don’t Believe Movies”, which is good advice for everyone, but especially writers. To read Samantha’s previous post, click here.

“Do cars explode if you shoot the gas tank?” 

I’d been working on my present-day fiction novel Foresight for about a year when one of my writing buddies offered this critique. Given the low sci-fi, on-the-run nature of my story, I pulled from my experience: years of watching action flicks. The directors put it in the movie, so it must be somewhat realistic. Right?

Spoiler alert, it’s not. After learning my epic car explosion had zero believability, I checked other action sequences I’d written of my main character Stacy escaping capture. Almost all of them made no sense.

Movies sensationalize everything. Gunshots, explosions, carnage. While they’re great inspiration for any sci-fi adventure or fantasy quest, they stretch the natural laws of reality. Laws that make your story relatable to readers. If you have a sequence in mind, check its believability with the following methods:

Understand the Laws of Your World

Whether it’s Earth, Mars, or the Land of Mages, every world has set physics and systems that allow it to grow and thrive. My initial attempt at world building ignored the logic of injuries hampering activity. Foresight, being set on Earth, helped me recognize the importance of knowing the laws of the world. Gravity, weather, public opinion, and so many other factors will influence the characters’ actions and even looks.

In the case of magic and superhuman abilities, defining limitations and expectations is important. The reader might not know all these background details, but your knowledge of these physics will create a consistent and grounded story. I’ve also found that defining these rules inspires new scenes that fit within the world.

Play the Part of Your Character

Writing isn’t just a sitting activity; sometimes you gotta act out the scene. I can’t count the number of times I contorted my face into a certain expression just to describe the muscles or eyebrow twitches. More embarrassingly, I climbed into my mom’s car and repeatedly tumbled from the backseat into the front. All to correctly describe what I wanted to convey.

If you’re shy, find a secluded room to act out your sequence or look up videos of people reenacting relevant moves. If you’re comfortable, consider getting a few friends or family members to help. You never know what inspiration will come from other perspectives. Another thing to note, a 6’5” man will approach a situation differently than a 4’3” woman. If you know someone that matches your character better than you, try watching them for inspiration or having them conduct certain moves.

Become a Research Wizard

When I discovered my beloved movie tropes were false, I googled. Military rankings, building schematics, distances between states. Nothing escaped scrutiny. This research provided ample background for my novel and inspiration for developing the story.

Be sure when surfing the web that you access reputable articles and videos. When researching homeless shelters, I looked at existing organizations. To learn more about hydroponics, I went to the library. Seek out sources that either can’t be changed (print) or are directly related to what you’re researching. The best information will come from companies and individuals who eat, sleep, and breathe your questions.

True Writers Fact Check

Writing seemed so easy when I scribbled whatever adventure I wanted. But confused readers stop reading. To write with excellence, you have to fact check what Hollywood promotes. The sky is the limit with CGI, but people know when something isn’t believable. 

Same goes for our words. Build a foundation of common sense, then incorporate your speculative imaginings.

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Foresight (WIP) by Samantha Seidel

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