Mandi Bean's Blog, page 4

August 15, 2023

How to Get More Readers for Your Blog

[image error]Pexels.com","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"woman in beige long sleeve shirt sitting on chair","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="pexels-photo-4855378" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/mandibeanwriter.wpc..." data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/mandibeanwriter.wpc..." src="https://i0.wp.com/mandibeanwriter.wpc..." alt="woman in beige long sleeve shirt sitting on chair" class="wp-image-6190" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/mandibeanwriter.wpc... 1880w, https://i0.wp.com/mandibeanwriter.wpc... 300w, https://i0.wp.com/mandibeanwriter.wpc... 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/mandibeanwriter.wpc... 768w, https://i0.wp.com/mandibeanwriter.wpc... 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/mandibeanwriter.wpc... 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/mandibeanwriter.wpc... 408w, https://i0.wp.com/mandibeanwriter.wpc... 1320w" sizes="(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px" data-recalc-dims="1" />Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

A little less than a year ago, I signed up for . It’s a social media tool that will schedule posts across all of my social media platforms at optimal times. I’ve seen results; there’s been more engagement with my posts, but there hasn’t been an increase in readers.

How can I increase traffic to my blog?

Ways to Get More Readers to Your Blog

I was doing some research and came across this website, Writing and Wellness, that featured an incredibly helpful article by Colleen M. Story. She offers five ways to get people reading your blog.

Find and Stick to Your Niche
A niche is basically similar to a theme. If your posts are all over the place, your readership will follow suit. A couple posts might interest some people some of the time, but if your posts are cohesive and relatable, it will be much easier to attract a loyal and consistent audience.Write Clickable Headlines
Do you know six in ten people share articles without reading them? That means articles are shared based solely on the headlines. Recently, that number jumped to seven in ten; that’s seventy percent! So basically, the more your blog post gets shared, the more eyes will see it. And to be read, you’ve gotta be seen.

This website goes into great detail about how to write a headline people will click.Use Subheadings
Subheadings will break up big blocks of text, which is helpful for readers who tend to skim more than anything else. Readers will jump from subheading to subheading as they skim, and that keeps potential readers on your page for longer, so the chances they’ll find something to enjoy and come back for increases. Subheadings can also help improve a blog’s SEO (search engine optimization). That means your blog will be more predominantly featured in Google search results.

According to Colleen, there are four ways to improve your subheadings: 1) Grab the reader’s interest so he or she will keep reading; 2) Inspire curiosity; 3) Show personality and emotion; and 4) Describe your content (briefly)Consider Writing Longer Posts
Even though readers like to scan and skim, longer blog posts are actually better. “‘Shareable posts are over 1,000 words,’ writes co-founder of NP Digital and top 10 marketer Neil Patel. ‘Longer content (try 2,500 to 3,000 words!) attracts more shares than short posts. In fact, more words mean more opportunities for SEO. This means a higher conversion rate.’” Longer posts are shareable and the more a post is shared, the more it is seen and read.Always Consider Your Reader
A blog is not a diary. Blogs should enhance the lives of the readers. I hope my posts help aspiring writers (and that’s where having a niche comes in).

Let me know if any of these suggestions work for you! I know I’ll be keeping them in mind as I work to grow my readership

The post How to Get More Readers for Your Blog appeared first on mandi bean: writer.

View more on Mandi Bean's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on August 15, 2023 21:00

August 8, 2023

How to Have a Productive Writing Session

[image error]Pexels.com","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"close up photo of gray typewriter","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="pexels-photo-952594" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="

Photo by Leah Kelley on Pexels.com

As you know, I’ve completed the manuscript for Lightning Strikes and I’ve been querying (and being soundly rejected by) literary agents ever since. I’m trying to stay positive and one of the best ways to do so, in my opinion, is to start working on a new project. I’ve done all the research so I just need to get writing.

That’s the trick to all writing, isn’t it?

Here’s a comprehensive list of tips and tricks to have a productive writing session:

Make time – schedule it in your calendar or set a reminder on your phone. The best writing habits are consistent. It could be helpful to add a stop time as well.Prepare food – make snacks or meals ahead of time, and think brain food: carrot sticks & hummus, protein shakes, nuts/trail mix, bananas, sandwiches, hardboiled eggs, or apples with peanut butter.Streamline your workspace – clean and declutter your writing area, keeping only what is necessary.Start the night before – read from a book from a writer whose style inspires you and get a good night’s sleep.Start the morning right – get in some light yoga or exercise, eat a healthy breakfast, and leave your phone in a different room.

I’ll report back and let you know how productive I was. Maybe I’ll even share the opening of my newest work on this blog!

The post How to Have a Productive Writing Session appeared first on mandi bean: writer.

View more on Mandi Bean's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on August 08, 2023 21:00

August 1, 2023

How to Get a Literary Agent

[image error]Pexels.com","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"woman holding book","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="pexels-photo-1848731" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="

Photo by Rodolfo Quirós on Pexels.com

On this day six years ago, two literary agents requested full manuscripts of my novel Moody Blue, which ended up being published by GenZ Publishing. That publication journey took at least five years and that should be a lesson in patience and perseverance for me, but I’m still impatient and rejection still stings.

I’ve sent 95 query letters to literary agents since March 6th and I’ve received 27 rejections.

And I think the real kicker is that I am so, so proud of Lightning Strikes. I honestly believe it’s the best thing I’ve ever written. So why am I having such a hard time finding an agent?

Besides the querying and publication process being mostly subjective,

According to MasterClass, the first step towards acquiring a literary agent is to do research. You want to make sure the agent represents the genre you’re writing in. You can check the agent’s listing on Publishers Marketplace, but I prefer to use QueryTracker. All the important information is clearly presented and easy to access. I usually access the agent’s website through the listing and the website typically lists the agent’s wish list and submission guidelines. Knowing those kinds of specifics can really help you personalize and expertly craft a query letter, which is essentially is your letter of introduction to the publishing industry.

So, in summation:

Do researchCheck listingsStart querying

I also found this website especially helpful. It was written by Gillian McAllister, and though it was written seven years ago, it’s still clever and all the information is still relevant and incredibly useful.

Make sure the book is finished — not perfect but ready for submission. At some point, a writer has to stop tinkering and get started on her publishing journey.Remember that your manuscript should be polished, but not perfect, because your agent should lead you to an editor or a publisher that will have some suggestions.Research the agents. Check: a) the genre the agent represents; b) the books the agent likes; c) the books the agent has representedWrite a synopsis … which is essentially every writer’s worst nightmare. McAllister writes, “I keep mine factual and I do spoil the ending in it. It’s a statement, really, of what actually happens in your book. You can include a note at the end stating that it includes themes of motherhood, or whatever, but what I think the synopsis should actually do is chart your main plot arc.” And have no fear: “Many agents say that they look at the query letter, and then the chapters, and the synopsis is only there for reassurance that your contemporary romance isn’t going to have vampires appearing halfway through, so don’t worry.“Write a query letter. My query letters have garnered a couple of requests, so I’m confident I can write a successful query letter. For my specific tips, you can check out this blog post.Most agents request the opening of the manuscript, anywhere from the first five pages to the first three chapters, so make sure the first three chapters are ready to go.Keep a spreadsheet so you’ll know what you sent, when you sent it, and to whom you sent it. This has been helpful because I’ve prioritized agents who were previously interested in my work.And lastly, always be professional.[image error]Pexels.com","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"adult blur books close up","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="pexels-photo-261909" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The post How to Get a Literary Agent appeared first on mandi bean: writer.

View more on Mandi Bean's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on August 01, 2023 21:00

July 27, 2023

I’m Back in the States :)

Miracle Maddie

Maddie Girl completed her treatment at NeuroCytonix and we landed safe and sound just after 11:00am in Miami. It was a long, difficult month, but I’m sure it’s going to be all worth it in the end.

Writing Life

I recently was rejected by two more literary agents. BUT I wrote over 2,000 words for my new project. So I guess it’s really all about balance.

I’m sorry this post is so brief; it’s been a crazy week. I’ll plan a real post next week

The post I’m Back in the States :) appeared first on mandi bean: writer.

View more on Mandi Bean's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on July 27, 2023 14:57

July 18, 2023

I’m Ready to go Home

In a week, I’ll be back on American soil and I’m really, really looking forward to it. Being in Monterrey for a month has not been easy. I’m not here on vacation, but for my niece to receive treatment for her severe, anoxic brain injury. Her mood determines everyone else’s mood. She’s been tolerating treatments well and there’s been plenty of laughs, but we miss the family. Everyday is the same routine. We don’t speak the language so we can’t just do what we want when we want.

But everyone we’ve met has been incredibly friendly. The mountains are breathtaking and the view never becomes stagnant. The blueberries here are sweeter. Maddie is progressing in small, slow, and steady ways.

Specifically, the EEG tech, Patty, has been absolutely wonderful! She explained that each EEG has been better than the last, that she was a part of the double-blind study with Dr. Trujillo that really launched NeuroCytonix. And at a wonderful dinner, we were able to speak with Dr. Trujillo about Maddie and her treatment and the treatment overall. After speaking with him, we felt so much better and more sure about our next steps. One of the board members that spoke at the dinner said Dr. Trujillo was either falsifying data or in line for the Nobel Prize; there is no in between.

But when I get home, I want to:

start runningcook my own foodwrite moreread morelay out by the pool and get a tango swimmingact like I’m on vacationspend time with my nephewswatch movies with popcornsee “Insidious: The Red Door,” “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” “Mission Impossible: Fallout Part One,” “Barbie,” and “Oppenheimer” in theaters (but not necessarily in that order)enjoy not having to be anywhere at a certain timedrive

I also want to work on my *new* writing project. I think having something to work on/distract myself with will help ease the sting of so many rejections, one after the other. I’m going to keep at it (cue all the stories about writers literally rejected hundreds of times) and continue sending query letters to agents. My writing friends from Ireland have been so supportive and gracious, and I am so happy we’ve kept in touch.

I’m also debating a kind of pricey writer’s retreat for my 35th birthday. I’ll keep you updated xoxo

The post I’m Ready to go Home appeared first on mandi bean: writer.

View more on Mandi Bean's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on July 18, 2023 21:00

July 12, 2023

Random Bits

[image error]Pexels.com","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"abstract background of chaotic spreading paints across surface","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="pexels-photo-3844790-1" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="

Photo by Dids on Pexels.com

My last post did nothing to stop the Reddit trolls. I didn’t think it would, but it makes me angry and sad to think there are such bored and bitter people in the world, people who never loved anyone more than themselves and/or were never loved by anyone enough to be empathetic or even just kind. It’s frustrating that they continue to say things that are not true and that they refuse to listen to reason and first-hand accounts.

But that’s as petty as I’ll get.

Miracle Maddie

We’re still in Monterrey, Mexico and Maddie is halfway through her treatment at NeuroCytonix! In talking with the other moms and patients, we’ve learned that the biggest gains are seen one to two months after the initial treatment. However, we’ve already seen:

better tone overall (back, arms, legs)more facial movement (especially on the left side near her mouth)better saturationmore movement in her feet and toes

Her third EEG was better than the first two and we learned her brother Jonathan’s voice helped her relax — how sweet is that! I am so excited to see what the next two weeks hold for Maddie Girl!

Writing Life

I’ve started a new writing project. One of the protagonists is going to be a long haul truck driver. I reached out to truckers on social media to final out about the average day in the life of a truck driver, and people were so helpful and responsive! A plot is loosely coming together in my mind It’s time to stop researching and get writing!

MOODY BLUE

Also, it’s been a year since my second novel, MOODY BLUE, was released! Make sure you pick up your copy today!

Book Trailer for MOODY BLUE.

The post Random Bits appeared first on mandi bean: writer.

View more on Mandi Bean's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on July 12, 2023 04:00

July 5, 2023

PSA: On Internet Trolls on Reddit

I want to begin this post with a disclaimer. I know that it is so easy to forget that not everything is about you. More and more, I’m realizing that next to nothing is actually about me, especially when people are treating me less than kind. Our behaviors are responses to stressors and lately, life has been incredibly stressful. It’s been stressful for so long and we’re all anxious for a victory, no matter how small. All that anxiety and sadness and guilt and regret piles up into aggressive behavior that explodes at different times. Navigating emotional landmines is treacherous and exhausting in all different kinds of ways. And seriously, that’s why everybody just needs to be kind.

The internet is not kind; it is mostly an awful place, as of late. That’s not a revelatory statement. People think they can post whatever they want about whatever they want, and they can with little to no consequence. However, that does not mean that what is posted is harmless.

My family would not wish this life on anybody. On the morning of February 28th, 2021, Madelyn Grace Wagenhoffer was a perfectly healthy and happy little girl. That afternoon, everything changed. The doctors told us there was no hope and that we should let her go, which meant removing her feeding tube and letting her starve to death because she was never declared “brain dead” (which is a dubious term at best) and she had a heartbeat. Once the sedation was walked back, Maddie was breathing on her own. Still, the doctors told us to let her go; that she’d never see or hear; that she’d never know who we were; that she’d have no quality of life.

Maddie has proven the doctors wrong on all counts.

A large part of the reason why Maddie has been able to do so is because we’ve pursued alternative treatments and therapies rather than strictly adhering to mainstream medicine. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy with Dr. Harch in Louisiana stopped the damage to Maddie’s brain from getting any worse. A stem cell treatment with Dr. Proefrock in Arizona kept Maddie from succumbing to RSV. Laser treatment with Dr. Crawford in Texas increased her awareness. The multiple MNRI conferences we’ve attended in Florida have truly helped Maddie improve her tone, integrate reflexes, and also become more aware. Stem cell treatments in Mexico have also increased awareness and movement. Besides being consummate professionals, these compassionate caregivers never gave up on Maddie. They saw a future instead of dollar signs. That’s why we’re currently in Monterrey, Mexico undergoing another alternative treatment; we will try anything if there’s a chance Maddie could improve. Some might call that desperation; it’s not. It’s determination–as long as there’s life, there’s hope, and as long as Maddie’s still here, we’ll keep pursuing every single avenue of restoration and recovery.

There are some on the Internet who disparage us for these choices. They saw we’re dumb and we’re being taken advantage of by “quacks.”

I never ever wanted to be a part of the brain-injured community, but I thank God there is one and that I’ve met wonderfully loving and intelligent and impossibly strong people who get it. We can empathize with one another and share information and resources. We’ve walked similar paths and can be honest about which treatments were effective and which treatments resulted in disappointing outcomes. We can do that because we know what we’re talking about. We’ve sat in waiting rooms, walked down hallways, watched our children change. We’re not idiots; we’re loving and empowered caregivers.

I understand I’ve put Maddie and my family out there whenever I post the GoFundMe and its updates, or link it to this blog. But it’s transparent. Internet users who have questions or comments are free to comment on Maddie’s Facebook page, GoFundMe page, or even this blog instead of hiding behind blue light screens, virtue signaling from keyboards, and spewing vitriol about people who walk a path I would not wish on anyone.

That’s it. That’s the post.

Also, everyone should watch the Netflix documentary, “Take Care of Maya.”

The post PSA: On Internet Trolls on Reddit appeared first on mandi bean: writer.

View more on Mandi Bean's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on July 05, 2023 09:00

June 28, 2023

Updates

Greetings from Monterrey, Mexico! Sorry I haven’t updated in a couple of weeks; I had to close out the academic year, move out of my rental, drive to Florida, and then fly to Mexico. I’m here because my niece is undergoing treatment at NeuroCytonix for her anoxic brain injury she suffered two years ago as a result of a near-fatal drowning.

I’ve had a lot going on.

The flight to Mexico was delayed and Maddie had some trouble keeping her oxygen up on the plane. We got in late and had a long, crazy day the next day. Maddie Girl had an EEG in the morning and had to wear a silly hat that I absolutely loved. We should learn the results once the MRI has been interpreted. She was supposed to have her MRI and blood work done after the EEG, but the machine was down, so she had her neurological evaluation instead with Dr. Lorenzo. They recorded her vitals and filmed her, and then Melissa answered a questionnaire. This will happen every seven days to note changes and improvements.

The neurological evaluation was tough. All the questions and their negative responses are stark reminders of how serious Maddie’s condition is and of how far we have to go. It was emotionally exhausting.

Day 2 was another long day and emotionally draining day. We started at 9 am because Maddie Girl had her hearing and vision evaluation. Then she had her MRI and blood work, which we’re happy to report went very well. Lastly, she had her first NeuroCytonix treatment … which Maddie hated. But we saw a little girl walking (with assistance) out of her 22nd session who had not been able to even stand before beginning treatment. We met investors who thanked us for trusting them. Everyone has been so nice and genuinely cares about our little warriors.

We’re here until July 26th and I’m honestly excited to see what happens.

I’ve been getting a lot of reading done and it’s all been for research for my next writing project. I just finished Child of God by Cormac McCarthy and am currently reading Killer on the Road: Violence and the American Interstate by Ginger Strand.

And a literary agent requested fifty pages of Lightning Strikes. I’m going to send out more query letters this weekend. I also hope to start writing before then.

The post Updates appeared first on mandi bean: writer.

View more on Mandi Bean's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on June 28, 2023 04:00

June 7, 2023

How to Research for Your Next Writing Project

I think I’ve finally decided on my next writing project after much back and forth. Without giving the entirety of the plot away, it has to do with investigative journalism, truck drivers, and serial murder. It’ll be a similar tone as my previous works, but I’m hoping to embody more elements of the Southern gothic genre. I have some ideas for scenes, but I know I need some connective tissue to run throughout the narrative.

And that’s where research can help.

At the University of Limerick, we had an entire class session devoted to the art of completing research for a writing project. It was led by Kit de Waal and it was invaluable. Here are the major takeaways:

Why do research?adds authenticity to your work
Chuck Palahniuk also has a lot to say about the importance of using an authoritative voice. He insists, “A unique voice creates its own authority,” and research can help create that voice because authenticity leads to authority. If it sounds like you know what you’re talking about, people will be more inclined to listen.ensures accuracy because we forget stuff; we misremember
There’s been a growing conversation about how eyewitness testimony is not as reliable as it has been perceived to be. Doing a little bit of research can help corroborate details a writer needs to get right to establish authority.is our story plausible?
This is the most the most important question research answers. All readers enter into some willing suspension of disbelief, but all readers also need some firm foundation from which to leap into an imaginative narrative. Plausibility helps establish that firm foundation.one mistake can destroy a whole plot
Any reader has seen this happen firsthand. A book was absolutely ruined for me because an aspect of the plot was simply unbelievable. I focused on that error instead of the quality writing that came before or after.What am I looking for?if it doesn’t interest you, it won’t interest the reader
This is such an important question to ask yourself to keep from making the narrative too dense with minutia. The answer will help you know when to stop with the research.When do I start?you can still be writing while you researchif you really can’t start, prioritize that topicif you need a road trip, plan well in advance
I am definitely planning a road trip since travel and rest stops will be important elements of the plot, and I am so excited! if you need a book, order it well in advance
I bought three

if you need something from the library …
I need to start using my local library more often.research if you have writer’s block
THIS IS WHERE I AM.don’t waste creative energy on researchWho is it for?general guide = use a light touch; you know so they don’t have toresearch in fiction should serve a purpose, be disguised, be invisibleresearch is NOT the story; it is setting, detail, place, time, weather, but it’s NOT the storyalways have respect for the reader’s time and enjoymentread similar books, read books that do it well, read books that do it badlyWhat else should I know?don’t compare
This is SO TOUGH, especially in this time of social media AND when query letters are supposed to include comparable titles.make your own decisions; do rely on instinct

I’ve been dealing with a string of rejections lately and frankly, it’s been disheartening. But I did get a “positive” rejection: “Honestly I think this sounds interesting, but afraid I’m going to pass. The reason is simply that i’ve just finally placed another very good manuscript that editors rejected over and over again, claiming it was ‘too dark. I guess i’m just not ready to jump in again with something else to which I can anticipate a similar response. I’m sorry.”

This is actually very interesting because I remember talking with Donal Ryan at the University of Limerick and he asked me if I would change my ending if it meant the novel would get published. Honestly, I didn’t know how to answer. But then I received an email from Donal because he’d read my manuscript. He wrote: “Mandi. My poor heart is broken. I was still hoping against hope that it would end at When he fell asleep, he was smiling.

But this is such a true, unflinching, empathetic account of love and trauma and life and death and all the terrible complexity of our humanness that a happy ending would have almost been profane. You’re a wonderful novelist. I know that Duke and Aurora will live with me forever. It’s such a thrill to read this right through, knowing how hard you’ve worked and how much love and care you’ve poured into it. And it’s paid off. You’ve created a singular, intense, deeply compelling work of fiction that will grip readers completely and shake them to their core.

Huge congratulations and best wishes.”

So I know my answer. No, I wouldn’t change the ending. And even if the manuscript never gets published, Donal freakin’ Ryan called me a wonderful novelist.

The post How to Research for Your Next Writing Project appeared first on mandi bean: writer.

View more on Mandi Bean's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on June 07, 2023 16:22

May 17, 2023

What is verisimilitude?

I read a somewhat popular book recently by an author I’d read and really enjoyed previously. I was excited to devour the novel, but was bitterly disappointed with the ending. Why? It just didn’t make sense. It didn’t ring true. There’s no way the protagonist would have come to that decision. The novel lacked verisimilitude.

Verisimilitude is defined as “the appearance of being true or real.” According to an article from MasterClass, “It is also one of the most essential literary devices of fiction writing. Verisimilitude helps to promote a reader’s willing suspension of disbelief. When using verisimilitude in writing, the goal is to be credible and convincing.”

When I was studying Creative Writing in Ireland, my professors talked often about verisimilitude. Similar to the ideas expressed in the MasterClass article, they stressed that “Fiction writers need to know how to use verisimilitude in order to draw readers in by resembling reality.”

There are two types of verisimilitude in fiction:

Cultural verisimilitude. This refers to the overall plausibility of a work of fiction in the context of “real life” in the “real world.”Generic verisimilitude. This refers to the overall plausibility of a work of fiction in the context of its own genre. No matter how outlandish the world of your story is, it should feel real to the reader.How to Use Verisimilitude in WritingProvide specific, concrete sensory details. This is true of ALL writing. Human beings process information through our five senses, so creative writing MUST use the senses to connect to and inform the reader.Focus on emotions that are true to your characters. Just because your characters have access to powerful magic, technology, or resources does not mean they don’t experience the same emotions as regular people. Recently, I read a novel that lacked verisimilitude because the character made a decision that did not make sense in terms of the “real world.”Incorporate the familiar alongside the unfamiliar. Keeping the reader grounded in details and situations they recognize is just as important as introducing new and interesting elements.Avoid technical mistakes. If you’re writing about the real world, get the facts straight. That’s why research is so important. Currently, I’m researching three novel ideas to determine which one would be best to pursue. I also have to read books in the genre to help shape the structure in conjunction with the plot points.Take time to cover objections. If something in your world lacks verisimilitude on purpose, allow your characters to notice that it isn’t right for them either.

But my professors also readily admitted that stories are supposed to be inventive, imaginative; writers should be able to tell whatever stories they want. Stephen King, who has made a fortune writing whatever he wants, address this conundrum with the succinct mantra: “Reality is Ralph.” His stories are notoriously fantastical and in his near-perfect novel Lisey’s Story, his main character Scott Landon is a wildly popular fantasy/horror/science fiction writer (sound familiar?). “‘Reality is Ralph,’ Scott Landon says, referring to a strange-but-true newspaper article about a border collie that returns home after three years. ‘Reality was a drunk buying a lottery ticket, cashing out to the tune of seventy million dollars, and splitting it with his favorite barmaid. A little girl emerging alive from a well in Texas where she’d been trapped for six days. A college boy falling from a fifth-floor in Cancun and only breaking his wrist. Reality was Ralph.’”

So how does verisimilitude come into play when truth is stranger than fiction? I read an article about a young woman who committed suicide by jumping from the top of the building after surviving years earlier when her mother jumped from the top of the building with her in her arms. I read another article about a couple arrested while pushing body parts down the street in a stroller. We all know and have read and shared stories like this, where reality is stranger than fiction. Why does a writer have to play by any rules when what really happens in real life is crazier than any imagined story?

Because readers need a buy-in. People can digest nearly anything as long as they have somewhere solid to place their feet. I think that’s why people become obsessed with motive during murder cases. For most it’s unfathomable to take another human life … unless there’s a good reason. People want, almost need, to know why. Dahmer, Bundy, Wuornos, Gein all committed horrible, terrible, mind-boggling atrocities and remain fascinating figures because people want to know why. What went wrong? We’re looking for cultural verisimilitude, we’re looking for surreal events to fit in neatly with the world around us.

That’s where fiction comes in. Verisimilitude is important, no doubt, but there’s enough wiggle room for authors and artists and creators to offer possible and plausible reasons for why life gets crazy. That’s the beauty of writing.

The post What is verisimilitude? appeared first on mandi bean: writer.

View more on Mandi Bean's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on May 17, 2023 06:04

← Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 23 24 Next →

Mandi Bean's Blog

Mandi Bean's profile
19 followers