“Truth is stranger than fiction.” This quote has been attributed to many great writers, so it might be good to stop and consider what this means. With fiction we can create a pseudo reality that makes perfect sense to readers. But with nonfiction, when the truth seems too good, too miraculous, or too coincidental to be true, we’re not going to believe the story.
Suppose I were to say I once sat at a table with an unmarked double-six set of face-down dominoes with the intention of turning up only the doubles. I then randomly turned up only seven dominoes, and they were all doubles. Would you believe me?
No matter how true your stories are, they have no merit unless you tell them in a way that makes them believable. Of course, your experiences are real to you if they happened to you. But saying, “This really happened,” isn’t enough to make readers accept your words. To keep them reading so they will benefit from your story, they must have sufficient details to make the experience seem real.
I’ve told my domino story several times. Because it really happened, I know the information that can make the amazing coincidence believable. In face-to-face telling, I easily see when I need more specific details and give them. But I’m challenged when writing the story, because I don’t easily imagine my audience being skeptical, wanting to be convinced of the truth.
Truth is truth for readers only when we have made it believable.
Fiction or nonfiction, what kinds of details make your stories believable?
