tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post6765090835914615275..comments2023-09-16T05:02:59.946-07:00Comments on Heroines with Hearts: Should we use coincidences in our novels?Debra St. Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07154130275058459169noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-33101429905574636922014-05-08T12:41:49.650-07:002014-05-08T12:41:49.650-07:00Gary, I think you're right that 'coinciden...Gary, I think you're right that 'coincidences' can play a big part in humour. Maybe that's why, when too many coincidences happen in novels (romance or any other genre), it can start to have a comic effect - and make readers rolls their eyes - which is probably not what the author actually intended.<br />Many thanks for visiting to show this different aspect of coincidences. <br />Paula Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10040623635956769807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-46589006609235613892014-05-08T11:55:17.063-07:002014-05-08T11:55:17.063-07:00In an interesting coincidence (!), I was listening...In an interesting coincidence (!), I was listening to the "Journey Into . . ." podcast, episode #4 (from 2011) on the way into work this morning, just AFTER I saw this link show up on Facebook. It prompted me to think about coincidence in fiction.<br /><br />In the podcast story ("In Spite of Himself," by Nathaniel Lee), the main character is a super villain who keeps accidentally thwarting crimes instead of committing his own, and being mistaken for a superHERO, instead.<br /><br />It made me consider that you CAN use more than one coincidence in a story if it's a humorous story and the intent is to make the audience roll their eyes at the number of improbable events that are happening to a single character.<br /><br />I also thought of the now sadly defunct TV show "Strange Luck" from a long while back. The main character was someone who had, well...strange luck. All kinds of bizarre coincidences happened to him daily, but the audience expected it and WANTED it. In one of the few episodes I remember, he is making dinner and opens a can of beans to find a glass eye inside. He calmly rinses off the eye and puts it in his pocket. Next day, he goes to his favorite diner. He coincidentally overhears two men talking, one of whom is wearing a patch over one eye. "Yeah, I have no idea what I'm going to do. I bent over the canning machine and my glass eye popped out and that was the last I saw of it."<br /><br />Chance (the main character) takes the eye out of his pocket and just puts it on the table in front of the guy and continues walking. Because for him, these kinds of things are a common, everyday occurrence.<br /><br />Very thought-provoking question, and I felt like I could provide a different point of view than I suspected you'd get. :)Philosophidianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06313942468242988568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-19046353937835299282014-05-08T02:34:26.732-07:002014-05-08T02:34:26.732-07:00In this case, the coincidence was a good thing, si...In this case, the coincidence was a good thing, since it spurred you to start writing, Ana! Paula Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10040623635956769807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-88495194027781715142014-05-07T17:27:56.719-07:002014-05-07T17:27:56.719-07:00Eight years ago, a coincidence that "reunited...Eight years ago, a coincidence that "reunited" the H/h in the final chapter of a western historical romance infuriated me so much that I decided I could write a better book. That's when I embarked upon my "author journey."<br />Ana Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12325215832587691886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-14418916313254868322014-05-07T16:28:53.770-07:002014-05-07T16:28:53.770-07:00I agree, Ana. The h/h have to solve their own prob...I agree, Ana. The h/h have to solve their own problems and not have some wonderful act of God solve it for them!Paula Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10040623635956769807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-62521095707384168222014-05-07T15:50:24.713-07:002014-05-07T15:50:24.713-07:00The worst convenience, IMO, is one that magically ...The worst convenience, IMO, is one that magically solves the story at the end. Ana Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12325215832587691886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-25614066024747309052014-05-07T14:55:28.148-07:002014-05-07T14:55:28.148-07:00Someone on FB pointed out that most coincidences i...Someone on FB pointed out that most coincidences in real life aren't 'convenient' ones in the sense that they don't actually affect what is happening in our lives at any particular time - but that's how we sometimes use them in novels, which is perhaps why they don't ring true for the reader. <br />Paula Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10040623635956769807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-55146143378093137222014-05-07T14:46:05.959-07:002014-05-07T14:46:05.959-07:00I agree with Debra. I'm okay with one. Possibl...I agree with Debra. I'm okay with one. Possibly two if it's really well done. More than that and it's just ridiculous.JENNIFER WILCKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16218241106543538422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-52944033980958508492014-05-07T14:33:07.216-07:002014-05-07T14:33:07.216-07:00Paula,
I agree that it's a balance. One coinc...Paula,<br /><br />I agree that it's a balance. One coincidence is fine and many times is needed to move the plot and the conflict along in a romance. But too many, and the story becomes too unrealistic. And while we romance writers love our fantasy, for me personally, there has to be some grounding in real life.Debra St. Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07154130275058459169noreply@blogger.com