Posted on by Californiacontrarian

A Believable Story ?


Let say for the sake of discussion that someone was writing a fictional book. Now as anyone who has tried writing fiction knows that for a story to be successful, it has to be carefully set up. Things do not just happen. The characters do not just do X without the writer carefully and often subtly allowing the reader to learn about the character’s background. When set up skillfully, the reader will have no trouble believing what happens towards the end of the book.

If, for the sake of discussion, the book was to be about a society engulfed in anarchy. How would the writer set up the background, so that the reader would say, “I agree, that’s very possible.” The anarchy would not just occur out of the blue, but would need certain things to occur. 

First, those that would be involved this anarchistic movement would be unemployed and so, with no earning potential, they would be somewhat desperate. This unemployment would be more traumatic if it occurred suddenly, as in “yesterday I had a job, and today, nothing, and worse, there is no telling when I will have a job again.” So a good author would invent some scenario that could cause sudden unemployment … perhaps, a pandemic?

Second, those young people who were going to school would now have chaos as far the pandemic and school. “Will school be restarting? If so, when?” If the answer to both of these is “I dunno!”, then these previously busy students are now left in a lurch with nothing to do. “Should we go down the protest? . . .”Might as well, as we’ve got nothing else to do.” A good author will blend these idealistic now ex-students in with the now unemployed as both groups are young and now bored.

Third, set up an emotional situation that can serve as a spark – a spark to torch the bonfires of anarchy. Perhaps some tragedy that is obviously racist, as who, in this age, can do anything but condemn racism? With the proper writing technique, the author could take advantage of the liberal press in his set-up. and use the politics of the day to inflame the situation even though politics actually has little to do with what happened. Whether politics has anything to do with anything, a skillful writer can easily concoct a story that suckers in those in the general population who are uninformed.

Fourth, make up a reason that makes it okay to wear masks, and in fact encourages the wearing of masks. Here that above mentioned pandemic that the author used to lead to all of the unemployment, etc. will serve nicely. The masks will serve nicely to disguise most of those that incite the riots, and encourage various lawless acts during the supposed peaceful protests.

Fifth, and granted this may be quite a stretch, a good author will be able to convince the reader that there is some good reason for some mayors and governors to let the anarchy continue, and to not step in and use the necessary force to subdue any violence. In addition some of these same states consider looting anything that is worth less than $950 is only a misdemeanor, and thus the looters, if arrested, cannot be held in jail. So consequently they are back on the street the following night, as what’s the worst that can happen to them? . . . not much! Granted the author will need to be quite gifted to sell this part, as this may stretch the credibility envelope too far, but who knows?

In fact, I know an experienced author who wrote such a book with all of the above elements. 

However, his publisher rejected it about a year ago. The publisher stated that the scenario the author set up was so far out, that no reader would be able to believe that such a thing could happen!

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