When can you write like ‘real life’ and when do you take the ‘real life’ out of books?

I preach authenticity in writing fiction, but sometimes things that are too ‘real life’ are not right for books. Here’s what I mean:

• Teen speak. Teens have a specific way of talking and interacting with each other, however this does not always translate smoothly to fiction. Know what authenticity to include: diction, habits, friendships etc. And know what authenticity not to include: pop culture references that will date the novel, slang that won’t translate across all reading audiences etc.
• POVs. Use alternate POVs to better inform the reader in new perspectives, not repeat the situation from all angles.
• Coincidence vs. Serendipity. There is a fine line between the two and I’ve touched on it before. Know which happens only in real life, which can be fabricated for fiction and when to avoid the two all together.
• Timing. Timing in books is nothing like real life. Novels need planned and plotted pace, while life moves at its own speed. Never mix these two up. Real life pacing makes for a disastrous novel (read: boring and forgettable) and you can never expect what happens in books to happen to you!
• Characters. All characters in a novel have a purpose for being there. If you introduce a character with no idea why or where they are headed that’s a problem. In real life you come across all types of people that come in and out of your life. Not so in fiction. Even if they are minor characters they should be as 3D as if they were real. Even if the character doesn’t advance plot do they reveal something about another character? Use characters with purpose.
• Setting. Each writer has their own relationship with describing setting. Are you someone that notices the crown moldings on a brownstone? Or are you someone that whizzes through life without reflection on place? Let setting be natural to characters and purposeful. We’ve all had enough pathetic fallacy.
• High stakes. In fiction the stakes must be high and they must be manufactured. It is not often in real life you are presented with the stakes that characters are in novels. This is a significant difference between novels that understand the borders of authenticity. Will the character lose their job if they go for the new job interview not knowing if they’ll get it? Can the character go on a date with a new guy taking a chance on love when they have an unhealthy, but steady relationship with someone else? What will/can the character lose as the plot moves along? (See this blog post for more.) Continue reading →