A mountain range may be described, but it doesn’t necessarily need a lot of detail – and yet the reader will readily accept it, and it becomes part of the overall picture in the reader’s mind. The only way to do this is with the art of illusion. At the end of the day, it has to be created (or recreated) in the manuscript to be believable and yet not cumbersome to the reader. It can be our own world – the real world, or it can be something made up.
World Buildingįinally, the backdrop is the world where the story is happening – physical, cultural, linguistic, historical.
#BUILDING ART OF ILLUSION FULL#
Secondary characters, constructed with varying degrees of detail, come and go but do not represent all the people in the world, nor all who interact with the main characters – they are there enough to create the illusion of the ‘wholeness’ of the storyline (and point 3, world-building, below).įight scenes don’t need full technical detail outlines in the narrative – just enough is needed to fulfill the readers’ needs and ensure the flow of the story is maintained. The gaps between the scene changes are fertile grounds for readers to fill with their own imaginations. Scene-changing (internal to chapters and at chapter breaks) is part of the pace of a story and is also part of creating the illusion.
Good choice of words and phrases will invoke a reader’s imagination, and emphasis should be placed on atmosphere, tension (when needed), flow, and style. No stage direction, no hyper-realistic dialogue, no overly long descriptions of objects/scenes/events. In many cases, the detail can be adequately (and lovingly) filled in by readers’ imaginations. I choose to see the art of illusion in three layers: The Technical aspects of writingĪs already outlined, writers mustn’t get bogged down in detail. Other commentators may look at the breakdown of this topic differently, but the basic principles are universal. This dynamic is exactly what the art of illusion is all about. Part of the technique of ‘ picking and choosing‘ is the ability to draw the reader into ‘filling the gaps’ – harnessing the reader’s imagination. Writers pick and choose what to reveal to a reader, and it is the choice of what is revealed (and what is not) that determines the efficacy of the storytelling. It isn’t possible, and any attempt would result in a ludicrous manuscript. One does not describe in detail every single object the POV character sees. One does not write with every ‘um’ and ‘er’ in speech, nor does one stage direct every movement and twitch of a character. Writing a story does not entail replicating reality. The less emphasis on illusion (or lacking skill in the techniques) results in a work of less quality. An author creates a story – with all its trappings and intent – within a fabric of illusion. The quality of the entertainment, and the extent to which one has to tap into one’s suspension of disbelief, are dependent on the skill of the illusionist. When one purchases a ticket to see an illusionist/magician on stage, one is entering the theatre expecting to be entertained, and where the audience is expecting – to some extent or another – to suspend their disbelief.
Most dictionary definitions of ‘ illusion‘ refer in some way to the practice of deception or misrepresentation. There are many ways to dissect the writing craft – or any art form – and this article approaches the topic from the viewpoint of the art of illusion. The Art of Illusion: I have written several articles in Angie’s Diary about good writing and genre writing – particularly in the light of my role as an editor.
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