Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Especially mysteries need to be coherent and consistent, otherwise the audience will just feel cheated. In a mystery every detail matter.

> Reality is full of false promises. So why not in fiction as well, Mr. Chekhov?

Well, as Mark Twain said: It's no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense.

Of course a false promise is fine, as long as you subvert the expectations with something more interesting. But just adding details with no purpose is bad writing.



Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: