One aspect of storytelling that's difficult to pull off well, is convenience or coincidence. Most of the time when something ultra convenient occurs, it just falls flat and rings of plot tinkering rather than clever setup. The great Russian writer, Anton Chekhov, had a concept (called "Chekhov's Gun") where if anything is to be used later in the story, it must be introduced at a prior point and then used--he wasn't a fan of the "red herring" concept. It takes time and thought to craft a story with setup and foreshadowing, but the effect is worth the hassle.
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| Dana Carvey as "The Church Lady" |
You see, modern audiences are well versed in distractions and conveniences. While audiences expect surprise and shock, they don't want to roll their eyes when it happens. Somehow, there should be a sense of order, despite the chaos. Done well, the effect withstands subsequent viewings. I think of it like a terrific David Copperfield stage magic trick--no matter how often you see it, the effect continues to amaze and delight). Also, the audience really doesn't want to know how it worked, they just want to enjoy it.
It's tempting to stumble through plot development and pull ideas from anywhere, but it's really easy to write yourself into a corner. When that happens, you either go back and rework it or slap a convenient plot device into the story and artificially save the day. Don't do it. A story can be a magical thing, fully deserving deliberate thought and time in its crafting. Give your audience thrills and spills, without the eye rolling coincidences of plot convenience.
- M
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