Sunday Telegraph Article - How to Have an Enid Blyton Summer

If it doesn't fit into any of the above categories, post it here!
User avatar
Rob Houghton
Posts: 16029
Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham

Re: Sunday Telegraph Article - How to Have an Enid Blyton Su

Post by Rob Houghton »

KEVP wrote:The problem is the "contrived coincidence". I think readers were more tolerant of this in the past (Dickens has a lot of them) but people don't put up with it today. Your hero loses their cell phone the one day that they need it the most. Seems like a contrived coincidence.

But maybe the bad guys steal the cell phone. Or the bad guys do something with their tech to disable the cell phone.

Or maybe my original idea. Since the hero has a cell phone, the bad guys are able to zoom in on it to find the hero. So the hero themself destroys the cell phone so that the bad guys can't find them.
In some ways I agree - especially in a novel - but the 'contrived coincidence' is a staple of soap opera plots. Programmes like Coronation Street, Neighbours, Eastenders, etc, all rely on contrived coincidences pretty heavily. 8)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



Society Member
User avatar
Ming
Posts: 6057
Joined: 14 Nov 2006, 16:58
Favourite book/series: Adventure/Mystery
Favourite character: Fatty, Bill Smugs, Kiki
Location: Ithaca, NY
Contact:

Re: Sunday Telegraph Article - How to Have an Enid Blyton Su

Post by Ming »

Or one could be traveling to remote locations where cell reception is very patchy, wifi is not free, and roaming charges cost an arm and a leg!

Like me all last month! :D
Image

Society Member
Post Reply