Thread: Which of two treatments (described later) would you give to the following?

My Main Character needs to create a fictional character, certain of whose activities can be used as an alibi by the MC, should the need arise. For the same purpose - the providing of a “just in case” alibi - the MC also needs to create some fictional circumstances regarding his own whereabouts at a particular time.

He needs a story in his head, for if and when he’s asked.

(Don’t assume that in order to be believed, an alibi character must be real, must be able to be checked with in person, to verify the alibi. This is a story, and I can make my alibi character do anything I want.)

There are two ways I can write all this:

The simplest way is to have the MC telling some stooge what he needs to do, more or less like I’ve told you above, only fleshed out into appropriate story writing. Two problems with this are that it’s all telling and that I might confuse the reader.

The other way is to write an alibi scene, some interaction between the MC and his fictional character, which is slotted in to the main story well ahead of the point where it’s needed, and which at first completely fools the reader into thinking it's part of the main story.

And then, a final paragraph could go back into the MC’s head as he really is, with him reflecting on the fact that his invented story should do the trick of providing him with an alibi, should that need arise. This brings the reader into the loop.

Later, at the point in the main story where the MC begins to realise he’ll possibly need an alibi if he’s to keep on truckin’, I thought a line break with just a

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centred would suffice to make the reader stop their headlong rush for long enough to say, “Oh, yeah, right, OX told us all about this three pages back.”

But I dunno. I’ve never tried anything like this before. What do you think? Can you foresee any pitfalls?

As an alternative, queue the reader that there will be an alibi scene, and then show the alibi scene.

So to keep from confusing the reader by just having him tell somebody about it, you might do a bunch of false scenes and flashbacks?

I've seen this in movies. Where the scene is shown, not necessarily an alibi scene but something that the MC is planning and the MC narrates the scene. Not sure how that would work in a book.

I think I would start with talking to the stooge. And then jump into the abili scene. Pull out at certain moments, if necessary. Maybe the stooge needs clarification.

Originally Posted by NathanBrazil

As an alternative, queue the reader that there will be an alibi scene, and then show the alibi scene.

I'm hoping it's good enough they'll queue to buy the book.

Originally Posted by NathanBrazil

I've seen this in movies. Where the scene is shown, not necessarily an alibi scene but something that the MC is planning and the MC narrates the scene. Not sure how that would work in a book.

It possibly wouldn't. That's why I said it might confuse the reader.

Originally Posted by lin

So to keep from confusing the reader by just having him tell somebody about it, you might do a bunch of false scenes and flashbacks?

Sort of, yea, altho I hadn't thought of flashbacks. I'll puzzle some over that too.

Surely the point of an alibi is so that someone else can question him or her. What's the point of a fictional alibi? Whether it's the police or a spouse or whoever, if they can't question the alibi then it's not an alibi. I was puzzling over this too much to think of your problem.

Originally Posted by spider8

Surely the point of an alibi is so that someone else can question him or her. What's the point of a fictional alibi? Whether it's the police or a spouse or whoever, if they can't question the alibi then it's not an alibi. I was puzzling over this too much to think of your problem.

I knew this would happen. You didn’t take in the third paragraph.

I didn’t say a fictional alibi, I said a fictional character. The alibi is real enough, provided that the person to whom the alibi is submitted believes that the character giving the alibi is real. He isn’t, but the person to who the alibi is given doesn’t know this.

Okay, the alibi is in writing. Maybe that helps.

Originally Posted by The Backward OX

I knew this would happen. You didn’t take in the third paragraph.

I didn’t say a fictional alibi, I said a fictional character. The alibi is real enough, provided that the person to whom the alibi is submitted believes that the character giving the alibi is real. He isn’t, but the person to who the alibi is given doesn’t know this.

Okay, the alibi is in writing. Maybe that helps.

The only way that would work is if there was an actual person who could be spoken to confirm that the alibi is real.

Originally Posted by The Backward OX

I knew this would happen. You didn’t take in the third paragraph.

Aux contraire. I did. I do assume that an alibi must be able to be checked with in person, else he/she is not an alibi. I'm not looking to argue. But perhaps we're not talking of law enforcers here, maybe we're talking of husband and wife or, whatever. But if the alibi isn't there to be questioned or verified, then it's not an alibi, but a lie.

Originally Posted by spider8

Aux contraire. I did. I do assume that an alibi must be able to be checked with in person, else he/she is not an alibi. I'm not looking to argue. But perhaps we're not talking of law enforcers here, maybe we're talking of husband and wife or, whatever. But if the alibi isn't there to be questioned or verified, then it's not an alibi, but a lie.

Good point. This will teach me to choose my words more carefully. I know what an alibi is as well as the next man but had a brain fart over this. Sorry. Yes, the guy was creating a false scenario about how he came to be in a certain place at a certain time, and simply wanted it to be believed by anyone who may have happened to check. I really f*cked up the entire post. I think I'll go back to my knitting.

I think I know what you're after OX.

I would start with talking to the stooge. And then jump into the abili scene. Pull out at certain moments, if necessary. Maybe the stooge needs clarification. I know this has been done before in literature. You just need to have a mechanism, to switch back and forth between the alibi scene and the MC talking to the stooge.

OX, I have to say I am of a like mind with Spider8. I am having a difficult time figuring the value of an alibi who/which cannot be confirmed or validated. (And, yes, I not only read the 3d paragraph, I re-read the entire OP several times!) Yes, you are the story god and you do have ultimate control over your story BUT, the "This is a story, I can make my alibi character do anything I want," argument really doesn't hold up if you want others to believe it. Perhaps there is a contextual issue that is not carring across but, regardless of the context, an alibi isn't much of an alibi if one cannot validate the alibi. This includes a written alibi. After all, David Brown could have a fake I.D., go to a notary, saying he is John Smith and providing the identification to prove he is John Smith, then take a notarized statement saying he was with David Brown at the time in question, thus "proving" David Brown's innocence of s/th.

Now, the other big question that sent me reeling is the "just in case" - "should the need arise" issue. There seem to be a lot of vague ifs and maybes and smoke and shadows. It's sort of like throwing a dart at midnight in a room with the lights out. Kind of hard to find the target.