Why Readers Stop Trusting Your Story (And How to Fix It)
Have you ever put down a book because something felt ‘off’ but you couldn’t quite pinpoint what? That instinctive reaction often comes down to authentic details – and here’s what I learned about getting them right.
The Mauritius Table Setting That Changed My Writing
Last month, I found myself helping my half-Mauritian friend set the table for a lunch with her relatives in Point d’Esny – and getting it all wrong.
‘No,’ she said, ‘in Mauritius, we lay a spoon alongside the large knife, not a small knife. Mauritians like to use a spoon for rice dishes.’
I also learnt to place the baguette directly on the table, from where the lunch guests would tear off hunks and hollow it out, eating the crispy outside. And no table was complete without the Mazavaroo, meaning, ‘It’s a pleasure’: the green chilli paste that blows the roof of your mouth off.
We had just spent a couple of hours snorkelling Blue Bay, down the road, photographing a turtle and the needle fish that fly just below the surface. From her front window, I could look out through the coconut palms to the sea, light turquoise, darker over the coral. In the distance, waves crashed over the reef and the wreck of the Dalblair.
Why Authentic Details Matter in Fiction Writing
All this got me thinking about settings and research. If I set a story there, I’d have to get those details right. Imagine that I conjured a pair of siblings having a fraught discussion. I might well have them dress the table for dinner because, as we all know, it’s good to give your characters something to do while they’re talking. It breaks the dialogue, shows more about them – and has the added advantage of giving us a sense of where the story is set.
The sister might look out at the wreck, to control her emotions, then carefully place the final spoon, just as she delivers her decisive last word. In response, her brother might well be tempted to fling the Mazavaroo at her head.
If she set the table in the way I was taught, instead of the way real Mauritians do, it would put people off, to the point that some might stop reading. Sure, not all readers would know the difference, but it’s a matter of trust. Readers unconsciously have the sense that, if you can’t be trusted with the small details, how can we trust our imaginations to you. How can we willingly suspend our disbelief, if you can’t get the basics right?
Even if your setting is a fictional place, give us enough concrete details to ground us in place and time. Give us specific details that work together and make sense.
The Research Trap: When Too Much Information Kills Your Story
Don’t overdo it, though. Picture the following:
A historian sweeps the woman of his dreams off to a romantic village in the heart of Tuscany, where he pops a Prosecco cork.
“Can you believe it, Doris, but Santa Fiora was first mentioned in a document in 890AD. And in 1082, a castle was constructed here and the city walled.”
She gazed into his eyes. “Really, Christopher? Please tell me more.”
“Of course, Doris. The power of the abbey passed first to the Aldobrandeschi conti di San Fior, and later to the hegemony of the commune of Siena, which had a strong influence on Santa Fiora by the mid fourteenth century…”
“Oh kiss me, Christopher, I can’t contain myself an instant longer…”
It’s always a temptation (not to kiss him, but to overdo the research). You’ve looked up all that information and you can’t bear to waste it. Whatever your character’s occupation, by all means allow him to throw in the odd piece of incomprehensible jargon, where appropriate, but don’t labour the matter. Just a detail or two will be enough.
No matter how proud you are of your work, always remember: research is like good make up. Its aim is to make you look better, but you shouldn’t be aware of it.
9 Practical Research Tips You Can Use Today
1. Use the “iceberg principle” with research Show only 10% of what you’ve learnt; the other 90% gives you confidence and authenticity beneath the surface
2. Test cultural details with native sources Find someone from that culture or location to verify your assumptions – even small errors can destroy credibility
3. Focus research on what your characters would notice A chef sees different kitchen details than a child; filter research through your character’s expertise and attention
4. Avoid “Wikipedia voice” in dialogue Characters don’t speak like encyclopaedia entries; let research inform natural conversation, not replace it
5. Create a research bible for consistency Keep track of details you’ve established so you don’t contradict yourself later in the story
6. Research sensory details, not just facts What does the place smell like? How does the fabric feel? Readers connect through senses, not statistics
7. Use specific brand names and local terms “Mazavaroo” is more authentic than “spicy sauce” – specific details create immediate believability
8. Research your research sources Verify that your sources are reliable, current, and relevant to your story’s time period and location
9. Stop researching when you start procrastinating If you’re researching to avoid writing, you have enough information to continue your draft
Getting Your Books Into Readers’ Hands
I hope these fiction writing tips will help you create authentic, believable stories that will build trust with your readers.
But how do you get your books into readers’ hands?
Richard recently attended the Self Publishing Show Live 2025 at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall where he learnt about some of the marketing strategies and author tools driving success in 2025 from the industry experts. Join him at our next webinar where he’ll share some of the insights he gleaned.
Register for our free webinar: Indie Author Tips From The Self Publishing Show Live 2025
When: Wednesday 9 July 17:00 BST | 18:00 SAST
Join Our Writing Workshops
I’ll be at the Karoo Art Hotel in Barrydale from Friday with Joanne Hichens for our annual memoir workshop from July 4 to 6. Besides good Karoo food, walks in crisp air, and river dips in the chilly Tradouw valley, we can offer you the skills you need to tackle your own memoir, and get you started.
From July 6 to 11, we’ll be hosting our annual Karoo writing retreat, at the Karoo Art Hotel. So, stay on, or come just for the retreat, which is aimed at writers of all genres, not just memoir. The retreat offers you the time and space to write, and an hour of one-on-one time every day with Jo or me, to discuss, brainstorm, ask questions or get feedback.
We have just one place available on each so if you’d like to snap one of them up, please contact Trish asap.
Happy writing
Jo-Anne
