Forced Fiction
During my teens, I got into amateur radio. There was something magical about picking up a microphone and talking to somebody around the world. I dabbled in that fantastic world for a time, but my interest faded when I learned how computers work. Still, I visited the local amateur radio store every so often.
The place had all the typical stuff you would expect: fascinating equipment, supplies, swag, and specialized tools. Interestingly, one aisle had a large selection of fiction. These novels were adventure and drama with a strong amateur radio tie-in. A common theme is being stranded and building a radio (they call it e gear) to get rescued. Even romance books. Who knew?
I was checking the place out a few weeks ago, and because of my writing interest, I glanced at a few pages. To put it mildly, the material was dreadful. Why? The plot, characters, and scenes were terrible because the author went to unfathomable lengths to shoehorn in a topic.
Since I could not locate a category for this type of entertainment, I coined the phrase “forced fiction.” This is when an author deliberately jams something into the plot. When was the last time you were in a dilemma and had to build a radio to get out of it? I certainly have never been in that circumstance.
This kind of story often involves animals, cars, sports, religion, politics, and fan fiction. Essentially, the author is passionate about X and wrote it into every chapter.
As a youth, I saw many animal adventure books at our local library and read a few. A classic example is a person who comes across a horse and instantly bonds with it. A wild adventure unfolds as the two do everything together.
Can’t the horse be a key figure? Of course, but their presence must be carefully explained. A cowboy has been riding their horse for years (established background), and it passes away (a tragedy that opens the door to a new character). In their sadness, a random horse runs up to them (allowing a bond to form slowly). The new horse turns out to be excellent, and they go on many adventures. The critical difference is a good story structure. (The story comes first and the horse second.)
What if I wanted to read an amateur radio story? That’s easy. I can search for books with great amateur radio scenes or themes. The book Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat has a great one. Most importantly, the setting is appropriate, realistic, and supported by the rest of the book. It is important to note that this book is about nature, survival, and wolves. Amateur radio is not the focus, but in one scene, it was an essential story element. Even if you do not like amateur radio, I recommend reading it.
Besides writing, I have many passions, including electronics. Thus, I wrote a few minor electronics scenes, but they were never more than a paragraph. This is because general readers will tolerate an obscure topic only briefly. Still, I would love to write a chapter about our hero building a power supply to save the main character. Yeah, I know what you are thinking. That is why I can feel myself hitting the delete key.
Should readers avoid forced fiction? I suppose people will buy/watch what they want, which is why those amateur radio books were for sale. It is a tiny market, but I guess the authors are making a buck.
However, I caution writers to think carefully before forcing something. I made that mistake more than once and was fortunate that my beta-reading mother pointed out the problems. Readers and viewers are becoming more sophisticated and will leave scathing reviews in a heartbeat.
Still… Did I tell you about the time I fixed an amplifier by replacing a diode? What a story!
You’re the best -Bill
April 28, 2021 Updated October 25, 2025
The place had all the typical stuff you would expect: fascinating equipment, supplies, swag, and specialized tools. Interestingly, one aisle had a large selection of fiction. These novels were adventure and drama with a strong amateur radio tie-in. A common theme is being stranded and building a radio (they call it e gear) to get rescued. Even romance books. Who knew?
I was checking the place out a few weeks ago, and because of my writing interest, I glanced at a few pages. To put it mildly, the material was dreadful. Why? The plot, characters, and scenes were terrible because the author went to unfathomable lengths to shoehorn in a topic.
Since I could not locate a category for this type of entertainment, I coined the phrase “forced fiction.” This is when an author deliberately jams something into the plot. When was the last time you were in a dilemma and had to build a radio to get out of it? I certainly have never been in that circumstance.
This kind of story often involves animals, cars, sports, religion, politics, and fan fiction. Essentially, the author is passionate about X and wrote it into every chapter.
As a youth, I saw many animal adventure books at our local library and read a few. A classic example is a person who comes across a horse and instantly bonds with it. A wild adventure unfolds as the two do everything together.
Can’t the horse be a key figure? Of course, but their presence must be carefully explained. A cowboy has been riding their horse for years (established background), and it passes away (a tragedy that opens the door to a new character). In their sadness, a random horse runs up to them (allowing a bond to form slowly). The new horse turns out to be excellent, and they go on many adventures. The critical difference is a good story structure. (The story comes first and the horse second.)
What if I wanted to read an amateur radio story? That’s easy. I can search for books with great amateur radio scenes or themes. The book Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat has a great one. Most importantly, the setting is appropriate, realistic, and supported by the rest of the book. It is important to note that this book is about nature, survival, and wolves. Amateur radio is not the focus, but in one scene, it was an essential story element. Even if you do not like amateur radio, I recommend reading it.
Besides writing, I have many passions, including electronics. Thus, I wrote a few minor electronics scenes, but they were never more than a paragraph. This is because general readers will tolerate an obscure topic only briefly. Still, I would love to write a chapter about our hero building a power supply to save the main character. Yeah, I know what you are thinking. That is why I can feel myself hitting the delete key.
Should readers avoid forced fiction? I suppose people will buy/watch what they want, which is why those amateur radio books were for sale. It is a tiny market, but I guess the authors are making a buck.
However, I caution writers to think carefully before forcing something. I made that mistake more than once and was fortunate that my beta-reading mother pointed out the problems. Readers and viewers are becoming more sophisticated and will leave scathing reviews in a heartbeat.
Still… Did I tell you about the time I fixed an amplifier by replacing a diode? What a story!
You’re the best -Bill
April 28, 2021 Updated October 25, 2025
