Flash Fiction Advisory

Unwarranted Warrants.

Identify the assumption at the base of the story. In a space story, does the plot rely on the assumption of FTL travel? If a fantasy, is the Divine Right of Kings critical?

Assumptions, aka “warrants,” are any truths that must be easily, subconsciously accepted by the reader for the story to work. If a warrant starts an argument in the reader’s mind, uh-oh.

When a warrant is controversial: say, “humans aren’t worth saving from disaster,” those who recoil against it will reject the story, no matter how well-written.

Example: Fiction with a warrant problem noted in the reader commentary.

Flash Fic Advisory #4: Identify your warrant.