SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF

I think most of us are familiar with the term suspension of disbelief, which can be defined as the semi-conscious decision of a reader to put aside their beliefs, and accept the premise of a story as being real/possible. Or engaging in another world, like in a fantasy/sci fi, altogether. For the duration of a book, the reader is willing to believe things that are otherwise unbelieveable. The same can be said for movies.

Recently, I picked up the book Second Glance, by Jodi Picoult. It was written about 5 years ago, and although I'd read and loved her other books, I never wanted to read this one because of the supernatural element. I figured that since I don't believe in ghosts, there's no way I'd buy into this story. The only reason I actually took the time to read it was because I enjoy the way Picoult uses language, and also the way she tackles gray/controversial issues from several angles. So I decided to give it a whirl.

This book drew me in to the point where I was looking over my shoulder and had to read with my back against a wall. I was sucked into the story and became wholly involved with the characters, going so far as to believe their experiences. When I finally sat the book down, I had to ask myself, why? Was it the blending of the real world (Vermont setting, historical facts, etc) with the paranormal that caused me to suspend my disbelief? What, exactly, pulled me through a story I had been reluctant to read?

So I thought and thought about it, and determined that part of what made me "believe" was the skilled use of detail. In Writing for the Soul, Jerry B. Jenkins agrees, saying that reader buy in can be positively or negatively affected by well-researched details. In Writing the Breakout Novel, Donald Maass says that breakout thriller writers master the detailing that creates plausibility--which can really be applied across genres.

This is a skill I need to learn, especially since I'm not a huge detail writer, as I know some of you are =)

My question to you is, as you read a book, what causes you to suspend your disbelief?