Recently came across a Geico commercial dealing with bad decision-making in horror movies. While I have not had television for years, this commercial came across as both funny and insightful.
Horror movies and prose often have story-driven elements that push characters to do insane things. Movies like The Cabin in the Woods weave these elements in with the main story to create a parody of the affair.
So how was this commercial insightful? It points out how prevalent the types of decisions are in horror movies, even if we are not acutely aware of it. Sometimes author’s need a proverbial slap in the face to see it for ourselves.
There are occasions where we write ourselves into a corner and due to time constraints, excuses or laziness we choose the path of least resistance. This can lead to bad writing, a theme covered in detail in the novel Redshirts by John Scalzi.
When you re-reading your work(s), think about this commercial then consider how a viewer would see it. If a scene seems as ridiculous as hiding behind chainsaws, then revisit that particular chapter.
Perhaps this logic condition should be referred to as the hiding behind chainsaws test. Has a nice ring to it?
