I was curious if I am the only writer that struggles with aspects of story plotting because of real life choices? For me it is not having a cell phone. Nope do not have one. Refuse to get one. See no reason for one...like...ever. But I am about to complete a novel and realized in a few locations the characters may be in a place where they could get cell phone service, and the logical thing would be to just call for help. Or in other places have loved ones call them. But I did not think of that as I plotted out my story, because its not an option I would have in real life. So now I have to go back in my novel and deal with that.
If you're not used to cellphones, you won't think to include them organically in your story, but most readers will be in a possession of a cellphone, so they'd expect one (I'm assuming you write contemporary). Luckily, you caught the omission in time. I'm not one to subscribe to the 'write what you know' school. If I did, I wouldn't allow myself to write what I do. But everything worth doing is worth doing well, and so I try to think through my story from all sides to catch things I in real life wouldn't think about because they're outside of my experience, and get appropriate critiquers who I ask specifically to point out omissions/errors. It's called due diligence
I set a lot of stuff in the 80s and 90s specifically to avoid the cell phone bailout. It solves too many conflicts, haha.
I had to ask a friend what happens when you push the stop talking button on a cell phone...do you get a dial tone like on a real phone? I had no idea, which probably seems silly to most people who have those things. They say 93% of the population has them, so I figure not having one means I am only 6% away from being a "one percenter!"
Another plotting issue I have, or maybe it is more in line with setting; is the very rural setting where I live. I did a story once on a ghetto setting, and admit that it was probably a little bland in terms of stereotype. I will look up pictures on the internet of unfamiliar places like that, but it is not fluid writing when I must stop and research the heck out of a character/plot/setting...
I live in the middle of nowhere, and write sprawling cities that are in sci-fi without too much issue, be thy an orbital station or orbital ring attached to a planet. Granted I've lived a bit of everywhere so it may be a little easier for me to write the grittier side, should I need to. Also not having a 'normal' office job that sticks me in the same location every day also got me around to the different parts of the city/town. Best research you can do to get a semi-decent feel for a similar area to your settings, is to hop in the old jalopy and take a little tour of those types of places around town. Couldn't hurt to get out of the house for about an hour and go on a little adventure.
There's some good reveals in 'The Social Dilemma' < The nuggets within you'll recall when you pick up your phone—they'll act as little dissuaders. I didn't quite buy the existential threat suppositions within that some of the contributors aligned with, but it was a real eye opener.
I cannot figure out why anyone would think they would need one. If 93% of the population has one, then its pretty obvious; what few times I would ever need one, I won't have to go far to find one.
I tend to be alone in my car, haha. And stopping at everyone's house might be considered rude. And inconvenient.
It is a long story, but about a year a go a police officer stopped me and informed me my driver's license had been suspended for medical reasons, and that the car could not be moved. She could have arrested me on the spot, but because I have a spotless record, she said she would not do that, but asked anyone could come and pick me up? I told her I did not have a cell phone, so she just handed me her personal one, and I called home, and it was fine. 30 seconds before she was going to arrest me, and then she was letting me use her phone.
We called them mobile phones in the UK which makes more sense to me as they are literally a mobile phone. I've just turned 30 and now have my first one. I only use it for emergencies (power cut and no phone.) also I live alone and travel alone and it's safest to have one - don't talk to strangers in my own unless you have to. Too big of a risk as you don't know who you're talking to. Other than that I don't use one and don't need one. Not much in technology. Some people can't live without theirs and I don't get that. Haven't noticed anything similar in my own writing. Has some characters similar to myself that aren't in to tech and gave them valid reasons for not having a phone they usually wished they did at some point.
