What Is Verisimilitude? Verisimilitude Definition and Literary Examples of Verisimilitude

The definition of verisimilitude is, in short, the semblance of truth. A work of fiction with verisimilitude portrays situations, dialogue, and characters in a way that seems authentic and truthful, despite the fact that those elements are made up.

Using the “lie” of a made-up story to convey a fundamental truth about human existence is one of the central tools of literature. In order to immerse themselves in a story, the audience must be willing to accept that the story they are hearing.

Whether you’re writing a grounded, realistic piece of fiction, or a science fiction epic, the appearance of truth is essential to good writing. Fiction writers need to know how to use verisimilitude in order to draw readers in by resembling reality. If a writer can’t solve the problem of verisimilitude in their characters or details, readers will reject even the most exciting scenario. As Neil Gaiman says: “We’re using memorable lies. We are taking people who do not exist and things that did not happen to those people, in places that aren’t, and we are using those things to communicate true things.”

The word verisimilitude comes from the Latin “verisimilitudo,” which is derived from “verisimilis” (meaning “probably”); “verus” (meaning “true”); and “similis” (meaning “like”).

Historical verisimilitude can be traced back to “mimesis”—a dramatic theory proposed and upheld by both Plato and Aristotle. “Mimesis” means the imitation of nature, and dictates that in order for a work of art to be persuasive, it must have some grounding in reality.

There are two types of verisimilitude in fiction. The degree of verisimilitude a novel or short story has can vary across these two types.

• Cultural verisimilitude. This refers to the overall plausibility of a work of fiction in the context of “real life” in the “real world.” For example, any novel that faithfully portrays the real world, regardless of time period or location, is said to have cultural verisimilitude.
• Generic verisimilitude. This refers to the overall plausibility of a work of fiction in the context of its own genre. For example, a fantasy novel that portrays an imaginary world with internal consistency (and using conventions of the fantasy genre) is said to have generic verisimilitude. In other words, matter how outlandish the world of your story is, it should feel real to the reader.

In fiction, verisimilitude serves a higher purpose of conveying emotional truths to your reader in a way that will entertain them, help them through difficult times, make them think differently about the world, or even change their lives. You can use the following tips and tricks to strengthen verisimilitude in your characters, settings, and scenes.

1. 1. Provide specific, concrete sensory details. You can make up an underground tunnel that doesn’t exist, but if you describe the smell of sewage and the persistent dripping of water, you draw your reader into a concrete experience that contributes to the sense of reality.
2. 2. Focus on emotions that are true to your characters. Just because your characters have access to powerful magic, technology, or resources does not mean they don’t experience the same emotions as regular people. For instance, despite his incredible power, a wizard fighting an impossible beast will likely feel fear. Use this common ground to invest readers in your fictional characters.
3. 3. Incorporate the familiar alongside the unfamiliar. Keeping the reader grounded in details and situations they recognize is just as important as introducing new and interesting elements.
4. 4. Avoid technical mistakes. If you’re writing about the real world, get the facts straight. If you’re writing a magical world, stay consistent with the laws of your creation.
5. 5. Take time to cover objections. If something in your world lacks verisimilitude on purpose, allow your characters to notice that it isn’t right for them either.

To understand the different kinds of verisimilitude in fiction, the “counterfactual” or “alternate history” genre is a good place to start. These books tackle “what if” questions such as: “What if Hitler had won the war?” They set their stories in a familiar reality that is twisted in some meaningful way, coupling the familiar and unfamiliar.

The following books provide examples of how writers can finely balance reality and imagination, and transport their readers to amazingly believable worlds.

1. 1. Philip K. Dick, The Man in the High Castle (1962): What if America lost World War II?
2. 2. Kingsley Amis, The Alteration (1975): What if the Protestant Reformation had never happened?
3. 3. Robert Harris, Fatherland (1992): What if Hitler had won the war?
4. 4. Kim Stanley Robinson, The Years of Rice and Salt (2002): What if the Black Plague had wiped out 99% of Europe’s population?
5. 5. Michael Chabon, The Yiddish Policemen’s Union (2007): What if a Jewish state had been established in Alaska?
6. 6. Ben Winters, Underground Airlines (2016): What if slavery had never ended in America?

Whether you’re editing an existing story, or simply want to practice writing fiction with verisimilitude, here are two exercises to help you get started.

1. Editing Exercise: Check Your Story for Verisimilitude

Choose a page or scene from your story in progress and analyze it for verisimilitude by answering the following questions:

• Are your descriptive details specific? Can you make them sensory?
• Is your character’s behavior in line with their personality?
• Do their responses make sense for them?
• Can you fact-check anything?

2. Writing Exercise: Practicing Honesty in Fiction

To practice honesty in your writing, choose one of the following moments and write a few paragraphs in your journal about it. As you write, pay attention to what you’re writing, noting the particular things that make you uneasy. Try to be a little more honest than you’re comfortable with. Remember: being brave doesn’t mean you’re not scared; it means you do it anyway.

• A time when you were deeply embarrassed
• When you regret something you did
• The saddest moment of your life
• A secret you are afraid to talk about

Take some of the example sentences you wrote above and read them aloud to someone you trust, or read them alone and pretend that you have an audience. Listen to the way you sound, and pay attention to the sensations in your body as you’re reading the difficult moment. Consider what you’re afraid of being judged for, or afraid of saying out loud. Write those things down.

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