Lies and falsehoods

I want you to know that at this moment I have three microphones trained on me. And I'm considering a fourth. I'm about to record for Smash Fiction and the last time I did, the audio came out so terrible I was too embarrassed to listen to the episode. Is this overcompensation? Possibly. But in my defense, my setup decided to give me a ton of grief and not work. I've spent well over two days just trying to get my microphone to be recognized by any program other than the music program that comes with it. Success is... limited.

But on to today's topic. Seeing as how I have roughly half an hour before I need to trade barbs with some of the best BSers in podcasting, I figured today I'd talk about an underutilized skill in writing. Lying. 

Okay, stay with me. DO NOT LIE TO YOUR READER. That's a betrayal that makes your ending feel icky. What I mean is that when I watch television or read books, I rarely see characters that lie. Or at least lie with any degree of authenticity. It's always way over the top and over-dramatic. Lying is one of the first things human beings learn to do. Babies lie ALL the time. So why can't we portray proper lying in media?

All I'm suggesting is that someone other than your antagonist lie. And that they do so with a modicum of believability. Is there a reason your side character can't lie to your MC? If they're supposed to feel some level of betrayal, it helps if that lie can catch the reader off guard, too. I understand it's a delicate line, making things interesting without being unbelievable. But I'm sure with a bit of finesse, just a hint of foreshadowing, and a good poker face, your characters can lie with the best of them.

​Don't Forget to be Awesome.