Writer & Reader SlangIntermediate
Authorial Intrusion
A visible interruption by the authorial or narrator voice into the fictional experience.
Principle
Intrusion is a device when governed; a flaw when accidental.
Takeaways
- Omniscient and comic forms may use intrusion deliberately.
- Transparent prose often treats intrusion as a break in the fictional dream.
- The effect depends on whether the narrative voice has earned the right to comment.
Overview
Authorial intrusion is the felt entrance of authorial judgement, explanation, or commentary into the story-world. It can be a formal feature of a voice-driven work or an unwanted reminder that the writer is steering.
Examples
- A narrator pauses a scene to lecture the reader on human vanity.
- The prose explains the moral meaning of a gesture the scene already made clear.