Writer On Board
"If you want to send a message, use Western Union."
Obvious authorial intrusion. When the characters start behaving like idiots or against their previously established characterization because the writer damn well needs them to in order to tell their story. May also occur when a character is accused of being used just to show a particular point of view, and not because they actually have it. The high-falutin' literary term for a character designed to express the author's preferred opinions (often the Only Sane Man) is the raisonneur—here at TV Tropes the preferred term is Author Avatar. At best, the only difference is a rather heavy-handed Aesop. At worst, narrative is put aside so that an Author Filibuster can be conducted. When you agree with what the author has to say, but feel that their method of conveyance is detrimental to the work, it becomes a case of Don't Shoot the Message. Creator Breakdown occurs when personal issues within the writer's life drives the authorial intrusion. A play on "Baby on Board". Author Appeal is a specific form of this. See also Creator Breakdown, and Idiot Plot. Compare Out Of Character Moment. Contrast Bored On Board. Of course, interpretations will vary and may be wrong...
— Samuel Goldwyn, renowned Hollywood producer
