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interesting point
it seems there will always be a little part of the author's own personality in their main character/narrator. it's sort of like the hole needed to squeeze into the story. but usually once i get into a character's point of view, i find them saying and doing things that would be completely out-of-character for myself. i take the same approach to it as acting, which was my first but now estranged love ):
of course, everyone has different approaches. wow now you've got me on a tangent! i'll stop, to assure your sanity
posted by
Luz_Briar
on August 7, 2008 at 9:14 PM
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Talion,
Yes, I was trying to make this same point: every choice an author makes stems from the person who wants to get a message across.
Fiction is more susceptible than non-fiction, being less constrained by facts. And, yes again, the quality of a work is due to the author's ability or inability to tell a story or use language with some finesse.
Well, I have been sitting on this for 15 minutes trying to recall the brilliant point I was about to make, before the train of thought jumped the track... Maybe it will come back when I quit looking for it...
posted by
Ciel
on August 7, 2008 at 7:44 PM
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TAPS, thanks for going exploring--
I have to wonder what you found!
posted by
Ciel
on August 7, 2008 at 7:30 PM
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Ciel
Is it really possible for an author to seperate agendas and personal biases from their fictional works? The instant an author has an idea, the moment he/she sits in front of a computer or picks up a pen, the author already has an agenda, something he/she wants to prove. This "agenda" is tainted by the author's personal biases. What author of fiction writes about subjects that don't move and/or mean something to them? An author's vision of the world is often reflected in his/her work. This is why in all those lit classes we took in school, we not only studied the works, but the authors' lives as well. It's not about agendas and the author's personal biases that determines whether or not a work of fiction succeeds or fails. It's about the author's skill in presenting them. Good authors craft interesting, engaging stories around their agendas. Bad authors pummel the reader over the head with them.
posted by
Talion_
on August 7, 2008 at 5:03 PM
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Ciel
A very interesting and helpful post here.
I have just been looking at a bunch of your stuff on other sites. You are very prolific with your writing, and such interesting articles.
posted by
TAPS.
on August 7, 2008 at 4:25 PM
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I see that this is also a good theme for my blog on "the personal is
political"
posted by
Straightforward
on August 7, 2008 at 7:43 AM
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Thanks, Troosha!
I really appreciate your praise!
posted by
Ciel
on August 6, 2008 at 6:15 PM
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Ciel
An excellent observation as to what engages a reader - depersonalizing while bring a part of yourself into the writing is a delicate balance and challenge. You wrote this post like a pro, by the way....
posted by
Troosha
on August 6, 2008 at 2:20 PM
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