tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post5528969589313626671..comments2024-03-28T15:01:21.285-04:00Comments on SleuthSayers: B2020 and A2020: How 2020 has influenced what we want to read and what we will write. Leigh Lundinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-46962910497194996192021-01-11T10:36:30.972-05:002021-01-11T10:36:30.972-05:00Thank you, Eve. That's a valuable historical p...Thank you, Eve. That's a valuable historical perspective. I didn't know that! Mary Fernandohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14095691813967544051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-74517976805063417732021-01-11T10:06:32.981-05:002021-01-11T10:06:32.981-05:00Anne - I agree we will (hopefully) continue to rea...Anne - I agree we will (hopefully) continue to read many books, including Sherlock Holmes, because the classics are important. And some people will not be attracted to empathy - in life or in books. <br /><br />In answer to your question, "How would you go about describing him in a way so that readers will empathize, understand him, and relate to him but not necessarily agree with his actions" - my answer would be that of course the best books will put you in his shoes - as in the German "Weltanschauung (world view)" - to see his world. I think many villains will be like Trump. <br /><br />As for empathy for Trump - understanding their world does not mean agreeing. In psych we have studied the Nazis and I can assure you we do not do so to foster agreement. We do it to foster understanding and this has helped immensely in combatting them. <br /><br />Mary Fernandohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14095691813967544051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-16108094792699457472021-01-11T09:45:41.283-05:002021-01-11T09:45:41.283-05:00Thank you, Bob. I hope so too. Thank you, Bob. I hope so too. Mary Fernandohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14095691813967544051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-12226124843113324282021-01-11T04:36:17.179-05:002021-01-11T04:36:17.179-05:00Interesting article, although I partly disagree. W...Interesting article, although I partly disagree. Will the pandemic and all other distressing situations change what we prefer to read? Perhaps. Will we prefer characters with empathy from now on? Perhaps. Do we prefer them over the Sherlock Holmes-type of personage? I don't think so. It depends on your inner drive to read. For many it's a diversion. Reading about empathic protagonists, or reading about characters you can empathize with, also means reading about all the things you may prefer to get away from. Perhaps now more than ever. Reading about a cool, reasoning character who stays firmly on his feet in an apparently unsolvable situation, and who solves it with pure thinking power and through perserverance, may be all the more appealing and inspiring now. That doesn't mean that a reader who prefers this kind of story, is not empathic, or can't relate to people in distressing situations right now. For empathy can be a strain. We are not necessarily what we read.<br /><br />May I post a question to Steve Liskow? You write: <br /><br />"Long ago, I discovered that I couldn't really flesh out my own characters until I understood how and why they were hurting. All my series characters have scars from painful lessons they still remember. I like to think that helps readers relate to them, too."<br /><br />Though I concur that it's important to think through your characters, to understand them to a certain degree, I wonder what you would do if you used a controversial person like Donald Trump as a character. How would you go about describing him in a way so that readers will empathize, understand him, and relate to him but not necessarily agree with his actions)? I'm not trying to evoke a political discussion here, but empathy should work both (or all) ways, I think. Would that be possible for you, too?Anne van Doornhttp://www.annevandoorn.benoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-28314346536561128292021-01-10T23:34:10.645-05:002021-01-10T23:34:10.645-05:00Great article. 2020 will change what we write and ...Great article. 2020 will change what we write and why we write it. We'll all have 2020 moments both shared and deeply personal. Hopefully, that "shoes of others" sharing is a gateway to empathy. Bob Mangeothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07888391367916922601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-46718945933701077262021-01-10T13:47:28.914-05:002021-01-10T13:47:28.914-05:00Definitely, empathy. And a strong belief in truth...Definitely, empathy. And a strong belief in truth and justice. <br />BTW, part of the reason the 19th century novels described everything meticulously is that (1) photography was rare and entirely in grainy black and white, (2) travel was rare, and (3) there was no TV, etc. If you wanted to be entertained at home, you read. Eve Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015761600962360110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-5789858393236473382021-01-10T09:08:48.933-05:002021-01-10T09:08:48.933-05:00Thank you, Steve. I believe that writers like you,...Thank you, Steve. I believe that writers like you, who have elevated empathy, will have longevity after this horrible year. I agree with you about characters who are simply doing things - I find it hard to care what they do. Mary Fernandohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14095691813967544051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-70571560317862546272021-01-10T08:21:38.330-05:002021-01-10T08:21:38.330-05:00Thought-provoking essay, Mary. Thank you.
I'm...Thought-provoking essay, Mary. Thank you.<br /><br />I'm with O'Neil on characters, too. I can't read "action thrillers" because the characters feel like comic book puppets. Long ago, I discovered that I couldn't really flesh out my own characters until I understood how and why they were hurting. All my series characters have scars from painful lessons they still remember. I like to think that helps readers relate to them, too, so I absolutely agree with your ideas here, too.Steve Liskowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07107703903536520140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-28307238193058956652021-01-10T08:11:08.124-05:002021-01-10T08:11:08.124-05:00I love this, O'Neil. More writers like you, pl...I love this, O'Neil. More writers like you, please. Mary Fernandohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14095691813967544051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-17368661818232321942021-01-10T08:10:12.539-05:002021-01-10T08:10:12.539-05:00Thanks, Janice. I think we are - and then we read....Thanks, Janice. I think we are - and then we read. They are connected. As you know, some people have just angry these days. I think we know what they're reading...Mary Fernandohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14095691813967544051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-48333042168234950832021-01-10T07:30:27.937-05:002021-01-10T07:30:27.937-05:00We will never be the same. Empathy. Missing in man...We will never be the same. Empathy. Missing in many books, missing in the actions of many people. My recurring characters have empathy, some more than others and I realize the one with the most are my favorites to write.O'Neil De Nouxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03142721824657611738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-64206785379865497832021-01-10T07:04:48.370-05:002021-01-10T07:04:48.370-05:00Interesting blog- particularly if you think that w...Interesting blog- particularly if you think that we are what we read.Janice Lawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03406971307368250281noreply@blogger.com