Gaining reader empathy rant

[limyaael]

And off we go on this one. Once again, I think I should define the term in the title of the rant as I’m using it: reader empathy, here, is the ability to tie the readers to your characters and make them feel for those characters. That isn’t the same as sympathy, which involves an element of wanting the characters to succeed. That’s because reader

Comments

[lilyflower025]

What would be a good balance for showing? I think it's sort of silly when I read books that tell every single emotion, for the whole novel . Is there a point where there's too much telling? When does the author cross that line? And how do you show an emotion like devastation?
L.
PS-I don't know if you caught this, but I commented on the end of one of your old posts with two things. First, I friended you, and hope you don't mind. Second, I'd like to see a rant on modern fantasy. It's a less written genre, but even high fantasy writers might find it helpful in terms of technology and magic interacting, as well as common
sense issues that hold true for every genre.

[limyaael]

I'm definitely in favor of showing, definitely prejudiced towards it. I tend to favor a ratio of showing to telling of about 3:1. But that's not something I mathematically calibrate, just a balance I've noted in my own writing. As for where a particular author crosses the line, I think it needs to be checked for every individual situation.

PS. I've noticed, and I think I did friend you back. I also did an urban fantasy rant about a year ago, which may be what you're looking for.

[lilyflower025]

Yes, that urban fantasy rant was what I was looking for! Thanks for pointing it out to me-I'm still working my way backwards. You did friend me, but I guess I didn't notice it or someething. I'm sorry about that; I've been pretty absent-minded lately. I hope your internet gets fixed soon, by the way. It's no fun to be without a good, reliable internet connection.

[raleighj]

Love your avatar!

[lilyflower025]

Thanks-It's made by proverb on LJ. She has other amusing avatars too.