Thought of the Day: Words of Power, Words of Wisdom, Words of "Whoa"

[traveller_blues]

Who does the story belong to, once a writer has plied his or her craft and released it to the universe of literate folks? It is the property of the author, and he or she is to be compensated for it if the work is designed to be sold for pay. This is the point of 'writing for a living

Comments

I defend my principles, but I also respect those of others.

[traveller_blues]

*chuckles* I can't say I lived in those times, but I'm pretty sure that since we have a number of hate crimes on record from that era, that if you lived in the South and wrote at full openness of words? You would likely draw some serious reprisal from your neighbors. If you wanted to influence without losing your audience, you would have to tone down your writing so that the overall message was sent, rather than being dismissed right up front.

There is a marked difference between standing up for your principles on an individual basis, when asked about the topic, and writing to sway people to your principles over their own in a manner that is hateful and brooks no compromise.

I believe in a number of things that others do not share truths with me on. But I also (and mainly) write to tell stories, and to teach life lessons on thinking and being better in the world; I do not write to push principles of intolerance on others who do not believe in the same things I do.

Maybe I live in my own fantasy, but it is my fantasy islands and da plain talk that I choose to represent me in the wider world.

-Traveller

Re: I defend my principles, but I also respect those of others.

[tuftears]

Well, here's my take:

* Let's say you strongly dislike, say, peanut butter
* You realize a large amount of your audience likes peanut butter

You have several choices as I see it:

- Pretend you like peanut butter and only share your peanut butter loathing with a select few
- Write trying to convince people that peanut butter may not be simply a wholesome, delicious condiment
- Be up front that you dislike peanut butter and write with the understanding that peanut butter is evil

I dunno what happened with you and your formerly liked author though. My guess would be that the third is bluntly honest but likely to win you the 'no popularity' prize, and the second is what you dislike?

Re: I defend my principles, but I also respect those of others.

[traveller_blues]

*grins* Said author, using your analogy, would say that peanut butter is poisonous to everyone it touches and that anyone who eats peanut butter or professes to like it is a culinary heretic that should have their tongues torn out. That any school that serves peanut butter should have their funding revoked until such time they serve only jelly sandwiches without the peanut butter.

An author's influence is best when he/she is telling a story, not preaching utopia, as you say. I have certain beliefs and ideals, but my characters do not always adamantly reflect them; I am willing to write for others viewpoints and accept that I am not always in the right nor majority. Heck, I actually like writing minority opinion characters sometimes -- it's a driving plot of 'you versus the world' storylines.

I agree that it would be compromising my values to profess a love for peanut butter and extol its virtues. But my writing would probably show it.

Having a main character have an extreme dislike for peanut butter when it is relevant to the story? Good. Having it be there just to serve as a vehicle of criticism? Passable if it's a character thing. Having it there as the author's avatar? Not so much. You yourself see right through such things in writing, and quit patronizing those authors' works.

I think we're mostly on the same page here.

-Traveller

Re: I defend my principles, but I also respect those of others.

[tuftears]

Yeah, I concur - I would be surprised if we were far off actually. I just did not have, and still have no idea, what occasioned this LJ entry in the first place. };)

Re: I defend my principles, but I also respect those of others.

[traveller_blues]

Precisely my point. If I went and ranted about the ability to use your journal to foment antagonistic tendencies towards (noun), and named names, then I would be surely hypocritical.

I think my point is that I do use my journal to express my beliefs and insights on the universe, but I do filter and take my readership (both purposeful and accidental) into account.

-Traveller