World, Writing, Wealth discussion
All Things Writing & Publishing
>
Inform, educate, entertain
date
newest »
newest »
100% entertainment, unless you aspire to be a super-powered vampire hunter or rule the world, in which case there are a few informative tips.
One reader's weed is another's flower. Me, if the story lacked anything to think about, I'd be bored. Learning entertains me. Like the opening of Jurassic Park, explaining the amber, etc.Plus, it's harder to pull off than just letting one's imagination run wild in unrealistic ways. Does the person who sleeps beside you want to listen to your dreams every morning? Not likely. I liked culture better when dreams were routinely interpreted (well before Siggie).
For me, entertainment is mandatory (and I hope I succeed) but I also try to participate in the other two. In my science fiction, I try to explain a little science, and more importantly, in the educational aspects, I try to show how to think scientifically. Science is to a collection of facts, although you need them; it is a method for approaching your problems.
To quote Bill Nye “Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't ” and there is usually something in every book that you hadn't heard before.
To beat a dead horse, some writers / readers actually see entertainment apart from enlightenment? I guess it's like saying junk food is not food. As long as that doesn't apply to French fries or chocolate.
It's got to be all about story-telling, that's the magic that people have felt since speech made sense. If the other things are part of the mix; great.
Other things? Now days even writers can see story and meaning as separate! Got to have reason to be told to not just be reality TV for my taste.
Don't get that, Jeff. Explanation please?
PK, you ever see Hidden Figures? It showed progress toward justice. Without that, the story could not have existed in any entertaining form. Not every story must be about (in)justice. But if it's about mindless butchering, say, without any explanation or motive, how's that entertaining? Obviously, it is to many kids, but it's not so much storytelling as it is a form of masturbation, IMHO.
An effective story will be meaningful. The specific meaning will be driven by the interaction of the reader with the story.Readers have surprised me with the variations in meaning they see in my books.
The real question, though, Graeme, is how many see the messages you hoped they would see?
That doesn't matter, Ian. Not in fiction anyway. The beauty about the great books is that they keep revealing tha author over time.
Treu, but as an author, when I put a message in there somewhere, i would really like to know SOMEONE got it :-)
I'm sure they have. We write alone but we don't read alone
Ian wrote: "The real question, though, Graeme, is how many see the messages you hoped they would see?"Since my primary aim was to entertain - I'm happy if a reader enjoys the story.
It's what people focus on that surprises me.
And what do readers expect from a book: just entertainment and escape or a bit of a new knowledge too?
I like novels that entertain and give me some new information. Novels set in other cultures are especially interesting, as are ones that teach me something. But you have to make it interesting enough to keep me reading.
Does your stuff perform these three functions?