Do you think stories must include an intentional lesson?

[Leslie]

Do you value stories that are for entertainment and escapism alone, or do you prefer that stories have intentionally-included lessons?

[[deleted user]]

The danger in including 'lessons' in a story, especially a fiction story, is that what may be a valuable lesson in the mind of the author may be viewed by some/many readers as either condescending, morally/socially/politically wrong or may even be viewed as a negative/bigoted/prejudiced lesson, especially if it touches politics. Values vary widely between persons and societies around the World and what may be considered a valuable 'lesson' in some places could be considered anatema in other places. For example, preaching inclusivness and acceptance of various lifestyles could pass well in Europe and parts of the USA but would trigger a strong backlash in many parts of the Middle East, Africa and Asia. An author should be very careful about including such 'lessons' in his stories, on pain of alienating many potential readers.

[Thomas]

I think in children’s books, lessons are appropriate. However, it depends on where the story takes place. Religion, culture etc, one must be careful.

[Arch]

I do not read books to escape real life. I like to see reality in stories.

[Thomas]

Well put,

[Christopher]

I want to echo Michel here and give a warning that if you try to put a "message" into a story, you risk being preachy, obnoxious, and damaging your storytelling. Its not that it cannot be done well (see CS Lewis, or most children's books), you just need to be really good at it, and make sure it doesn't interfere with the storytelling.

IF a "lesson" is injected into your story I think the wisest thing to do is to

1) Avoid anything topical. What seems hot and relevant now won't be in a few weeks, months, or years. What was the big twitter Thing last week? You don't even remember do you? It will seem lame or dated in a hurry.
2) Avoid jarring anachronisms. If you feel you must write about the Cause or Message, or to attack x politician, don't do it in a way that feels like someone just tacked it on to the story without regard to genre, setting, characters, or date.
3) Make it subtle. Make it part of the story, where it develops as a part of the story and plot its self, rather than shoehorned in and blatant (ie your protagonist goes on a long Ayn Rand-style rant or has a jarringly out of place philosophical examination in their mind, or even a "moral of the story" ending like a kids book).
4) Be sure its true, right, and meaningful. Just because you read it online, or it feels true because it confirms what you want to be true, or it aligns with your religious/political whatever beliefs, doesn't mean its true or right, factual, or even useful to anyone.
5) Try to make sure you're doing this not because everyone is so stupid and needs your towering wisdom and intellect, but because you found it helpful and meaningful for your life. The first feels arrogant and condescending, the second will be more helpful and significant to readers.
6) Reconsider. Most people are annoyed with this kind of thing unless its handled extremely well; angering or pushing away readers does not help you as a writer. 50 low-star reviews with people saying "preachy" or "if you like x, this book will really annoy you." Bad publicity is NOT your friend as an author.

[Leslie]

Arch wrote: "I do not read books to escape real life. I like to see reality in stories."

That is an interesting point. I have met people who dislike fiction even. Do you attend theater performances? Do you prefer dramas or more realistic plays, too?

[Leslie]

Thomas wrote: "I think in children’s books, lessons are appropriate. However, it depends on where the story takes place. Religion, culture etc, one must be careful."

Yes, I agree that themes like courage, friendship, trustworthiness are usually universally accepted.

[Culton]

No, it's not lesson, it should contain knowledge.

[Arch]

Leslie wrote: "That is an interesting point. I have met people who dislike fiction even. Do you attend theater performances? Do you prefer dramas or more realistic plays, too?"

Some people say they read to escape real life. You can’t escape real life. Real life is happening. I read because I enjoy reading, just as I write, because I love writing.

I haven’t been to a theater performances since I was a child. I like Dramas.

[Leslie]

When the movie Fatal Attraction came out, I was living in a city with a university and received two free tickets to see the film and fill out a survey before the movie was released. (The survey even asked if we'd prefer an alternate ending.) Anyway, I went with a guy friend, and our survey answers were completely different. What we liked about the movie, etc. It was eye-opening to me what different reactions we had. This was before the comments sections on the internet made that more obvious about people.

I think life experiences can change our tastes, too. In graduate school I was all about 19th Century lit., but now I love well-written mysteries the most. Anyway, I'm enjoying this Author Roundtable a lot. Thanks for the comments.

[Arch]

I like British shows.

[Mellie]

Leslie wrote: "Do you value stories that are for entertainment and escapism alone, or do you prefer that stories have intentionally-included lessons?"

I read for the escape. To travel to new worlds or to experience the history of ours. To be other people, solve crimes, ride dragons, wield magic…all of it offers an escape from whatever is happening in the world :)

I don’t want a lesson, but I have noticed the books that really resonate with me have an overall theme that appeals to me.

[Kerry]

Thomas wrote: "I think in children’s books, lessons are appropriate. However, it depends on where the story takes place. Religion, culture etc, one must be careful."

Some stories I write for children do have a little lesson in them, a couple don't they are just cute stories about cats in my life and the adventures of Boris the star of the show. I think it very much depends on whether the author wants to convey a lesson to the reader about something in particular.

[Bernard]

Stories are meant for teaching moral lessons and solving societal problems. My new short literary fiction story Masquerade(https://www.lulu.com/shop/bernard-nke...) is a good example. It was written with lessons on Marriage, christian faith and fighting witchcraft. Some stories may anyway not have intentional lessons but are only written in the structure of the category they fall. So they must not have intentional lessons but are more valued if they do.

[Billy]

Storytelling is the art of compelling us to admire and respect the characters, cheer for their success and identify with their problems. But every effort to escape the jaws of the enemy puts them in greater peril. We become more and more anxious for their safety and frustrated they are repeatedly unable to outwit and overcome an increasingly vicious and powerful enemy. Just when the conflict takes the darkest turn, the heroes snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. We share in their success as if it were our own, and in a good story, it is.

Some stories are, of course, just an entertaining way to escape reality because we can’t really identify with the character’s success. But that’s okay because we live in a world with problems that are often beyond our ability to solve. So it can be momentarily satisfying to read a story with problems we know will be solved by the hero in the end.

But some stories can be a powerful way to change reality because the storyteller has used fiction to tell the truth, and that can empower us to find something true about ourselves. We become the young hero, the wise old woman, the transformed fool. The hero’s victory is our own because the fiction is psychologically valid, emotionally realistic and loaded with clues for shaping and navigating the sticky web of real life... fact and fiction dance in every story.

You won't find any religious lessons in mine, but you can read them at... https://www.ebooks-by-bill.com

[Leslie]

Arch wrote: "I like British shows."

I enjoy many British shows, too. I like how the comedies gradually develop and become funnier and funnier because of the interactions between the characters. Of course, the other genres are great, too. American shows are great, but sometimes we have more slapstick and glare than movies and shows from other countries.

[Arch]

Leslie wrote: "I enjoy many British shows, too. I like how the comedies gradually develop and become funnier and funnier because of the interactions between the characters. Of course, the other genres are great, too. American shows are great, but sometimes we have more slapstick and glare than movies and shows from other countries. "

I like watching the British detective shows. I like MHZ too, they be having good shows, although you have to read, which I don’t really like doing.

[Biba]

You don't like reading & have a gr account, arch? :D (this is a joke)

[Frank]

Like my mom always said: "A home without books is like a house without windows". Books help us to see outside the walls of our paradigm (box). I guess Zi have become an "armchair traveler".

[Kaylen]

It depends on the story. Some stories are great as entertainment or to escape from reality for a little while and others that have morals can be great, too!

I do appreciate when authors add in some type of lesson, whether it was something small in a short section or something that extended throughout the book. Never too old to see things from a different perspective.

[Frank]

Every author is different, every reader is different. Just because a certain reader does not want to read about a certain subject does not mean that an author should not write about it. Let the author write and the reader decided what to read.

[Arch]

Yasmine wrote: "You don't like reading & have a gr account, arch? :D (this is a joke)"

I like to be engaged into what’s is going on, but having to read the screen can distract that. I am glad that some foreign shows have an English option. The ones that dubs can be awkward.

[Arch]

Frank wrote: "Every author is different, every reader is different. Just because a certain reader does not want to read about a certain subject does not mean that an author should not write about it. Let the aut..."

True.

[Biba]

Arch wrote: "Yasmine wrote: "You don't like reading & have a gr account, arch? :D (this is a joke)"

I like to be engaged into what’s is going on, but having to read the screen can distract that. I am glad that..."
Yes, I understand; I was just joking :)

[Arch]

Yasmine wrote: "Yes, I understand; I was just joking :)"

I knew you were joking. I was just saying that having to read can distract me. The shows be good, I do not like to miss something, because I have to read. I do not know why MHZ has shows where 99.9% it is a foreign language, it is not like some of the actors and actors can’ t speak English, because some shows that I have seen, the characters jumped from speaking their language to speaking in English. Last month, I was watching a detective show on MHZ, I think it was one of those Murder In show and the male detective was explaining something to the female detective in their language and she did not understand and she told him to speak English in English, which I was puzzled, because how was he going to speak English, if English wasn’t’ t his language. Lol, I know Americans can tell other Americans to speak English, but wouldn’t others tell their people to speak their language? I don’t think “speak English” is standard for every language.

Again, I know you were joking about me having to read, when I am a reader.