A Thinking Question . . . - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Diamond18 · 12-08-2002, 02:01 PM

Well, it's not so easy as that. Speaking as an author (which I am) I can say that the author has to assume a great deal of responsibility. It's not fair to insult your reader and say that they don't have enough imagination. Perhaps I (as the author) did not convey clearly enough what I was thinking, so that what is on the page cannot possibly explain the character's motivations the way I know them.

Then of course there is the author who is out to make a buck. I work at a library; I've seen a thousand trashy paperbacks and please don't tell me that those authors really believe or care about their story as art.

In Tolkien's case, his world is an absolutely believable un-real world. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

But to make a sweeping statement that all authors are that way, and to think that as a reader you should never judge the believability of an author's work is selling yourself and good authors short. Tolkien knew just how to convey to us everything about his world. Not every author can (or cares to) do that.

12-08-2002, 02:01 PM	#18
Diamond18 Eidolon of a Took Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: my own private fantasy world Posts: 3,460	Well, it's not so easy as that. Speaking as an author (which I am) I can say that the author has to assume a great deal of responsibility. It's not fair to insult your reader and say that they don't have enough imagination. Perhaps I (as the author) did not convey clearly enough what I was thinking, so that what is on the page cannot possibly explain the character's motivations the way I know them. Then of course there is the author who is out to make a buck. I work at a library; I've seen a thousand trashy paperbacks and please don't tell me that those authors really believe or care about their story as art. In Tolkien's case, his world is an absolutely believable un-real world. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] But to make a sweeping statement that all authors are that way, and to think that as a reader you should never judge the believability of an author's work is selling yourself and good authors short. Tolkien knew just how to convey to us everything about his world. Not every author can (or cares to) do that. __________________ All shall be rather fond of me and suffer from mild depression.