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Blogs by Jean Sheldon
How far do you go? 5/24/2007 8:01:52 AM
Barbara D’Amato has a blog on The Outfit blog site talking about voicing political views in fiction books. She asked, “how far do you go?”
To me it is not if the story will allow, but how much. Every word we write in our books expresses a personal view of some kind. How could they not. Would we be able to write without sharing our ideas? I doubt that I would, but I tend to overstate a great deal the first time through and remove much of my personal ranting as I rewrite. I allow myself that because it offers relief. In the second, fourth or twenty-third reading I can usually see I’ve crossed the line between presenting a view and climbing on my readers back to shove it down their throat. That does not mean I edit it all out.
My political leanings and basic beliefs are not difficult to guess in my books. I’ve muted them some. I’m of much stronger opinions than my characters and much more vocal.
How far do we go? Farther than we needed to go twenty years ago. I write because I love doing it, but if I have an opportunity to say I think something is wrong, I have a responsibility to say it. My challenge is to say it as one friend to another rather than shouting from a podium.
