I'm definitely aiming for prescriptive representation in my writing. A world where sin and evil clearly exist, but also where the heroes are unambiguous even when they make mistakes. In a world where, for example, once-heroic factions in Star Wars have now been covered in shades of grey, I believe idealism is the bravest philosophy to put into fiction these days.
I think people want good and evil. I've written some morally ambiguous characters in my day, and beta reader feedback has been unanimous. People want a character to hate and a character to love.
Even then, I’m not making my villain completely beyond the possibility of grace, in how she’s given multiple opportunities to choose a different path but consciously rejects them.
In terms of “indulging in will to power,” I can think of several fantasy books from the last 10-15 years that have left me cold for this reason. It’s a fairly popular trope for establishing a Strong Female Character, and I hate it. Oddly enough, the character doesn’t always even get any meaning from it, but they don’t grow or experience consequences either. I don’t mind antiheroes that are treated as such, but few things take me out of a story more quickly than an absence of a moral frame. It’s something I’d like to write about myself. Thanks for getting me thinking!
I'm definitely aiming for prescriptive representation in my writing. A world where sin and evil clearly exist, but also where the heroes are unambiguous even when they make mistakes. In a world where, for example, once-heroic factions in Star Wars have now been covered in shades of grey, I believe idealism is the bravest philosophy to put into fiction these days.
I think people want good and evil. I've written some morally ambiguous characters in my day, and beta reader feedback has been unanimous. People want a character to hate and a character to love.
Appreciate the dialogue. Cheers! :)
Even then, I’m not making my villain completely beyond the possibility of grace, in how she’s given multiple opportunities to choose a different path but consciously rejects them.
In terms of “indulging in will to power,” I can think of several fantasy books from the last 10-15 years that have left me cold for this reason. It’s a fairly popular trope for establishing a Strong Female Character, and I hate it. Oddly enough, the character doesn’t always even get any meaning from it, but they don’t grow or experience consequences either. I don’t mind antiheroes that are treated as such, but few things take me out of a story more quickly than an absence of a moral frame. It’s something I’d like to write about myself. Thanks for getting me thinking!
The strange thing is how much that Strong Female Character gets to indulge in toxic masculinity. It's such a terrible definition of strength.
"And having experienced reality and deep meaning myself, I know it’s not dead. ;) "
Amen and Amen, Leo. Let's bring the power of Story to bear in the defense of the Real and True!
Yes! No other medium has this power. Gotta use it responsibly.
Cheers, and thanks for reading! :)