tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post5873181306968193359..comments2023-09-28T02:07:32.436-07:00Comments on Through the Looking Glass: Protected characters means decreased reader interestMelissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096764010151024050noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-72287833895602772152010-12-11T08:13:12.277-08:002010-12-11T08:13:12.277-08:00I'm so sorry and hope your sister is better an...I'm so sorry and hope your sister is better and so are you.<br />Nancy<br /><a href="http://nrwilliams.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">N. R. Williams, fantasy author</a>N. R. Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02174506528962095858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-68598517933841649932010-12-11T02:26:53.501-08:002010-12-11T02:26:53.501-08:00I can empathise with you here as my old and infirm...I can empathise with you here as my old and infirmed parents live 2.5hrs drive away and it tugs at my heart . I hope your sister has recovered from her ordeal, whatever it was. Great analogy with character emotional development in writing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-49008030640088726482010-12-10T22:41:51.280-08:002010-12-10T22:41:51.280-08:00Hi I agree with you! We can't molly coodle the...Hi I agree with you! We can't molly coodle them and let them find their own way.<br /><br />Hey Lynne Marshall's answering questions over at my blog!<br /><br />www.nas-dean.blogspot.comNashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14984530648140460594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-1917067845745132712010-12-10T20:21:18.590-08:002010-12-10T20:21:18.590-08:00I'm so sorry that your sister had something ba...I'm so sorry that your sister had something bad happen. It's hard having younger siblings. Often you want to save them from everything, but sometimes they have to learn for themselves. I hope your sister is okay. Sometimes all you can do is give a hug or a virtual (((hug))).Sharon K. Mayhewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07799235347319851345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-71517451849836473342010-12-10T10:15:04.565-08:002010-12-10T10:15:04.565-08:00I am sooooo evil when it comes to my characters. ...I am sooooo evil when it comes to my characters. I love throwing things in their way! I love to really mess with them, scare them. Wicked, I am!<br /><br />That is the CUTEST picture ever. EVER. I love it. That 'don't you mess with my sister' look is priceless.Jennie Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02088195986628533511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-50962758866352710022010-12-09T19:30:33.521-08:002010-12-09T19:30:33.521-08:00My crit partner always marvels at how easily I can...My crit partner always marvels at how easily I can torture my MC. Hope that doesn't reflect poorly on me! I now Thea can handle it...I think.Elena Solodowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03037029195682225565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-24186966644753636632010-12-08T12:47:25.379-08:002010-12-08T12:47:25.379-08:00All the time. Its so hard...
But I hope your siste...All the time. Its so hard...<br />But I hope your sister feels better! I know how much it sucks not to be able to protect the ones you love (my whole family is in another country) =(Clarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00062728322162370588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-40112398313224748302010-12-08T04:02:39.803-08:002010-12-08T04:02:39.803-08:00What a great thought, thank you! I hadn't rea...What a great thought, thank you! I hadn't really thought about it from this point of view before--I certainly understood that you can't protect your characters, or there's no story, but I'm not sure I'd really thought about how it would impact on the reader in terms of interest/likeability.<br /><br />Hope you and your sister are both okay.Amie Kaufmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15116472165351759477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-90739190942872340772010-12-07T18:59:00.326-08:002010-12-07T18:59:00.326-08:00Tension and conflict are so important, so yes, I d...Tension and conflict are so important, so yes, I do mean things to my characters. Because peace and easy lives are what we all want, but maybe not when reading a book!Lydia Kanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00484415427764822386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-71357167509859247442010-12-07T15:16:21.285-08:002010-12-07T15:16:21.285-08:00Fantastic analogy, Melissa. I'm sorry your sis...Fantastic analogy, Melissa. I'm sorry your sister is having a hard time, though. ((hugs)) (to you AND to her!)ali crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13023009704454279645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-28123749501215047902010-12-07T13:44:04.058-08:002010-12-07T13:44:04.058-08:00I don't mind hurting my characters but I somet...I don't mind hurting my characters but I sometimes cry when I do it. LOL. I only hope the readers cry when they read it.Susan Gourley/Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02669793865290876168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-992063356863056782010-12-07T06:35:36.162-08:002010-12-07T06:35:36.162-08:00YES! Love this analogy. It's a difficult life ...YES! Love this analogy. It's a difficult life lesson for us and our characters!Christina Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01799776834213400246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-31016622070707352622010-12-07T06:30:36.901-08:002010-12-07T06:30:36.901-08:00So true! You hate to be "mean" but it wo...So true! You hate to be "mean" but it wouldn't be a story if nothing hard ever happened to them.Janet Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12688012956157161889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-76840186480202797092010-12-07T05:58:40.913-08:002010-12-07T05:58:40.913-08:00I loved this. I don't find it hard to hurt my ...I loved this. I don't find it hard to hurt my character because I as the writer know the outcome. Though I do know my character is angry for awhile they'll realize that without pain and suffering there is no sunshine. It's like the real world, you can never get away from it, it's haunting you, what you make of it is the end result.<br /><br />Always looking for light at the end of the tunnel!<br /><br />PS did you see our blogfest numbers?! HUGE!<br /><br />Jen/JulesJules Ausbornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139097910439706456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-19225255355556799332010-12-07T00:43:15.319-08:002010-12-07T00:43:15.319-08:00Like the others, I hope your sister is okay! But I...Like the others, I hope your sister is okay! But I know what you mean. Take Suzanne Collins by example. I don't believe she coddled any of her characters. Also, it's of no service to always jump to "help." No matter what --our characters, our siblings, our spouses, our friends-- need to stand on their own to feet. Of course, we'll always be there to catch them when they fall...Samantha Véranthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07446488761214047647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-12783038739911519752010-12-07T00:09:16.448-08:002010-12-07T00:09:16.448-08:00I hope your sister is ok.
I don't enjoy lett...I hope your sister is ok. <br /><br />I don't enjoy letting my characters get hurt, but if it forms part of a story, I'll allow it. <br /><br />On the other hand I HATE unnecessary cruelty to characters. I actually wrote a post about it once. <br /><br />There's protacting and then there's ripping the pain out of proportion... <br /><br />The latter is just as bad for the story, but for some reason, some people don't realize it.Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-15250999951910890712010-12-07T00:09:11.506-08:002010-12-07T00:09:11.506-08:00I hope your sister is ok.
I don't enjoy lett...I hope your sister is ok. <br /><br />I don't enjoy letting my characters get hurt, but if it forms part of a story, I'll allow it. <br /><br />On the other hand I HATE unnecessary cruelty to characters. I actually wrote a post about it once. <br /><br />There's protacting and then there's ripping the pain out of proportion... <br /><br />The latter is just as bad for the story, but for some reason, some people don't realize it.Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-80950415929995483932010-12-06T18:34:59.628-08:002010-12-06T18:34:59.628-08:00Oh I forgot to mention- hope your sister is allrig...Oh I forgot to mention- hope your sister is allright. I know what you mean about wanting to be right there with her.Abby Minardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963640263845561309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-62810135668623987062010-12-06T18:33:15.136-08:002010-12-06T18:33:15.136-08:00Oh so true Melissa. Some of the things I do to th...Oh so true Melissa. Some of the things I do to them, I really don't want to :( But it has to be done. They have to suffer to make the story better- it's their scrifice to me.Abby Minardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963640263845561309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-87936992866850920892010-12-06T17:37:51.983-08:002010-12-06T17:37:51.983-08:00This is a truth I wish every parent could learn be...This is a truth I wish every parent could learn before they have children. My sister is now suffering because she was coddled all her life.<br /><br />I always say to the parents in my room, if a child doesn't fall down, how do they learn to get up?<br /><br />My shelved wip has an MC that suffers all the time and I don't spare her too much. She is what she must be. It's harder for her to see the suffering of those she cares for-because of her, but she continues on....<br /><br />Currently, the MC's suffering occurred beforehand and will again...<br /><br />Keeping your sister and your family in prayers and thoughts....The Words Crafterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14520267901489487512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-61802916683174944832010-12-06T16:08:07.111-08:002010-12-06T16:08:07.111-08:00Is it me or am I the only one here that loves find...Is it me or am I the only one here that loves finding horrible things to do to my characters? i'm so bad *hangs head*LM Prestonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16624508396760965680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-48200229240808688152010-12-06T15:48:02.708-08:002010-12-06T15:48:02.708-08:00I know how you feel; I'm an older sister too. ...I know how you feel; I'm an older sister too. Hope things work out for your sis!<br /><br />I used to have no problem being mean to my characters, but lately, I don't know. I think I'm getting soft. :PKrispyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09492607213249874138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-46963604772073899652010-12-06T14:21:17.567-08:002010-12-06T14:21:17.567-08:00Great point... and its so true.Great point... and its so true.Jeff Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00667419764890599092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-51926868508191096882010-12-06T13:22:17.367-08:002010-12-06T13:22:17.367-08:00As a parent I know how hard it is not to be able ...As a parent I know how hard it is not to be able to spare the people you love from being hurt. I hope your sister is all right.<br /><br />It is hard to make your characters suffer, but it's through suffering that they grow and learn. Plus, it makes for great story telling.<br /><br />Great post!Kathi Oram Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11959149321213743448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395886755359070021.post-11752069220873041622010-12-06T11:56:05.510-08:002010-12-06T11:56:05.510-08:00I hope your sister is alright!
I don't like h...I hope your sister is alright!<br /><br />I don't like hurting my characters--I love those guys. But I know it's got to be done, so I tough it out anyway.Kristina Fugatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18204372165725432422noreply@blogger.com