McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft

The Author is NOT the Character.

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Persephone:
As much as we might not want it to happen, but if you write... Especially if you write something provocative... You will have people making the assumption that you agree with them, or secretly mirror their habits. People inevitably blame the author when they feel something goes too far in a book. Just look at the amount of fan distress and outrage when 'Changes' came out. (This is also why I -don't- let my certain family members read my more intense fiction.)

An author I love wrote a little bit about the subject, and I thought I'd share it here.
This is author Seanan Mcguire who's written "Rosemary & Rue" "A Local Habitation" and "An Artificial Night" among others.
http://seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com/280642.html?view=9457986#t9457986

arianne:
Ha. I was actually thinking about this the other day. Isn't it strange that authors (of fantasy fiction, for example), get asked if their religion or "take on life" or whatever is the same as their characters, but no one bothers to ask, "So, do you change into a wolf when the moon is full?" ???

It's fiction, people. Sometimes the characters are thinly veiled versions of the author, or the author's friend, but most of the time characters are just characters, and they believe what they believe because of their circumstances, upbringing or whatever.  ;D

jeno:
Mm, I'm going to have to disagree with this a bit. True, a fictional work or character should never be regarded as a direct representation of the author (unless it was deliberately written that way). It is all fictional, after all.

But general themes? Those are trickier. I have seen a lot of works that showcase the beliefs of the author in some way. Even if there are differing perspectives in the novel. Even if the author didn't consciously know it was there. In most cases it is very, very, very subtle - you wouldn't even see it, except if maybe the author has written a lot and certain themes (and, more importantly I think, the author's approaches to those themes) keep popping up in the stories. In some authors, the trend is more obvious. The Sword of Truth series comes to mind. 

the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:

--- Quote from: jeno on October 27, 2010, 08:17:30 AM ---But general themes? Those are trickier. I have seen a lot of works that showcase the beliefs of the author in some way. Even if there are differing perspectives in the novel. Even if the author didn't consciously know it was there. In most cases it is very, very, very subtle - you wouldn't even see it, except if maybe the author has written a lot and certain themes (and, more importantly I think, the author's approaches to those themes) keep popping up in the stories. In some authors, the trend is more obvious. The Sword of Truth series comes to mind. 

--- End quote ---

Yes and no; I think it's a measure of an authors' talent to be able to present a broad range of beliefs in such a way that it's not possible to see which if any is theirs, and some do manage it.

Landing:

--- Quote from: the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh on October 28, 2010, 01:21:59 AM ---Yes and no; I think it's a measure of an authors' talent to be able to present a broad range of beliefs in such a way that it's not possible to see which if any is theirs, and some do manage it.

--- End quote ---

I don't think I can agree with you, from all my experience if a author has written enough you are able to tell certain things about their beliefs. Granted some you will be able to tell less about then others, but if the reader is skilled enough they will be able to learn things about how the author thinks.

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