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Tag Archives: didacticism
Windmill Variations: In Defense of Message-Driven Fiction
I suspect inopportune literalism is the primary limiting factor in my confusion as to why good fiction must not, dare not, shall not contain a message. I read the books that others tell me are “good” and I see messages aplenty, and more often than not I see aggressive arguments for particular viewpoints. Scout may pretend to be unformed and open-minded, but “To Kill A Mockingbird” leaves no doubts about what the author believes are better (and lesser) moral conclusions through her voice. Continue reading
The Writer’s Desk: Audiences Don’t Owe us Anything
Spoke last week in a stake fireside in Las Vegas. David Skousen introduced me (he also accompanied the opening hymn for the fireside: a rendition of “The Spirit of God” that would have parted your hair. Also, as he stood … Continue reading
Posted in The Writer's Desk
Tagged audience response, didacticism, Richard Dutcher, Value of art
11 Comments
The Writer’s Desk: When Messages Show Up
In my last post, I ranted (who, me? rant?) about writers who put a message before the story, how messages in books will come across more powerfully if they aren’t put there intentionally. How I hated people asking what message … Continue reading
The Writer’s Desk: More on Messages and Agendas
I’m admitting upfront that I’m stealing this topic from J. Scott Bronson. His last post was titled, “There’s Always a Message,” and it struck a chord with me. Back in my early teenage years, my older sister, then an English … Continue reading
Posted in The Writer's Desk
Tagged didacticism, Homosexuality, No Going Back by Jonathan Langford, Whitney Awards
67 Comments
