Friday, September 24, 2010

Blog Chain: Tell me where it hurts (so I can make it hurt more)



Shannon brought up this blog chain topic:

Imagine this: when you are gone, readers will remember your writing most for just one of these things: your characters, your plots, your settings, or your style. Which (only one!) would you prefer over the rest? Why?

Fascinating question.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about it. I've gone so far as to examine my favorite aspects of the authors I believe I will remember most when they are gone.

But I hit a dead end because I like different authors for different reasons, and I don't read and write for the same reasons.

So I started thinking about why I started writing in the first place.

I accomplished the initial goal I'd set for my writing -- to have my words touch someone so deeply they'd cry -- by creating a character whose emotional pain was so great readers felt it in their gut.

I got a kick out of having that control over people's emotions. (Yeah. Go ahead. Call me a bully.)

So I figure if I can't get out of life alive it would be cool if my characters could stick around in people's heads for awhile after I'm gone to do my bidding. (Insert evil laugh here.)

What would you choose and why?

Find out what Michelle said yesterday. Tune in at Christine's place tomorrow to see if her plan is as diabolical as mine.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I'm one who cried while reading it!

It'd be cool to be remembered for my characters after I die. :-)

Anonymous said...

Great point! I love it when a character lingers long after I finish the book. Truly the mark of great writing.

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

I think all main characters have to be in some sort of pain to drive them through the story. Great insight!

Eric said...

If nobody else will say it, I will.

Bully!

LOL, just kidding. I completely get what you're saying here. And that's gotta be so cool achieving that level of success in your writing. Nice post.

Christine Fonseca said...

Kat, your novel absolutely touched me that way, as I've told you more than once. I LOVE your characters!

Shannon Morgan said...

I think a lot of authors (or creatives in general) hope for a sort of immortality through their creations. Good to know yours will be up to mischief. ;)

Margie Gelbwasser said...

Ha! I like how you think. Great response!

Cole Gibsen said...

I think you just voiced out loud what we've all been thinking :)

Shaun Hutchinson said...

I love that you love to have control over others' emotions. And I love your evil laugh.

Michelle H. said...

Sorry so late commenting. Trying to play catch u[ a bit. It is kind of an ego trip, isn't it? Having that power over people with the words a writer uses to control people emotions. MWA-HA!