I just realized that I was primed to the possibility of a false alarm, by one that happened to me in real life a few weeks ago. So my reaction may be quite atypical of readers in general.
A fan once took me aback by assuming that, because I gave my characters so many political problems to wrestle with, I must be wildly interested in politics.
Actually, I hate politics, especially contemporary—although this year I expect I have a lot of company. What’s really going on here, I have decided, thinking about this misperception, is an application of my worst-possible-thing guideline—you know, my now-too-often-quoted stick for stirring up plots that goes, think of the worst possible thing you can do to this character, and then do it. Note the emphasis on the this, because it changes with each character. To my tastes, the worst possible thing I could do to any character is to force them to deal with politics.
I suspect that far more painful would be to later eha vagb Rqjneq nyvir, cnve-obaqrq jvgu fbzrbar ryfr, jbexvat sbe gur rarzl, naq (yrtvgvzngryl) shevbhf ng Oryyn sbe univat frg vagb zbgvba gur Phyyraf’ qrfgehpgvba. Rfcrpvnyyl vs lbh pbhyq neenatr vg fb gung Oryyn unq gb pubbfr orgjrra xvyyvat Rqjneq naq yrggvat Ryfcrgu qvr.
Lbh… ernyyl pna’g qrznaq gung cnegvphyne cebbs, jvgu inzcverf. Vs ur nva’g nfurf ur nva’g qrnq.
I just realized that I was primed to the possibility of a false alarm, by one that happened to me in real life a few weeks ago. So my reaction may be quite atypical of readers in general.
Actually, a lot of people seem to think that I wouldn’t really do it.
The question shouldn’t be, Would she do it? The question should be, is that actually the most pain she can put her characters in? :)
Reminds me of something Lois Bujold once said:
This may also serve to partially answer Vaniver’s very perceptive complaints as well.
Thank you for that link, by the way: it’s a fascinating read, and expertly handles many of the points I was fumbling around.
I suspect that far more painful would be to later eha vagb Rqjneq nyvir, cnve-obaqrq jvgu fbzrbar ryfr, jbexvat sbe gur rarzl, naq (yrtvgvzngryl) shevbhf ng Oryyn sbe univat frg vagb zbgvba gur Phyyraf’ qrfgehpgvba. Rfcrpvnyyl vs lbh pbhyq neenatr vg fb gung Oryyn unq gb pubbfr orgjrra xvyyvat Rqjneq naq yrggvat Ryfcrgu qvr.
Gehr. Gur arprffnel cebbs jbhyq or gb urne vg sebz n jvgarff, naq fcraq fbzr gvzr, pyrne urnqrq, frnepuvat gur zntvp flfgrz sbe ybbcubyrf gung zvtug nyybj erfheerpgvba. V qba’g ernyyl xabj gur Gjvyvtug havirefr rabhtu gb xabj ubj svany qrngu vf gurer, ohg fbzrubj, zl fhopbafpvbhf jnagf zr gb guvax gung Rqjneq qvqa’g qvr, ng yrnfg abg creznaragyl.
Bu, jnvg. Gung’f zbgvingrq pbtavgvba fcrnxvat. Erfheerpgvat fbzrbar sebz fgbyra zrzbevrf va Neeb’f urnq vf ernyyl, ernyyl vzcynhfvoyr; jul qvq V guvax bs gung? Bhpu, cbbe Oryyn.