Friday, October 8, 2010

Perspective

Yesterday's talk on POV got me thinking about another hazard of writing: perspective. Not the perspective of the book, mind you. I mean you, and how what you believe influences your writing. In a sense, I'm talking about the author's point of view in the story. Just like a character will notice specific things and feel a certain way, so will you, the writer.

No matter how objective I try to be, my opinions are still going to come out in my writing. One of the reasons I'm so shy about sharing my work is because it is me, my thoughts and feelings, even if the story takes place two hundred years from now in a vastly different world. Unless I make a specific effort otherwise, the things I like are going to be shown in a positive light, the things I hate are probably going to be the villain's favorite pastimes.

Not that it's necessarily a bad thing. Books are meant to make people think and open minds to new ways of thought. Besides, the writing comes from us; we can't expect it not to carry part of us with it. And I'm not talking about propaganda or one-sided writing, but books in general, fiction and non.

I'd like to know what you guys think of perspective in writing. Do your characters like the same things you do? Have you ever read something you felt was biased towards the writer's point of view? Please let me know.

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