In writing (or reading), imagine how boring a character would be if they were just angry or only sad. A purely evil or good character is not only unrealistic, but also quite dull. Yet, think of how interesting a murderer would be if he/she also always visited his grandmother with flowers.
Posts Tagged: language
Journal Entry – Oct 30, 2015
The novel I am working on, fitfully for far too long, keeps changing underneath my very well laid out plans. This is a good thing, as it seems that the characters are more fleshed out, more real, have stronger personalities that can move about on their own, while I am desperately try to keep up… Read more »
Journal Entry – Oct. 16, 2015
For me, the activity itself is not enough. When I go for a walk, I want to have a purpose for the walk beyond itself (e.g., seeing a sight, finding a clue on a treasure hunt, etc.). If I exercise, it is not just to lose weight and get healthier, but rather to develop a… Read more »
Journal Entry – October 14, 2015
Watching bad B-movies makes me wonder if my own writing is as stilled and one dimensional. I suppose many authors (aspiring or otherwise) feel this way. But the goal for me is to create something enveloping, but how does one know if it is so? If a story is not enveloping, not immersive, if it… Read more »
Devil’s Advocate
Playing “devil’s advocate” is a lazy way to seem intelligent because it has guaranteed success. If there is likely no such thing as an objective truth (link), i.e., something that is true regardless of time and place, then any statement or thought will have exceptions.
Nature vs. Nurture
In the dichotomy of nature vs. nurture, nurture wins. Most characteristics that tend to be placed in the nature column in fact belong to nurture, such as much of the supposed gender divide. The sometimes held myth that women are not as good at mathematics, for example, is more a result of imposed gender roles… Read more »
Justice and Education
When meting out justice, the courts say that ignorance is no excuse; not knowing the law and courtroom/police procedure does not protect one from the punishments resulting from breaking the law. If this is true, then justice seems to require a populace educated in law, police work and courtroom protocol. Yet, many remain uninformed and… Read more »
Understanding and Labeling
It is a shame that in many cases, the level of debate in politics (either at the dinner table or between pundits) has not developed past kindergarten. Name-calling and pigeon-holing and high emotion leading to arguments and recrimination are far from uncommon.
Truth and Words
Objective truth is likely impossible. If one states something as an absolute truth (that will remain true into the indefinite future and was so back to the indeterminate past), doubt him. Wise words hold a truth, but it is only a relative one. It can be approached in the hard sciences and mathematics, but considering… Read more »
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