The Power of Fiction – Authors have their say

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Do authors have a different perspective on the power of fiction than readers? (Readers gave their views last week.)  A number of authors are here with theirs today.

Shirley Patton obtained a PhD at 50 and left academia to write full time. She is the author of The Secrets We Keep.

To transport you into other lives, times and places so that you are transformed, enlightened, entertained, moved, enriched – all or any of these – as a result.

Lael Braday says she grew up poor in ‘podunk Kansas’ and now lives in ‘shoppingville, NC:

Stories tell the truth of emotions, relationships, and the underlying politics of dynamics.

Lynn Goodwin is an author, a book reviewer and teacher at Story Circle Network, and she is an editor, writer, reviewer, and manuscript coach at Writer Advice. Lynn is the author of Talent.

Fiction has the power to transport the mind and transform actions. In addition it can entertain and enlighten.

Bob Rich is from Australia and is a writer and editor with 17 published books. He is the author of the novel Ascending Spiral: Humanity’s Last Chance.

Fiction at its best is the distillation of reality. It can be more powerful than nonfiction, through focusing on emotional reactions. Reading well-written fiction can take a person into someone else’s life and circumstances in a way that movies, and even visiting places and talking with others cannot.

Inge H. Borg was born in Austria but moved to the US in 1965. She is the author of Khamsin: The Devil Wind of the Nile.

To intelligent readers (now, don’t anyone groan!), apart from the escape of every-day life, well researched fiction broadens their horizon – but above all, it should bring them joy, curiosity – and the occasional nightmare if it’s a thriller).

Tony Riches lives in Wales and has written several novels about the lives of the early Tudors. He is the author of Mary – Tudor Princess.

When Lord Reith set up the BBC he said it should ‘inform, educate and entertain’.  I believe the power of fiction is that it does all these in ways which are different for every reader. The best fiction teaches us something about ourselves.

Clearly, fiction is pretty powerful stuff!!

Highlights from our readers: Escape … empathy … travel … risk … significant moments … defeats loneliness … builds understanding … bearing life’s tribulations.

Highlights from our authors: To transform, enlighten, entertain, enrich … tell the truth of emotions and relationships … transport the mind and transform actions … the distillation of reality … joy and curiosity … teach us something about ourselves.

A slightly different perspective, don’t you think?

FOR MORE ON READING & WRITING HISTORICAL FICTION FOLLOW A WRITER OF HISTORY (using the widget on the left sidebar)

M.K. Tod writes historical fiction. Her latest novel, TIME AND REGRET was published by Lake Union. Mary’s other novels, LIES TOLD IN SILENCE and UNRAVELLED are available from Amazon, NookKoboGoogle Play and iTunes. She can be contacted on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads or on her website www.mktod.com.

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2 Responses

  1. As a young adult I was a nonfiction snob. I thought I was superior to fiction readers. My sister finds it hilarious now that I’m a fiction writer in my middle age. I’m so glad I finally learned that well-researched historical fiction can be more accurate than a history book!

    1. What an interesting perspective, Janet. Thanks for sharing. I know a number of readers who prefer non-fiction – many of them are men. Do you enjoy biographies?

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