How This Critter Crits
Viewing comments for Chapter 11 "Good, Evil and Warts"GROWTH? ADULATION? HURRY -- CHOOSE!
53 total reviews
Comment from alexisleech
I so wish I'd read this before I posted my latest chapter, Jay. I had a sleepless night because I let one of my characters actually wet themselves with fear, and I didn't know whether she would be forgiven by readers for being such a wimp. Thank you for putting my mind at rest with this excellent chapter regarding the vulnerability/flaws in a book's characters. Like it, or like it not, human defects can make them more likeable because it means the rest of us can identify with them.
All great advice in this beautifully written and interesting chapter.
Alexis xxx
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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I so wish I'd read this before I posted my latest chapter, Jay. I had a sleepless night because I let one of my characters actually wet themselves with fear, and I didn't know whether she would be forgiven by readers for being such a wimp. Thank you for putting my mind at rest with this excellent chapter regarding the vulnerability/flaws in a book's characters. Like it, or like it not, human defects can make them more likeable because it means the rest of us can identify with them.
All great advice in this beautifully written and interesting chapter.
Alexis xxx
Comment Written 19-Jul-2015
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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Ewww. She wet herself! Just kidding. You can't go wrong with making your characters vulnerable. Thanks, Alexis, for your encouraging comments and your generous rating.
Comment from justjo66
Very good advice. Everyone has some kind of "warts" and it is especially
helpful to make your characters believable. In that aspect the reader can
identify with the characters and makes for a much better read/story.
Thanks for reminding me.
Jo
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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Very good advice. Everyone has some kind of "warts" and it is especially
helpful to make your characters believable. In that aspect the reader can
identify with the characters and makes for a much better read/story.
Thanks for reminding me.
Jo
Comment Written 19-Jul-2015
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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Thank you, Jo. I appreciate your reading it and your kindness.
Comment from barbara.wilkey
You have definitely given me food for thought. I do have to say that I have thought some of our serial killers have been pure evil. Now, I have an age old question; is it nature or nurture that creates evil?
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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You have definitely given me food for thought. I do have to say that I have thought some of our serial killers have been pure evil. Now, I have an age old question; is it nature or nurture that creates evil?
Comment Written 19-Jul-2015
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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You ought to read Gloria's crit here on this chapter. She speaks eloquently about the nature of sociopaths and psychopaths. Thanks, Barbara, for your kind words.
Comment from mfowler
This is a dimension to character development I'd never thought of in such cut and dried terms. Give them warts. I'm sure my characters get them because in real life, 'too perfect' or ' too evil' people don't really exist. I like how you've led to this point at the end because those directors felt the need to provide backstory as they defend their choices. The piece is written in your usual expansive syle, entertains and educates.
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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This is a dimension to character development I'd never thought of in such cut and dried terms. Give them warts. I'm sure my characters get them because in real life, 'too perfect' or ' too evil' people don't really exist. I like how you've led to this point at the end because those directors felt the need to provide backstory as they defend their choices. The piece is written in your usual expansive syle, entertains and educates.
Comment Written 19-Jul-2015
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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Thanks, Mark. Glad you enjoyed and found some applicability. It was written more for the less experienced writers here. Those with more experience respond with some variant of "duh!".
Comment from Autumn Splendour
Secularly speaking, there is no person, real or invented, who is pure evil. If he were pure evil and real, he would be dead, because no one including himself can exist as pure evil. If he were invented as purely evil, he could not exist because he would not be believable--to the reader and to himself, as the writer.
"Again, secularly speaking, flip the concept: there is no person, real or invented, who is pure good. In both the real and the invented version pure good cannot exist because it is the pinnacle of a standard that is impossible to live up to. In other words he or she would be unbelievable."
How true and I agree totally. Your essay pivots on these lines and writers if they are serious about their writing should bear this in mind.
Thanks for sharing. Well done.
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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Secularly speaking, there is no person, real or invented, who is pure evil. If he were pure evil and real, he would be dead, because no one including himself can exist as pure evil. If he were invented as purely evil, he could not exist because he would not be believable--to the reader and to himself, as the writer.
"Again, secularly speaking, flip the concept: there is no person, real or invented, who is pure good. In both the real and the invented version pure good cannot exist because it is the pinnacle of a standard that is impossible to live up to. In other words he or she would be unbelievable."
How true and I agree totally. Your essay pivots on these lines and writers if they are serious about their writing should bear this in mind.
Thanks for sharing. Well done.
Comment Written 19-Jul-2015
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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Thank you, my friend, for your elaboration on my post. I appreciate your kindness and generosity.
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You are welcome. If you can spare the time, do drop by to read my story, 'The Last Train' about an evil mother who is not totally evil but circumstances defined her. I know I sound desperate but I need 3 more reviews to make it to Recognized status. LOL.
Comment from Margaret Snowdon
I enjoyed this piece, Jay - good advice
and most enlightening.
I try to get in my characters' heads and
to show each one with their warts and all,
and, hopefully, make him/her believable.
Margaret
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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I enjoyed this piece, Jay - good advice
and most enlightening.
I try to get in my characters' heads and
to show each one with their warts and all,
and, hopefully, make him/her believable.
Margaret
Comment Written 19-Jul-2015
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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As usual, Margaret, thanks. As I wrote as a response to another's crit: "It was written more for the less experienced writers here. Those with more experience respond with some variant of "duh!" Thank you for not doing that. LOL, I'm glad you enjoyed the post.
Comment from Chris Tee
Jay another very interesting write full of good advice and very educational my friend. Well done indeed with this excellent write here and I shall endeavor to follow your suggestions.
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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Jay another very interesting write full of good advice and very educational my friend. Well done indeed with this excellent write here and I shall endeavor to follow your suggestions.
Comment Written 19-Jul-2015
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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Thank you, Chris. Glad you found it helpful.
Comment from Tomes Johnston
This is yet another interesting post that the author has created with this piece of work. It us so true that every character has his redeeming qualities. Even Hitler had a dog and loved Eva Braun.
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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This is yet another interesting post that the author has created with this piece of work. It us so true that every character has his redeeming qualities. Even Hitler had a dog and loved Eva Braun.
Comment Written 19-Jul-2015
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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Thank you,Tomes. Appreciated. When is another script coming out?
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Maybe when I get back from holiday. I have to finish the one I am on yet. I would like to start another book too.
Comment from jpduck
I agree with every miniscule drop of this wonderful piece, Jay. It rings two distinct bells for me. For many years of my life I have been involved with amateur and semi-professional theatre -- partly as an actor, but latterly mostly in directing. I have to admit that the link between directing and writing I have not, I think, ever consciously thought about. But, as I now realise, you are absolutely right. One of the things I always do before writing longer stories/novels, is to make a list of principal characters and write a short character sketch for each one. Normally these will include reflections from their past.
The other bell brings me right back to my favourite quotation from Nelson Mandela: 'There us at the heart of everyone, a pure golden flame of goodness, which can become hidden at times, but can never be extinguished.'
Sorry, this isn't really a review, except in the sense that it shows the power of your writing to make me think. But I'll help myself to the funny money anyway.
Many thanks and best wishes,
Adrian
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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I agree with every miniscule drop of this wonderful piece, Jay. It rings two distinct bells for me. For many years of my life I have been involved with amateur and semi-professional theatre -- partly as an actor, but latterly mostly in directing. I have to admit that the link between directing and writing I have not, I think, ever consciously thought about. But, as I now realise, you are absolutely right. One of the things I always do before writing longer stories/novels, is to make a list of principal characters and write a short character sketch for each one. Normally these will include reflections from their past.
The other bell brings me right back to my favourite quotation from Nelson Mandela: 'There us at the heart of everyone, a pure golden flame of goodness, which can become hidden at times, but can never be extinguished.'
Sorry, this isn't really a review, except in the sense that it shows the power of your writing to make me think. But I'll help myself to the funny money anyway.
Many thanks and best wishes,
Adrian
Comment Written 19-Jul-2015
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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I hope you were rewarded with a pump, Adrian! You gave me my reward through your kind words and of course the generous 6 rating. I'm glad you found it worthwhile. By the way, do you know Ray (FridayAuthor) here? Two of his one-act plays are being produced in September over on the coast (some 150 miles from me). I've already visited with him over a couple of beers about a month ago, and plan to catch his plays, both of which I've read here. They are in his portfolio. You might enjoy looking them over.
Comment from sweetwoodjax
this is an excellent write, jay, this essay about the way we should give our protagonist a redeemable quality so people can feel sorry for them, I enjoyed reading it
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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this is an excellent write, jay, this essay about the way we should give our protagonist a redeemable quality so people can feel sorry for them, I enjoyed reading it
Comment Written 19-Jul-2015
reply by the author on 19-Jul-2015
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Glad you enjoyed and found something worthwhile.