tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post6285053044950797009..comments2024-03-29T09:22:57.031+00:00Comments on Declan Burke: On Intelligent Reading Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-90362487117079680372012-10-06T19:17:23.119+01:002012-10-06T19:17:23.119+01:00I still feel that Harry is one of the most poignan...I still feel that Harry is one of the most poignant and "human" characters I've read. I resent cookie cutter characters and plots because I feel that the author is treating the reader with-shall we say-less than respect. Or I just like flawed-read real-characters. I am not as kind to reviewers as you you are. I don't like when they write something that says how clever they are, rather than talking about the book.lil Glucksternhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09288522126331817172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-55000123852897440842012-10-06T15:56:20.575+01:002012-10-06T15:56:20.575+01:00I read the other day that the industry's effic...I read the other day that the industry's efficency experts are saying that detective novels should be edited so as to make all locations generic, and that detectives should be likewise stripped down so that more people can identify with them. This, to booster sales in Bangkok and other far-flung places with economic impact.Richard L. Pangburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10717563750065476750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-30640581096285286682012-10-06T12:59:40.203+01:002012-10-06T12:59:40.203+01:00Thanks, Derek; and yes, the trend towards 'coo...Thanks, Derek; and yes, the trend towards 'cookie cutter' characters who adhere to expectations is a bit of a pain. I can only say that I like to read about characters who are a little rough around the edges and don't conform to expectations, and as a result I think I'll always write characters like that too. I can fully appreciate Claire Kilroy's attitude - most of the central characters of my favourite novels are not 'likeable' by any stretch of the imagination. <br /><br />Cheers, DecDeclan Burkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14322645323239292406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-87472469191391248052012-10-06T12:40:05.202+01:002012-10-06T12:40:05.202+01:00Excellent post, Declan. I agree wholeheartedly wit...Excellent post, Declan. I agree wholeheartedly with you (and Jacobson) as regards the “likeability” of characters. I did an interview with Claire Kilroy recently and we talked about this issue. If I can quote her, I thought she hit the nail on the head, when she said, “I don’t do sympathetic characters, which seems to be, for some reason, a real requirement of a novel. My favourite novel is Lolita which is narrated by a paedophile. I think it’s possibly the greatest novel ever written but a paedophile is not a sympathetic character.” <br /><br />This issue is an increasing problem for aspiring writers, I think, because if you’re going to write something that’s original and multi-faceted (as you have attempted to do), there’s a chance that your main character may not be sympathetic. But these aspiring writers are met with a brick wall from agents and publishers, who tell them that their characters aren’t sympathetic enough. It’s seems to me the only solution to this is that more writers continue to attempt to deconstruct this fallacy and that more readers (hopefully) vote with their feet and show that people DO want to read about multi-faceted, troubled, contradictory individuals (as we all are, in fairness) rather than “cookie cutter” characters.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-80515949330627022012-10-06T12:36:26.073+01:002012-10-06T12:36:26.073+01:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16964620879837528795noreply@blogger.com