The Deaf and Blind Reader
Sept 25, 2023 10:09:04 GMT -5
Post by Radrook Admin on Sept 25, 2023 10:09:04 GMT -5
The Deaf and Blind Reader
by
Radrook:
AKA: The Two-Star Bandit
by
Radrook:
AKA: The Two-Star Bandit
Before you take umbrage with the title, please note that it is not to be taken literally. It is to be taken symbolically as representing the condition that the reader of fiction is in when he begins reading our story.
You see, a reader cannot magically see what the we, the writers, are seeing, nor hear nor taste what we might be imagining that our characters are. In short, the reader is in a situation of a totally senseless, blindfolded, or blind person who is in need of a guide to lead him about our fictitious surroundings as he tries to immerse himself in the world, which we as a writers, striving to create.
You see, a reader cannot magically see what the we, the writers, are seeing, nor hear nor taste what we might be imagining that our characters are. In short, the reader is in a situation of a totally senseless, blindfolded, or blind person who is in need of a guide to lead him about our fictitious surroundings as he tries to immerse himself in the world, which we as a writers, striving to create.
For example, when we as writers say a name like Joe, it doesn't automatically conjure any image at all. Well, maybe an image of some Joe that the reader remembers meeting, or some other Joe, such as some notorious politician or hypocritical religious leader. But the reader is definitely is not seeing the Joe that is in our mind.
Why? Well, simple, because we haven't described him. If we had at least provided a brief description, such as race, or nationality, or else specifically gone into details, such as age, height, hair color, eye color bodyweight, tallness, etc., then, of course, the reader's image of Joe could have at least approximated how we intended the reader to imagine him.
Why? Well, simple, because we haven't described him. If we had at least provided a brief description, such as race, or nationality, or else specifically gone into details, such as age, height, hair color, eye color bodyweight, tallness, etc., then, of course, the reader's image of Joe could have at least approximated how we intended the reader to imagine him.
Now this applies to all other things such as aromas, sounds, touch, and taste. For example, if we just casually mention that the food tasted good, or that the food smelled wonderful, or that the textures of a fabric felt funny, or that the a character's voice sounded strange, we are very effectively describing absolutely nothing at all, since the reader doesn't know what the hell we have in mind.
Unfortunately, this is a flaw that is very common to certain writers. They have a host of characters which are merely bodiless names, such as Janet, Joe, Moe, Liza, floating around in an undescribed location, interacting with one another, and the reader has absolutely no idea where exactly they are, how they look, and how each one sounds.
In short, the reader is forced to listens to the narrative and dialogue in a sort of senseless stupor in which he haplessly throws up his hands and chooses to tolerate the story for what it is, a story without imagery.
In short, the reader is forced to listens to the narrative and dialogue in a sort of senseless stupor in which he haplessly throws up his hands and chooses to tolerate the story for what it is, a story without imagery.
Now as a member of a writing forum the provides a rating system of Awesome, Great, Good, Fair and Poor, I would never rate such a story it as fair. Instead, I would feel morally obligated to rate it as poor. However, if the writing forum prohibits that poor rating, I would then be reluctantly forced to use the next lowest, which is the Fair rating. But if even that choice is prohibited under the threat of banning, and I wanted to remain a member at the cost of sacrificing my honesty, as well as violating certain Christian principles about loving neighbor as self, then I would rate such a story as Good.
In the process, of course, I inevitably manage to convince the writer that his method is good. Which I know is doing the writer serious literary harm.
So after having been warned via email, and having given it much thought, I decided that Nahhh! I would rather get banned and be called a Two-Star Bandit than continue treading down that unchristian, hypocritical road.
In the process, of course, I inevitably manage to convince the writer that his method is good. Which I know is doing the writer serious literary harm.
So after having been warned via email, and having given it much thought, I decided that Nahhh! I would rather get banned and be called a Two-Star Bandit than continue treading down that unchristian, hypocritical road.