tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post6859040077296942115..comments2024-03-29T09:30:44.859+00:00Comments on MOODY WRITING: Sympathetic Characters Part 1: Dangermooderinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-3290746991511748302013-02-08T18:12:58.153+00:002013-02-08T18:12:58.153+00:00@Rusty - furiously is pretty much the best way to ...@Rusty - furiously is pretty much the best way to do everything.mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-7020034054527573892013-02-08T16:09:31.730+00:002013-02-08T16:09:31.730+00:00I've finally gone back to begin the series fro...I've finally gone back to begin the series from the beginning. Awesome breakdown of a character in danger and why it does or doesn't engender sympathy. I'm taking mental notes furiously. Rusty Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09887821877521181811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-76397065031494937462013-01-18T07:04:39.298+00:002013-01-18T07:04:39.298+00:00Physical danger is just a means of drawing the rea...Physical danger is just a means of drawing the reader into the emotional backstory of the MC. The movie The Guardian uses this technique to build not only Kevin Costner's story as a tough as nails rescue swimmer, but also to draw the viewer into the protege (Ashton Kushner's Fische) superior attitudes of accomplishment.<br /><br />Characters are fascinating entities, especially when they are complex.<br /><br />.......dholedolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-3785807443246879342013-01-17T14:25:14.298+00:002013-01-17T14:25:14.298+00:00@nutschell - I hope the series lives up to expecta...@nutschell - I hope the series lives up to expectations.<br /><br />@Jenn - cheers.mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-83837745215014794222013-01-16T18:46:21.954+00:002013-01-16T18:46:21.954+00:00Great post. I needed to be reminded that comfy, sa...Great post. I needed to be reminded that comfy, safe stories don't make the reader want to turn the page. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04419944234795666194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-18202595357064434712013-01-16T18:04:48.694+00:002013-01-16T18:04:48.694+00:00Love this post. I can tell I'll love the whole...Love this post. I can tell I'll love the whole series as well :) I'm always throwing my characters in danger :)<br /><br />Nutschell<br />www.thewritingnut.comnutschellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10967710710805174781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-15844468088184298572013-01-16T12:22:16.564+00:002013-01-16T12:22:16.564+00:00@CS - in real life, of course, we often have no id...@CS - in real life, of course, we often have no idea why we do things (I certainly don't), but in fiction you really need to have reasons.<br /><br />@Michael - cheers!mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-25567843568164201392013-01-16T05:00:29.313+00:002013-01-16T05:00:29.313+00:00Nice reminder Mood of description creating the emo...Nice reminder Mood of description creating the emotional draw. I like your examples.... Well done. I so appreciate the time you take to give such great examples so we REALLY understand what your trying to convey to us.<br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br />MichaelMichael Di Gesuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17047267262428143113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-6495847070971663502013-01-15T19:25:55.643+00:002013-01-15T19:25:55.643+00:00I've always wanted to find the right balance i...I've always wanted to find the right balance in danger scenes among action, feeling, reaction, and dialogue. From what I've read here, motivation is key and I'll be thinking more about it as I write. Thanks! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02433372760860510949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-78905541799879712642013-01-15T15:12:34.535+00:002013-01-15T15:12:34.535+00:00@Tammy - thanks, I'm all about the intensity.
...@Tammy - thanks, I'm all about the intensity.<br /><br />@Rachna - writers, so manipulative!mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-49963181864351874122013-01-15T14:13:02.160+00:002013-01-15T14:13:02.160+00:00Like Alex, I too played the danger card only in th...Like Alex, I too played the danger card only in the end for my character. Getting sympathy from the reader is so important.Rachna Chhabriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16900999965919504282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-77285615852527026622013-01-15T05:20:39.880+00:002013-01-15T05:20:39.880+00:00so true! building emotion, getting sympathy from t...so true! building emotion, getting sympathy from the reader totally gives to the character. great great post...that house burning is intense...great imagery for the postTammy Theriaulthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128574900510175415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-12428083501157299962013-01-14T22:48:12.551+00:002013-01-14T22:48:12.551+00:00@Ciara - it won't necessarily make you like th...@Ciara - it won't necessarily make you like the character, but it will make you want to see what happens. We have a involuntary reaction to pain, no matter whose it is. We all wince when someone burns their hand on an iron, even if it's an idiot. And that feeling of 'glad I'm not in that situation' is enough to trigger a bond. Obviously it will be a stronger bond if the character isn't a twit.mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-43695832837731165262013-01-14T22:27:54.525+00:002013-01-14T22:27:54.525+00:00I'm not sure I agree putting a character in da...I'm not sure I agree putting a character in danger will automatically create sympathy. If the character is an idiot, or unpleasant, or unrelateable, no amount of danger is going to make them sympathetic - in fact you could have a situation where the reader hopes the character fails. It may be part of cementing the reader's sympathies to a character, but I don't think it will fix the problem if the writer has done everything else wrong. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18436989031700445050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-46004150860654258732013-01-14T21:18:02.706+00:002013-01-14T21:18:02.706+00:00@Michael-well, if anyone knows about danger...
@N...@Michael-well, if anyone knows about danger...<br /><br />@Nancy - thank you!mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-23613855309387691702013-01-14T21:02:44.207+00:002013-01-14T21:02:44.207+00:00This is one topic I have a firm grasp on. It'...This is one topic I have a firm grasp on. It's what my readers and reviewers most comment on after reading my book. Nice to know I'm doing one thing right! Great post, as always.Nancy Thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05735642863696266005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-22142629590531423362013-01-14T20:52:31.860+00:002013-01-14T20:52:31.860+00:00You stole that image from Skyfall!You stole that image from Skyfall!Michael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-36962628173699062392013-01-14T19:22:18.519+00:002013-01-14T19:22:18.519+00:00@Francene - hopefully once I've laid out all t...@Francene - hopefully once I've laid out all the options it will make the process of taking control of the reader's free that much easier. mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-56603820042831604492013-01-14T19:01:33.790+00:002013-01-14T19:01:33.790+00:00Thanks for refreshing our memories. We need to go ...Thanks for refreshing our memories. We need to go back to basic sometimes.Francene Stanleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08298485336064691700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-17158845615601308342013-01-14T18:49:21.969+00:002013-01-14T18:49:21.969+00:00@alex - just one tool in the tool box. This series...@alex - just one tool in the tool box. This series may take some time...mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-49212018861338670562013-01-14T18:10:29.146+00:002013-01-14T18:10:29.146+00:00Didn't really play the danger card until the e...Didn't really play the danger card until the end of my first book, although there are moments of danger along the way.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com