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The Author, The Liar

by JM

My thought processes may be strange, but this post from Pop Buzz UK got me thinking about lying.

The fact of the matter is that fiction writers lie to their readers all the time. We just call it misdirection. Whether you’re telling the reader to “look that way” or to think “no, he’s the criminal,” misdirection is a key element in a good book.

In my opinion, nothing (besides a book with other excellent qualities) stays in a reader’s mind longer than the book they can say, “and I never saw the ending coming!” about.

So fellow fiction writers, lie away. Just make sure it’s only to your readers. ;)


Posted in General on November 2nd, 2006

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5 Responses to “The Author, The Liar”

  1. Aaron Says:
    November 2nd, 2006 at 8:14 pm

    I never look at is as I am lying to my readers, but the narrator, and the characters are.

    Aaron.

  2. Jaime Says:
    November 3rd, 2006 at 7:26 pm

    I’m venturing a guess in that you probably write more often in third person. I’m wondering if it’s more common for the writer to see him/herself as away from all that if they write in third person.

    Just me rambling. :)

  3. DaveP Says:
    November 3rd, 2006 at 9:47 pm

    Thanks for the link Jaime, I’m glad my post got you thinking. You’re completely right, lying is a virtual neccesity in writing fiction. I’ve never thought about it like that before though lol. ;)

  4. Jaime Says:
    November 4th, 2006 at 12:32 am

    Ah, the strange ways my mind works… Hehe.

  5. Seattle, WA » Blog Archive » Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies… Says:
    October 9th, 2007 at 3:37 pm

    [...] Perhaps politicians aren’t lying at all. Perhaps they are just practicing good misdirection. [...]

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