Posted on November 15, 2021 at 2:51 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek
Kathryn Craft had so much to say about how to incorporate controversial topics — what she calls “big issues” — into fiction that she divided her thoughts into two posts at Writer Unboxed.
Part one focused on reminding authors to remember what their jobs as writers are and how stories work best (i.e., not as a lecture).
Part two suggested making the plot as personal (i.e., individual) as possible, including multiple perspectives on the issue (even within one character), and asking yourself what purpose you have in writing this particular novel.
Both posts provide a comprehensive look at how a writer can tackle the sorts of topics they probably wouldn’t bring up at a holiday meal in a productive, engaging, maybe even entertaining way.
But for the CliffsNotes version of this topic, head to Jane Friedman’s blog, where book coach Susan DeFreitas discusses how authors can use their fiction to make (or call for) a difference.
As it turns out, Craft participated in online conversations about big-issue novels that DeFreitas hosted — so you’ll find consensus, yes, but also different explanations and examples.
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Categories: Behind the scenes