I'd like your thoughts on persuasion: how writers use their craft to persuade others to a point of view. This could be in the commercial advertising world, politics, whatever you fancy. Even law! (We lawyers write briefs and memos to persuade others to a particular outcome.) What's the difference between spin and lies? You're well-placed to think about this as a writer of fiction and non-fiction. What tools do you use to persuade us that your fictional setting really exists?
Joanne-- Thank you so much for this generous and thought-provoking comment—and for your ongoing support as a FOUNDING subscriber! I absolutely agree: persuasion is at the heart of so much of what we do as writers, whether we’re trying to sell an idea, evoke empathy, or build a believable world.
I'm particularly intrigued by your mention of legal writing. The precision, logic, and rhetorical structure of a well-crafted brief offer some fascinating parallels to storytelling—and I’d love to explore how that might inform the essay I’m working on. I’ll definitely do some deeper research into that angle, but if you have any favorite examples or personal insights, I’d be grateful.
And your question about the line between spin and lies? That’s a razor’s edge I wrestle with often—especially when writing from the perspective of flawed or unreliable narrators. You’ve sparked several ideas. Stay tuned!
I'd like your thoughts on persuasion: how writers use their craft to persuade others to a point of view. This could be in the commercial advertising world, politics, whatever you fancy. Even law! (We lawyers write briefs and memos to persuade others to a particular outcome.) What's the difference between spin and lies? You're well-placed to think about this as a writer of fiction and non-fiction. What tools do you use to persuade us that your fictional setting really exists?
Joanne-- Thank you so much for this generous and thought-provoking comment—and for your ongoing support as a FOUNDING subscriber! I absolutely agree: persuasion is at the heart of so much of what we do as writers, whether we’re trying to sell an idea, evoke empathy, or build a believable world.
I'm particularly intrigued by your mention of legal writing. The precision, logic, and rhetorical structure of a well-crafted brief offer some fascinating parallels to storytelling—and I’d love to explore how that might inform the essay I’m working on. I’ll definitely do some deeper research into that angle, but if you have any favorite examples or personal insights, I’d be grateful.
And your question about the line between spin and lies? That’s a razor’s edge I wrestle with often—especially when writing from the perspective of flawed or unreliable narrators. You’ve sparked several ideas. Stay tuned!