Writing Talk about Dark Forces & Heroes
The thing about writing imaginative fiction, whether it be any sub- class of science fiction or fantasy, is to create and maintain some very strong and solid templates for world and characters. Evil must be strong and frightening-something to make your soul churn- not your stomach . At least not too much. I have never been one for the gross out factor. Tubs of blood is something easy for humans to spill, because they do it all the time. Do not get precious. Our species is flawed and barely evolved out of the primordial pits. You do not even need to read history to verify this, simply watch the news or read the newspaper. We are very violent-which is why heroes (real heroes) are important. The conundrum is to create strong heroes that do not go all wimpy or stupid-or turn as evil as the forces they battle. A person can be brave or willing to sacrifice. A group not so much. That is why we cling to our heroes and the myth of what they represent. Hope. Hope for us. Hope f