FILL: Playing with Emotions?

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Original Posting 1 Jan 2011

Over here, http://madgeniusclub.blogspot.com/2010/12/its-only-words.html Sarah Hoyt asked:

What do you think? Should an author shamelessly play with the audience's feelings? Do you read for the feeling of it? What makes you return again and again to an author?

Feeling peckish, I responded:

Should an author shamelessly play with the audience's feelings?

Okay... I'm going to say no. Not that an author shouldn't put feelings in, but that "shamelessly play" part is where I think this question goes astray. As you pointed out in your answer to Brendan, the author has to play fair -- give us characters that we can identify with, let them react realistically, and put them in situations where they struggle. That's also part of what I look for -- there are puzzle stories that are fun the first time through, but the next time... the cardboard characters are just boring, and I already know the solution. Other stories, hey, I can tell from early on where they're going, but I'm willing to go through that again with the characters, because we're having fun doing it. And those get read and reread.

So, short answer. Yes, I want real feelings from real characters. Give me that, and I'll come back. Play with it -- the tough character wading through blood and guts with no reaction, or the thriller that just keeps tightening the tension, and the character never reacts, or worse, just laughs it off? -- and I'm going to toss the book.

Should an author play with the audience's feelings? As much as he or she plays with their own. Should they be ashamed of doing so? Only if they don't do a good job. And should they shamelessly play with the audience's feelings? Not if they want us to keep reading... In that case they should engage with the audience's feelings, matching the audience's trust with well-written thoughtful caring.

And now I wonder....

What do you think? Authors, audiences, feelings? How do they play together?