This Creative Writing Quote Made My Jaw Drop…
A gem of advice from ‘Fight Club’ author Chuck Palahniuk
I’ve written before about my admiration for Chuck Palahniuk’s writing advice. His book “Consider This…” is one of my top recommendations:
I do like to re-read such books, though. Yesterday I focused in on this quote. Strangely, it had an even bigger impact on me this time:
Never dictate meaning to your reader. If need be, misdirect him. But always allow him to realize the truth before you state it outright. Trust your readers’ intelligence and intuition, and they will return the favor.
(Not sure why he assumes his reader is male, but moving on…)
In the chapter, CP explains the power of writing a scene where the reader thinks one thing is happening, but the truth is something different. He gives the example of a scene where it looks like a character is being bullied, but the ‘bully’ is actually trying to help.
