(https://commons.wikimedia.org)
There is magic in stories. Magic is the transmutation of objects or the manipulation of the world in ways that move outside the realm of science. Whether or not magic is real in the sense of the here and now world is not the point; magic is a metaphor for fiction. Stephen King says, “books are a uniquely portable magic” (104). This magic is in the words, in their transmitting from the writer to the reader other worlds and ideas. In writing fiction, writers create a world that was not there; even so-called realistic, literary writers create an alternate world that readers inhabit when they read the book. The writers and the readers, in a mystical incantation, create another reality, one that can be so strong sometimes that readers can be moved to tears or laughter or sadness or joy or grief or sorrow or despair or hope. Readers come to care about the characters and feel empathy as if they were real.
That truly is a kind of magic.
Neil Gaiman, in his introduction to Ray Bradbury’s 60th Anniversary Edition Fahrenheit 451, speaks to the power of the written word and stories: “Ideas—written ideas—are special. They are the way we our stories and our thoughts from one generation to the next. If we lose them, we lose our shared history. We lose much of what makes us human. And fiction gives us empathy: it puts us inside the minds of other people, gives us the gift of seeing the world through their eyes. Fiction is a lie that tells us true things, over and over” (xvi). It is through the creation of artificial worlds, no matter how speculative or fantastic, that we experience our world in more intensity and with deeper clarity. This act of magic is what we share as writers and readers. I am honored to be a mere apprentice in the magic of writing novels.
Works Cited
Gaiman, Neil. “Introduction.” Ray Bradbury. 60th Anniversary Edition Fahrenheit 451. New
York: Simon & Schuster, 2013.
King, Stephen. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. New York: Scribner, 2000.
Very true.
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Andrew, thank you!
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You’re welcome.
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Well said, sir. Many would say that stories are just a bunch of lies that are made to waste people’s time. But no they really happen to have magic. Good day
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Thank you.
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True. Beautifully said. 🙂
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Thank you!
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What a wonderful article you have written here!
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Thank you!!
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You’re welcome! I have really enjoyed your writing throughout this last year after discovering your blog. Many times your posts have taken me to places I have forgotten!
May this holiday season bring comfort and joy to you and your loved ones! And thank you so very much for visiting my blog! ☀️
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You are very welcome, and I wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving!
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I’ve always viewed fiction as magic, first as a listener, then as a reader, then as a writer. Reaching that “mystical incantation” is awe-inspiring just to think about’1
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Liz, I completely agree.
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Writing stories is indeed magical!
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Yes!!
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One of the most profound forms of magic books hold was simply summary by Harper Lee “The book to read is not the one that thinks for you but the one which makes you think.”
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That is an excellent quotation.
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Wow! These are powerful words. Let’s hear it for fiction, the steadfast creator of empathy. Thank you for this excellent post, Charles.
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Jennie, thank you so much!
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You are welcome, Charles!
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Reblogged this on design5279 and commented:
Testing…
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Thank you!
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Excellent post, Charles. Here’s to fiction being a mainstay for understanding emotions. I’m not seeing my previous comment, and I have been on line with those WP Happiness Engineers. Seems I cannot reblog from my iPad. It took many people to determine there is a bug in their system. Sigh! I can work on this from my computer when we return from Thanksgiving. Best to you, Charles, and Happy Thanksgiving. 🦃
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Jennie, thank you so much! And Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
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You are very welcome, Charles! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
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So true. Thank you for mentioning. We should never forget. Best wishes, Michael
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Michael, you are welcome.
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Sorry: Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Charles! 🙂
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Michael, and to you and yours!
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Reblogged this on A Teacher's Reflections and commented:
Is there true magic in writing? You bet there is! That magic floats into the mind of the reader and becomes the greatest vehicle to unlock every and any door. Thank you, Charles French, for this excellent post. Read on!
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Jennie, you are very welcome!
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Got here via Jennie’s post…and am ‘re-following’ (I got dumped somehow over the course of time).
This encapsulates the essence of (he)artistic endeavors – communication – IMHO.
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Thank you!
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This really is a great post, Charles. I love these ideas about writing.
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Robbie, thank you.
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So true, Charles. There really is no magic when watching film, other than the wonder of a ‘how did they do that’ moment. But the written word, a book, is filled with magic. I he’s a test or got emotional at the end of ‘Washington’, felt real sorrow for real people in The River if Doubt. You’re spot on about words and magic.
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Thank you so much!
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Well said, Dr. French. There is magic in writing and a reader can add to it or lose it by their perception of the words..
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Thank you very much!
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I believe in the magic. Thank you for following my blog.
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You are very welcome!
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Lovely article
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Thank you.
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