Writing Excuses Writing Excuses 8.3: Pets
Jan 21, 2013
Exploring pets as characters in writing, including how to give them personality without cliches. Discussing using pets as foils, dialogue providers, and sources of depth. Delving into alien culture through unique pets and the significance of developing animal characters authentically.
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Use Pets As A Conversational Foil
- Use pets as a way to give characters someone to talk to and reveal interiority without mirror scenes.
- Let the character speak aloud to the animal to create believable dialogue and avoid forced exposition.
Balance Expertise And Reader Tolerance
- Readers notice when an author knows an animal well and can be turned off by over-loving descriptions.
- Only unpack specific jargon like 'piebald' if its detail matters to the story's understanding.
Make Animal Roles Part Of Worldbuilding
- When worldbuilding, define how your culture treats animals and set those rules early for reader clarity.
- Treat animal roles (beasts of burden, guard animals) as societal mechanics that shape technology and social structures.