Friday, February 23, 2007

Discussion about Frey

I think it is an author's responsibility to tell the absolute truth when writing a non fiction piece. It is unethical to lead readers in the wrong direction. However, how will anyone ever know when a non fiction piece doesn't have any fiction parts? I think that an author would embellish on an even to make it more interesting, but all they really have to do is add a short sentence such as, this is how it felt, or this is what could have or would have happened.

I have never read Frey's book, but I have definately heard of it. Before hearing about all of the lies that Frey wrote about, his book was very popular. Why couldn't Frey have just labeled his book fiction. I think it is becasue saying that you actually went through something gives it a different effect they saying that you just made something up.

2 comments:

surrey said...

Wow, we both feel the same. I understand your point well because that is sort of how I feel. The only thing I would say otherwise is that Frey could not get the book published as fiction so that's why he published it as non-fiction. I wasn't as easy as just labeling it fiction because he could not get it published. However, it got published because a work like that sounds more interesting if it actually happened.

S. Chandler said...

Are there any "lies" that you think are worse than others? Did you feel betrayed? Is it as wrong to lie "intentionally" as "unitentionally"?

Should we hold authors accountable for not reflecting on and questioning their work? Or just for conciously deceiving their readers? This is not what was going on with Frey, but it is something to think about.

What ARE a writer's responsibilities?