The very word fiction implies untruth. When children read or hear a story that frightens them, they're told not to worry because “it's not true.” But for many stories to work, one has to suspend disbelief. So the essence of a novel appears to be something dishonest.
What is a novelist's obligation to the truth? The very word fiction implies untruth. When children read or hear a story that frightens them, they're told not to worry because “it's not true.” But for many stories to work, one has to suspend disbelief. So the essence of a novel appears to be something dishonest.
