I'm reading a fic right now

[conuly]

where, for Reasons adult Harry is interacting with child Draco. Draco is chewing him out for messing up his school year, Harry is defending himself, and I'm thinking "Gosh, I don't remember the minutiae of my school days in this detail!"

And then it hit me. I really don't. I have a clearer and more complete picture of Harry Potter's school years and classmates than of my own.

Which is probably for the best, but still.

Comments

[calimac]

There is hardly a letter or a diary in fiction that is not written in the form of a fictional narrative and not in the form of an actual diary or letter. It's worst when the author makes the writing character defend their writing this way, especially when it's in a private diary that nobody else is supposed to be able to read.

[conuly]

Unless your private diary is in code, sooner or later somebody is going to read it.

[calimac]

Not "going to read it" but "going to be able to read it." And yes, that's true, but there's still a huge difference between writing a diary for yourself alone and writing a letter intended for others. The point is that these fiction-writers ignore that difference.

[conuly]

Okay, but if you put something in writing you have to expect that sooner or later it's going to be read. No matter how many dire threats you put on the outside!

[nodrog]

And even then - right, Samuel?

[S Pepys’ Diary was written entirely in cipher.  The guy who cracked it worked on it for, like, three years.  He must have been intensely peeved when later a complete key to the cipher was found!]