So, why are [Liberals] better at conveying our message? For good filmmakers, the story comes before the message. Conservatives seem to want immediate returns on their investment in culture. Rather than be left with questions, we want people to finish a book or a film as a convert. Liberals, on the other hand, are more likely to plant a seed that can be nurtured. For example, I have several friends who have told me that Shawshank Redemption changed their mind on the death penalty, yet it doesn't hit viewers over the head with an anti-death penalty message.
Here's a point to remember when writing.
Don't worry too much about politics.
If you're writing it, the politics will seep in automatically.
I started writing this novel about a feminist who takes a librarian to the Human Rights Commission.
I really wanted this story to be about free speech.
But of course, there ended up being an abortion-based subplot, because I think about abortion a lot.
The same will happen to you, too. Your values, your truths will seep into the story.
You have to worry more about writing a good book than writing in a politically persuasive manner.
If your book is good, if the readers are enveloped, they will be persuaded.
Books should reflect life. Life does not perfectly imitate ideological narratives-- any ideological narrative. Yes, there are mugged liberals who turn conservative, and conservative who get abortions and then turn on fetal rights. But then there are liberals who get mugged and who remain liberal and conservative women who don't get abortions when faced with an unexpected pregnancy.
Life is not perfectly predictable, indeed, if your story relies on ideological narratives to carry the story along, the readers are going to get bored because surprise is what keeps readers reading.
In life, you gain a grain of truth from your experiences, and a lot of questions are left to be explored. That's what you want your readers to do: to explore the issue, to ask themselves.
The nice thing about being right-wing is that you know that truth is always on your side. Cognitive dissonance and contradictions cannot persist indefinitely. The truth will convict any thoughtful reader.
And of course, the above applies to all manner of art.
