The Craft of Writing About Animals
Poster Design by Sonia Datrnow
I’ve been writing #eco fiction and #climate fiction with #endangered #wildlife for more than twenty years. Here are a few of the animal characters in the Adventures of The Sizzling Six series, and the Four Elements #Cli-fi Trilogy.
The list of birds includes White Storks, Chimney Swifts, Red Knots, Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Piping Plovers, Broad winged Hawks, and Peregrine falcons. And animals including: Sumatran Orangutans, black-footed wallabies, koalas, diamondback terrapins, monarch butterflies, and marine species including gray whales. Plants also feature in my eco fiction and climate fiction, including the rare Cahaba Lily, magnificent White oaks, Longleaf pines of our southeastern forest, and the tropical fruit trees of Sumatra.
Why do I write about animals in my #eco and #climate fiction adventures?
Stories foster empathy for the wild animals with which we share our world.
To quote the late Steve Irwin, “We don’t own planet Earth, we belong to it. And we must share it with our wildlife.”
Why must care about protecting animals on our planet? Because it’s made up of diverse plants and animals that depend on the land, water, and the atmosphere to survive—as we humans do. If human-driven climate change harms these ecosystems then all life on earth will suffer.
Why do I write stories with potential dire consequences to animals? Why write about climate driven hurricanes, heatwaves, wildfires, floods and droughts? While my stories do not sugarcoat the truth, hopefully, they will inspire #tweens, teens, #middle graders, our next generation of voters and leaders to become #activists who make intelligent decisions and become wise steward of the Earth.
“It’s not enough to love animals; we must actively protect and preserve them. It’s our duty and responsibility as custodians of this planet.”— Daphne Sheldrick, author and conservationist who raised orphaned elephants to return to the wilds.
Read Part 11 Next: Guide to Writing About Animals in Fiction
Resources:Don’t Kill the Cat! And Other Secrets to Writing about Animals: https://careerauthors.com/dont-kill-the-cat-and-other-secrets-to-writing-about-animals/
Writing for Animals. Ashland Creek Press: https://ashlandcreekpress.com/books/writingforanimals.html
Respect The Wildness of Animals
The second edition of Red Flag Warning: An Eco Adventure had just been published! The story follows the adventures of three special young people from across the world, the wild animals that are part of their lives, and the terrible threats they face—threats that will affect them and the entire world. The teens, all scared by wildfires, struggle with deeper wounds to their self- image. They must learn to respect the wildness of the animals they love and find their own voices, along with the power of community, in their mission to protect the animals they love
In what way does the book inspire compassion and respect for animals in the readers? Three teens Aisyah from Sumatra, Hector from California, and Kirri from Australia, dedicate themselves to the challenging task of rehabilitating a Sumatran orangutang, a Rock wallaby, and a Peregrine falcon–all severely injured in wildfires. To accomplish this mission to return them to the wild, they must acquire knowledge, respect, patience, and empathy for the animals with whom they have bonded.
What inspired you to write about animals? Red Flag Warning opens a gateway for young people to feel empathy toward animals in the wild, empowering them to take action to help animals thrive and survive, and ultimately to preserve the biodiversity of life.
Does the story weave in other themes? Absolutely. The wildfires are fueled by climate change resulting in the destruction of the natural habitat necessary for the survival of the species.
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