Week 4 of my writing pilgrimage is Fantasy Writing Week. Yesterday’s ponderings took me to Hermione Granger, my favorite Harry Potter character, and what she taught me about writing. I learned much more from Hermione than I could include in a single post, so here is the second installment of What I Learned about Writing from Hermione Granger.
Be interested in everything. Everyone knows that Hermione’s a show-off, but that’s not the only reason she studies as hard as she does. Mainly, she does it because she is in love with learning. Hermione is ravenous for knowledge. Even before she started at Hogwarts, she memorized all the set spell books, and in her first year, she brought with her a bunch of extra volumes so she could learn even more about the wizarding world. She’s also the only student in the history of Hogwarts who’s ever asked the ever-boring professor Cuthbert Binns a question about the history of magic. Hermione is so hungry to learn that she gets permission to use a time-turner, allowing her to repeat time so she can take extra classes. We writers might not be able to do that, but at least we can put the hours we do have to good use, exploring and learning as much as we can.
Be interested in everything. Everyone knows that Hermione’s a show-off, but that’s not the only reason she studies as hard as she does. Mainly, she does it because she is in love with learning. Hermione is ravenous for knowledge. Even before she started at Hogwarts, she memorized all the set spell books, and in her first year, she brought with her a bunch of extra volumes so she could learn even more about the wizarding world. She’s also the only student in the history of Hogwarts who’s ever asked the ever-boring professor Cuthbert Binns a question about the history of magic. Hermione is so hungry to learn that she gets permission to use a time-turner, allowing her to repeat time so she can take extra classes. We writers might not be able to do that, but at least we can put the hours we do have to good use, exploring and learning as much as we can.
Stand up for others. Hemione not only stands up for her friends—such as by setting Professor Snape’s robes on fire when she thinks he is casting a spell on Harry, and taking the fall when Harry and Ron get in trouble for fighting a mountain troll. She is also concerned with the welfare of those who can’t speak for themselves. She seems to be the only person at Hogwarts who is concerned about the enslavement of house elves, but the fact that others don’t share her concern (or that her efforts are often in vain) doesn’t stop her. She is so committed to helping the elves that she founds S.P.E.W.—the Society for Protection of Elfish Welfare. Like any good writer, she knows that the ones with voices have to speak up for the ones without.
Be a warrior. The big mystery to a lot of folk in the H.P. universe is, “Why isn’t Hermione sorted into Ravenclaw?” After all, that’s the house where the smart kids go. As the best student in her year, it would be the logical place for her.
But Hermione isn’t just smart. She’s courageous. She’s honorable. And she’s a fighter. She is one of the driving forces behind Dumbledore’s Army, and she fights valiantly in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, the Battle of the Tower, the Battle of the Seven Potters, and the great Battle of Hogwarts.
The Way of the Warrior is one of the four paths I explore in Writing as a Sacred Path, and the one I’m personally most drawn to. Hermione is a perfect example of what I call “the honorable warrior.” She fights only when necessary. She fights bravely. And she fights on the side of good.
Get turned into a cat. Okay, I just like this one. If I were to be turned into an animal for a while, I’d want it to be a cat. All writers should be cats for a few hours.
What’s your opinion of Hermione Granger? Is there another H.P. character you learned from? Is there a fictional character from any work who’s influenced your writing or taught you something about life? If so, post it here and let us know.
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