If we look at classic authors, we can see that evil characters are not always unsympathetic; we are drawn to schemers, revenge-seekers, bad hombres, because they have strong intentions in a vapid world, piercing insights into the fog of existence, unrelenting plans in a rudderless world.
edmund white
Precision is easier to master than artful vagueness, especially now when, thanks to Google, novels are fact-heavy. We no longer refer to "flowers" but to particular varieties of roses. The whole valuable distinction between foreground (precise) and background (blurred) has been lost, and now everything is crowding toward the viewer, clamoring for attention.
Edmund White’s recommendations
The grand dame of gay letters, Edmund White, published The Unpunished Vice: a Life of Reading back in June, and I'm pleased to report to all who care that the 78 White is just as trenchant and charming as the 19 White who witnessed Stonewall.
