Why writers need to have empathy

Just before Christmas Sarah Rayner, author of five novels including the international bestseller One Moment One Morning pointed me in the direction of this excellent short film that dissects the difference between sympathy and empathy. She feels her own writing went up several notches when she stopped sympathising with her characters – looking down at them from on high – and started to stand shoulder to shoulder with them, empathising with the problems she has put in their way.