Saturday, May 17, 2008

Elements of Fiction

In the weeks to come, I'll be bringing together various elements of fiction (and writing) in a format that will look something like a "workshop".

This, of course, is not my intention. But sometimes we plan to do things we do not mean to do. Which is what I am planning to do now.

Like all writers, I'm a reader. I read all sorts of useful things, books, blogs, newspapers, nutritional information on the sides of food stuffs. On a recent trip to the library, I came away with my usual haul: two books for the kids, a video each, a novel for me, and two books on writing (sometimes there is a cookbook, or gardening volume thrown in there). I set about reading one of the books on writing. Hmmm....I like the book very much. It's chapters are weensy short, the content is presented in a way that is fresh and interesting - and best of all, it's a compilation, so it's not full of advise from just one author.

Lately, I've become bored with writing books. They were all saying the same thing. Blah blah blah. Then, I got thinking. They actually weren't saying the same thing in all instants. Which got me looking into where writing advice from author/gurus differ. Fun stuff!

So, what I'm going to be posting over the next few weeks are insights and lessons learned from the contradictory advise on writing: who is right, who is wrong, who is out to lunch, and who has two feet planted on the earth.

I'll be borrowing from various books - and I will be sure to give you all the info on the books I cite for your own reading enjoyment.

I'll pan a few books, I'll praise a few, and then review the rest.

It's book on writing! Next on Bonnie's blog!

No comments: