And now: How not to Write a Novel - CrimeSpace2024-03-29T09:58:59Zhttps://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/and-now-how-not-to-write-a?id=537324%3ATopic%3A178160&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThat's why writers are encour…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-23:537324:Comment:1843672009-02-23T19:20:53.130ZPate Grantwellhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/PateGrantwell
That's why writers are encouraged to join critique and reading groups. They will be able to tell you if your literary "posture" is wrong. I definitely encourage critique groups and such. I am just against giving money to people who claim to have the secret to getting published.
That's why writers are encouraged to join critique and reading groups. They will be able to tell you if your literary "posture" is wrong. I definitely encourage critique groups and such. I am just against giving money to people who claim to have the secret to getting published. So absolutely true. That's we…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-23:537324:Comment:1843612009-02-23T19:09:21.778ZBobhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Bob24
So absolutely true. That's were beta reading and doing edits hones the skill. Structure and focus come to the front of the line in the edit process.
So absolutely true. That's were beta reading and doing edits hones the skill. Structure and focus come to the front of the line in the edit process. Also true.tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-23:537324:Comment:1843542009-02-23T18:59:35.782ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Also true.
Also true. Blindly practicing can be det…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-23:537324:Comment:1843522009-02-23T18:58:25.463ZJohn Dishonhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/whiteskwirl
Blindly practicing can be detrimental though. You can go to the golf course and hit balls, but what if your posture and club handling is all wrong? You can learn bad habits that are hard to unlearn. That's why structure and focus are important to make sure you practice is efficient and not just a waste of time.
Blindly practicing can be detrimental though. You can go to the golf course and hit balls, but what if your posture and club handling is all wrong? You can learn bad habits that are hard to unlearn. That's why structure and focus are important to make sure you practice is efficient and not just a waste of time. You said this so much better…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-23:537324:Comment:1843462009-02-23T18:57:41.136ZLinda G. Vernonhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/CrimeWrtr
You said this so much better than I did!
You said this so much better than I did! Great comment, Bob. In fact,…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-23:537324:Comment:1843392009-02-23T18:45:19.025ZJulie Lomoehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/julielomoe
Great comment, Bob. In fact, the whole discussion is fascinating. It's given me an excuse to procrastinate and avoid my own writing for over a quarter hour now! But now it's time to confront my demons and "git 'er done," as Larry the Cable Guy would say.
Great comment, Bob. In fact, the whole discussion is fascinating. It's given me an excuse to procrastinate and avoid my own writing for over a quarter hour now! But now it's time to confront my demons and "git 'er done," as Larry the Cable Guy would say. Owning a bookstore, I have re…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-23:537324:Comment:1842222009-02-23T06:18:03.159ZBobhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Bob24
Owning a bookstore, I have read almost every "How to Write" book published and got a good chuckle from most. Stephen King's is more autobiographic and a fun read. For a beginner, these are invaluable tools. For an author, these refresh memories of days gone past.<br />
<br />
As to rules and "reading is best way to learn", hmm, I watch golf on TV and can't hit a ball. I read several thousand books before I attempted to write my first story. That attempt killed a few trees and is collecting dust on some old…
Owning a bookstore, I have read almost every "How to Write" book published and got a good chuckle from most. Stephen King's is more autobiographic and a fun read. For a beginner, these are invaluable tools. For an author, these refresh memories of days gone past.<br />
<br />
As to rules and "reading is best way to learn", hmm, I watch golf on TV and can't hit a ball. I read several thousand books before I attempted to write my first story. That attempt killed a few trees and is collecting dust on some old hard drive. I found the best way to learn was to write, write, and write more. The second best was to beta read and comment for other authors. Each time I beta read, I recognize some quality that can be improved in my work.<br />
<br />
As to POV consistency, passive vs active, adverb or no adverb, dialogue tags other than said, long descriptive passages or action until your reader passes out, cliff hanger paragraph endings, a hook in the first sentence, don't use exclamations!!!, and watch those pronouns. Wow, with all those rules in place I can write a computer program to write my story. A good novel follows good writing practices. These practices generally adhere to some rule somewhere, but they are definitely not universal. Every writer has ther own level of how forcefully they follow each rule...I think they call this the voice....and with so many rules at so many levels, we have millions of possible writing styles or voices.<br />
<br />
In summary, refine your voice and pray others like it.<br />
<br />
Smiles<br />
Bob I too found Chris Roerden's D…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-22:537324:Comment:1840992009-02-22T19:37:00.566ZJaden Terrellhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/BethTerrell
I too found Chris Roerden's Don't Murder Your Mystery invaluable.<br />
<br />
As for books on writing, I think they're worthwhile, as long as you take Julie's excellent advice. I always learn something, or at least find something worth thinking about.
I too found Chris Roerden's Don't Murder Your Mystery invaluable.<br />
<br />
As for books on writing, I think they're worthwhile, as long as you take Julie's excellent advice. I always learn something, or at least find something worth thinking about. Well said, Dana. I like the m…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-17:537324:Comment:1828332009-02-17T21:34:23.565ZJulie Lomoehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/julielomoe
Well said, Dana. I like the music analogy, but it's a tricky one. Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and other bebop musicians based many of their tunes on the chord changes of standards from what's now called "The Great American Songbook." For example, "Ornithology" is based on "How High the Moon," and "Hot House" is based on "What Is This Thing Called Love." For the most part, they kept to fairly standard structures, until free jazz came along.<br />
<br />
Much more freedom is possible in writing novels, I…
Well said, Dana. I like the music analogy, but it's a tricky one. Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and other bebop musicians based many of their tunes on the chord changes of standards from what's now called "The Great American Songbook." For example, "Ornithology" is based on "How High the Moon," and "Hot House" is based on "What Is This Thing Called Love." For the most part, they kept to fairly standard structures, until free jazz came along.<br />
<br />
Much more freedom is possible in writing novels, I believe, but both require an "ear", whether for notes or language. Techniques can be taught, but some folks are hopelessly tone deaf. What John said above. Scales…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-17:537324:Comment:1827812009-02-17T18:40:32.995ZDana Kinghttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DanaKing
What John said above. Scales and arpeggios and chords and other techniques are the grammar of music. Mahler and Dizzy Gillespie and Pete Townshend all use different chord structures, just as Hemingway, Faulkner, and Dickens used different sentence structures.<br />
<br />
It doesn't matter how good the story, or how impassioned the writing, if the author can't string together a sequence of coherent, cohesive sentences. It has to make sense to someone else. Technique is what allows the writer to get past…
What John said above. Scales and arpeggios and chords and other techniques are the grammar of music. Mahler and Dizzy Gillespie and Pete Townshend all use different chord structures, just as Hemingway, Faulkner, and Dickens used different sentence structures.<br />
<br />
It doesn't matter how good the story, or how impassioned the writing, if the author can't string together a sequence of coherent, cohesive sentences. It has to make sense to someone else. Technique is what allows the writer to get past that part, knowing this is how sentences go together so he can write them without thinking much about it, allowing him to get to the art.<br />
<br />
I think Stephen King sumed up the balance between what can, and cannot, be learned when he broke writers into four very broad categories. (This could work for just about any skill.) There are the Incompetent, and Competent, the Good, and the Great. A Competent writer can become good, and an Incompetent writer might be able to be Competent, but a good writer can never become a Great writer. That's where the spark that can't be learned comes in. Everything else is hard work and learning.<br />
<br />
It should also be noted that Great writers can become Good, or even Competent writers if they piss away or otherwise decline to develop their gifts.