“I want speculative fiction with the prose and form experiments usually reserved for realistic stories. That’s what I hope to achieve as a writer.”
This perfectly describes by favorite kind of story and what I also hope to achieve in my writing. I love this emulation exercise. Looking forward to trying it out in my own writing practice.
"I didn’t, and I can’t tell you my reasoning..." It might have violated your internal sense of flow.
--
Telemark ski position - another thing you find in McCarthy, that insistence on using the technical term for things. I thought it was because he was an engineer, but it could also have rubbed off on him this way.
I loved reading this Thaddeus. Like you, I have experimented with different writing styles based on writers like Lewis Carroll, Ray Bradbury, Hemingway, Steinbeck, E. Nesbit - I even wrote a book using her character the Psammead. I find that my own style alters a bit depending on what I'm writing. The OZ book that I'm currently working on definitely harkens back to Baum, and "Patty Cake," has a bit of King in there just a bit and lots of Sandy. LOL. Super discussion. It got my brain firing away.
"I find that my own style alters a bit depending on what I'm writing." Me too, and I don't like to corral myself when I'm writing, but then I have to ignore questions of style entirely and worry about if this is a problem or not later.
Thaddeus, I thought this was an excellent article on writing, and I especially loved the focus on Hemingway's unique style. I recently reread "For Whom the Bell Tolls," and perhaps because I am writing, I was keenly aware of Hemingway's style in the book. He once wrote, "When you see an adjective, kill it!" And I noticed, in the book, how few adjectives he used. Contrast him with Steinbeck, another writing genius, with a very different style. A writer's voice, and how she uses it is everything.
This is wonderful, Thaddeus, rich in insight
“I want speculative fiction with the prose and form experiments usually reserved for realistic stories. That’s what I hope to achieve as a writer.”
This perfectly describes by favorite kind of story and what I also hope to achieve in my writing. I love this emulation exercise. Looking forward to trying it out in my own writing practice.
Thanks for sharing these insights!
I'm really enjoying your series and happy to be on board!
"I didn’t, and I can’t tell you my reasoning..." It might have violated your internal sense of flow.
--
Telemark ski position - another thing you find in McCarthy, that insistence on using the technical term for things. I thought it was because he was an engineer, but it could also have rubbed off on him this way.
I loved reading this Thaddeus. Like you, I have experimented with different writing styles based on writers like Lewis Carroll, Ray Bradbury, Hemingway, Steinbeck, E. Nesbit - I even wrote a book using her character the Psammead. I find that my own style alters a bit depending on what I'm writing. The OZ book that I'm currently working on definitely harkens back to Baum, and "Patty Cake," has a bit of King in there just a bit and lots of Sandy. LOL. Super discussion. It got my brain firing away.
"I find that my own style alters a bit depending on what I'm writing." Me too, and I don't like to corral myself when I'm writing, but then I have to ignore questions of style entirely and worry about if this is a problem or not later.
I agree. Worry not is the solution.
Thank you!
Thaddeus, I thought this was an excellent article on writing, and I especially loved the focus on Hemingway's unique style. I recently reread "For Whom the Bell Tolls," and perhaps because I am writing, I was keenly aware of Hemingway's style in the book. He once wrote, "When you see an adjective, kill it!" And I noticed, in the book, how few adjectives he used. Contrast him with Steinbeck, another writing genius, with a very different style. A writer's voice, and how she uses it is everything.
Thanks, Sandy. I was just wondering how you're doing.
Hey, I loved this. I had no idea Parataxis was a thing. I realize now that maybe I use it a little too much in my stories.
Keep these going, they’re great, man!
Thank you!
Loved this line, made me chuckle, “He could write a story that seemed to be about nothing, but beneath the surface, it’s a Jerry Springer episode.”