Hey Folks,
I hope you all read the Journal from yesterday. It might be the most informative one I’ve written. If you missed it, you can find it at http://hestanbrough.com/the-journal-sunday-june-10/.
One thing I mentioned yesterday is “Style follows story, not the other way around.”
If your stylistic choices call attention to themselves, change them back.
For example, the poet E.E. Cummings is as well known for writing in all lower case as much or more so than he is known for his poetry itself.
For another, many writers have asked me why they should have to set off dialogue with quotation marks “when Cormac McCarthy doesn’t.”
Because that affectation, more than the story, is what readers talk about. Oh my.
But don’t just take my word for it. From an Oprah Winfrey interview: “Speaking of writers who have imitated him [McCarthy himself] says, ‘You really have to be aware that there are no quotation marks, and write in such a way as to guide people as to who’s speaking.’ Otherwise, confusion reigns.” (Emphasis added.)
Umm, so why not just avoid that confusion by using quotation marks to “guide people as to who’s speaking” and what’s being spoken aloud? Duh. Why not WRITE and concentrate on telling a good story instead of concentrating on style?
The number one reason to use quotation marks to set off dialogue is that the purpose of quotation marks is to subliminally identify dialogue. Like using a period is the standard way to end a declarative sentence.
Another example comes from James Jones, author of From Here to Eternity and then the ill-fated Some Came Running. In that one, inexplicably, he chose as a matter of style to eschew ALL apostrophes in conjunctions.
So as James Scott Bell noted, Some Came Running was filled with lines like this:
“Ill probably never get another chance,” Dave had said, “but if I did, I still dont think Id take it. (From “The Great American Novel That Wasn’t” at https://killzoneblog.com/2017/07/great-american-novel-that-wasnt.html.)
I suppose the lesson here is clear: If you as a writer want readers to stand around the water cooler talking about how “cool” it was that you bucked convention with your “style,” go for it.
But if you want them to enjoy the story itself (and buy more of your books), consider sticking to the conventions.
***
A story-starter tip from Ray Bradbury: “List ten things you love, and ten things you hate. Then write about the former, and ‘kill’ the latter — also by writing about them. Do the same with your fears.”
***
Rolled out at about 3:30, wrote a lot of this Journal entry. Out for a walk from 6 – 6:30, then some down time. Today is the short day at my wife’s work so I need to get my writing done by about 1 p.m.
Out to the Adobe Hovel at 8:30, started writing a little before 9. Got about 1200 words by 10, then up to the house for a brief break.
Back to the Hovel at 10:30. I did some cycling to get a lengthy description right, and then wrote another 1600 words over the next hour and a half.
Heading for the house at 12:30. I’ll take today’s total and call it a good half-day. (grin)
See you tomorrow.
Of Interest
See “Controlled By Fear” at https://www.deanwesleysmith.com/controlled-by-fear/. Please at least read the first comment by Céline Malgen. Excellent information.
See “Seven Tips From William Faulkner on How to Write Fiction” at http://www.openculture.com/2013/03/seven_tips_from_william_faulkner_on_how_to_write_fiction.html. I couldn’t begin to agree more strongly.
See “Seven Tips From Ernest Hemingway on How to Write Fiction” at http://www.openculture.com/2013/02/seven_tips_from_ernest_hemingway_on_how_to_write_fiction.html.
See “Ray Bradbury Gives 12 Pieces of Writing Advice to Young Authors (2001)” at http://www.openculture.com/2012/04/ray_bradbury_gives_12_pieces_of_writing_advice_to_young_authors_2001.html.
If you enjoy podcasts, you might check out “All Things Investigative” at https://www.johnhoda.com/podcast-my-favorite-detective-stories/. Apparently there will be an ongoing series.
Fiction Words: 2794
Nonfiction Words: 620 (Journal)
So total words for the day: 3414
Writing of D.R.E.A.D. (novel)
Day 1…… 3391 words. Total words to date…… 3391
Day 2…… 3827 words. Total words to date…… 7218
Day 3…… 3194 words. Total words to date…… 10412
Day 4…… 2456 words. Total words to date…… 12868
Day 5…… 2197 words. Total words to date…… 15065
Day 6…… 2794 words. Total words to date…… 17859
Total fiction words for the month……… 17859
Total fiction words for the year………… 224823
Total nonfiction words for the month… 6650
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 69540
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 294713
Calendar Year 2018 Novels to Date………………………… 5
Calenday Year 2018 Novellas to Date…………………… 1
Calendar Year 2018 Short Stories to Date……… 11
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)………………………………………… 31
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)……………………………………… 5
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)………………………… 193