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August Book Discussion
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This will be the second time I've read this book and I'm honestly really glad I've had a chance to read it before. So far I've only read chapter 1, but some of the things I highlighted the first time in reading this, were things I had honestly forgotten about. Like the tip about keeping a notebook by your bedside when ideas strike you at night, and always carrying one with you. I always have a book with me, in case i find time to read, but I don't always have a notebook in case I have an idea strike me to write. Also, the section that basically says "Writers write" also really stuck out to me. I haven't written anything in ages, and until I make myself actually sit down and stick to a schedule, I probably won't. I the statement about making yourself stick to a schedule is very true. So is the idea of Hard and Soft writing. I used to do this a lot when I was a kid. I'd sit for hours coming up with ideas for writing and then eventually write them out. I spent a lot of time on my computer looking over what I already had and deciding what I wanted my characters to experience. Sometimes it was a bunch of scribbled notes or brainstorming bubble sheets of the who, what, where, when, and how of the story. I have more notes that I took on the first chapter, but these were the main things that really stuck out to me.
I've finished the first chapter. I'm liking it so far, and many of the "helpful tips" are common but good advice. I loved the point on page 13, "...a single big idea won't give you a whole story. A fictional work is really an accumulation of many ideas." Deep down, I know this, but it's often a nugget that gets lost as the concept of theme is pushed and idolized. Also, is anyone else doing the "Your Turn" exercises? I completed most from the 1st chapter but I think if I stick to them religiously I won't finish the book in time!
I'm about to finish the first chapter as well and I'm LOVING this book. I'm doing most of the "Your Turn" exercises as I go, so I've been taking it slow since I'm also juggling a couple other books and a writing class. Hoping to stick to my reading schedule so I don't get too far behind! I especially liked the section on looking for seeds of ideas in your everyday life but then to "let those seeds grow into fiction, not fact". Also the bit on how some writers "will clip their toenails twice in one day to procrastinate" gave me a really good laugh because it definitely hits home.
Just finished chapter 2! I didn't do the "Your Turn" exercises for this one, but I think I'll pull them out again when I'm actually working on some character developments for a novel. The part that spoke to me the most was about instilling a strong desire in your characters. Not that the goal itself has to be big or lofty or important, but that the desire to achieve that goal needs to be strong.
I finished chapter 2 and have officially fallen in love with the book - too soon? Nah. My favorite part of creating a story is character development, and this chapter helped me see some major flaws in the characters in my WIP. I also didn't do the "Your Turn" exercises in this chapter but when I go back to revise my draft I think I'll go through them.
I'm working my way through chapter 5 now! Paused to write this post and also to make myself do some "Your Turn" exercises. This chapter has several exercises that if I skip, it'll be out of pure laziness, so I'm trying to avoid that. I think I'm a little behind to finish this by the end of the month, but I'm doing my best. Eeek. I loved the discussions on plot and themes in chapter 3. Definitely got a lot out of that one. Didn't enjoy chapter 4 quite as much, but that may be because I finished a writing class just a few weeks ago that discussed POV/distance in heavy detail with a lot of useful exercises, so the information here wasn't anything special. I'm really enjoying chapter 5. Again, nothing really new here, but the power of strong nouns/verbs over adjectives/adverbs never fails to amaze me.
Mod
Merideth! I totally agree! The first chapter was particularly inspiring, and I don't even count myself as an aspiring author. It just kind of restores that picture of "writing because you love it" for me. I LOVED the idea of soft and hard writing. And keeping a notebook by your bed...it was simple but important ideas like this that made me fall in love with that chapter. :)
Finished chapters 5 and 6, both of which I thought had a lot of value. Dialogue is something I've been trying to pay a lot more attention to in the novels I read these days. So many authors fall into the traps mentioned in chapter 6. Poorly executed exposition via dialogue and frustrating dialect come to mind (along with the trope of the villain explaining his entire scheme to the protagonist via dialogue in the last chapters). Good dialogue almost always equals a higher quality reading experience (although I would very much disagree with the statement on the first page that college lectures on geology are boring - they were my absolute favorites in university hahaha). Who else was taught in school to never use "said" in your dialogue tags?? But it's so true that "she spluttered", "he exclaimed", "they chortled" distract from the reading experience for me.
I really need to get going with my reading! Just wanted to say that I like Katherine's comments on dialogue (and all the other comments you've all left). It seems sometimes dialogue can make or break a novel, and I love noticing when I'm completely absorbed by it and it's moving the story along well. Do any of you have books that come to mind when you think of excellent dialogue? I think of Ender's Game. I'd like to re-read it since it's been a few years, but I remember thinking the entire book was essentially dialogue and it seemed to work so well. Seems to be a skill of Card's. I'm reading Rothfuss' Name of the Wind books right now and he's quite good at dialogue as well (in my opinion). Side note: For Rothfuss' books, it may not be just good dialogue so much as it is his avoiding exposition (again, in my opinion). There are many instances when he just plays a scene out without interrupting with the characters' own realizations, which makes it more fun for the reader. I can make the same conclusions or have the same questions as the character does along the way. I think Rothfuss does well at avoiding that dialogue–exposition trap.)
On the other hand, I recently finished Staveley's Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne books (yes, I like sci-fi and fantasy) and did not think overly highly of his dialogue/exposition. Any other poor examples out there to learn from (maybe avoid)? I'm going to get some reading on this done this weekend! I must.
Chris wrote: "I really need to get going with my reading! Just wanted to say that I like Katherine's comments on dialogue (and all the other comments you've all left). It seems sometimes dialogue can make or bre..."The Charlie Bone series is a great example of BAD dialogue haha. I've been rereading it for some exploration I've been doing on middle grade lit, and it is reallyyyy rough to get through.
Finished a few more chapters! How is everyone else's reading going? Chapter 9 was tough for me to get through. I've been marking pages as I read but couldn't find a single nugget of wisdom in this chapter that I care to look back on later. I thought the earlier message (was it chapter 3?) of having one overarching question/driving force was more impactful. I HATE discussing themes/messages in stories. Hate, hate, hate it. Reminds me of every single torturous high school lit class lesson analyzing the deeper symbolism behind everything. (Granted, lit classes were almost always my favorite subjects, but I never enjoyed this aspect of them.) Chapter 8 also wasn't my favorite but maybe because I feel that voice/style is something you should let emerge naturally and only pay attention to in the revision stage, especially with first novels. The book mentioned that, so no problems there, but it was a bit overwhelming to think about needing to think about that while writing and thinking about everything else too. LOL.
I am in love with this book, but there's no way that I'm going to finish it this month. I originally skipped all of the "your turn" exercises, but I think that I'm going to go back and do them since I'm not finishing it this month anyway. I really love all of the literary examples of each technique, and the friendly, encouraging tone throughout.
Mod
Girl, I feel ya. It's SO DENSE and jam-packed with good info. Take your time! The examples seriously blew me away in this book. I love that you're going to go back and do the writing exercises! I kind of feel like I cheated not doing them, but I still learned so much!
My reading is going slowly; I've only just started chapter 7. I'm still enjoying the book, however, and gleaning lots of good info and tips. I'm disappointed I didn't finish it for this month (though I see I'm not alone...you're right, Mollie. It's quite dense!), but I wanted to take my time and not just skim through.
Hi all! Let's discuss our August pick here and on Twitter/Instagram (#WriterlyReads). What do you love about this book? What do you dislike about this book? And more importantly: What are you learning from this book?