The Art of Fiction
Feb. 17th, 2015 10:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
marycatelliThe Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers by John Gardner
this one is, as the subtitle says, a how-to-write book. Leans toward the literary and draws on his creative writings classes.
Has some useful observations -- since we read stuff because it's interesting, it's wise of a writer to think about what he knows that interesting. Or to write in the genre you like to read the most. Others I have my doubts about-- to show there are no rules in writing, it's not enough to point to classics with flaws; you must show that the "flaws" could not be removed without harming the work.
Discusses common issues, like infinite clauses that are not, in fact, simultaneous with the main clause, and how to develop plots.
this one is, as the subtitle says, a how-to-write book. Leans toward the literary and draws on his creative writings classes.
Has some useful observations -- since we read stuff because it's interesting, it's wise of a writer to think about what he knows that interesting. Or to write in the genre you like to read the most. Others I have my doubts about-- to show there are no rules in writing, it's not enough to point to classics with flaws; you must show that the "flaws" could not be removed without harming the work.
Discusses common issues, like infinite clauses that are not, in fact, simultaneous with the main clause, and how to develop plots.