Read Like A Writer

There are two ways to learn how to write fiction: by reading it and by writing it. Yes, you can learn lots about writing stories in workshops, in writing classes and writing groups, at writers' conferences. You can learn technique and process by reading the dozens of books like this one on fiction writing and by reading articles in writers' magazines. But the best teachers of fiction are the great works of fiction themselves. You can learn more about the structure of a short story by reading Anton Chekhov's 'Heartache' than you can in a semester of Creative Writing 101. If you read like a writer, that is, which means you have to read everything twice, at least. When you read a story or novel the first time, just let it happen. Enjoy the journey. When you've finished, you know where the story took you, and now you can go back and reread, and this time notice how the writer reached that destination. Notice the choices he made at each chapter, each sentence, each word. (Every word is a choice.) You see now how the transitions work, how a character gets across a room. All this time you're learning. You loved the central character in the story, and now you can see how the writer presented the character and rendered her worthy of your love and attention. The first reading is creative—you collaborate with the writer in making the story. The second reading is critical.


John Dufresne, from his book, The Lie That Tells A Truth: A Guide to Writing Fiction

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Tuesday, June 18, 2024

The Women Who Make Our Novels by Grant M. Overton (1918) (PDF)

 


The Women Who Make

Our Novels


BY
GRANT M. OVERTON



NEW YORK
MOFFAT, YARD & COMPANY
1922

Copyright, 1918,
BY
MOFFAT, YARD & COMPANY
——

First printing December 12, 1918
Second printing April 25, 1919


TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I
Edith Wharton    1
CHAPTER II
Alice Brown    11
CHAPTER III
Ellen Glasgow    20
CHAPTER IV
Gertrude Atherton    41
CHAPTER V
Mary Roberts Rinehart    54
CHAPTER VI
Kathleen Norris    68
CHAPTER VII
Margaret Deland    78
CHAPTER VIII
Gene Stratton-Porter    88
CHAPTER IX
Eleanor H. Porter    108
CHAPTER X
Kate Douglas Wiggin    121
CHAPTER XI
Mary Johnston    132
CHAPTER XII
Corra Harris    153
CHAPTER XIII
Mary Austin    164
CHAPTER XIV
Mary S. Watts    177
CHAPTER XV
Mary E. Wilkins Freeman    198
CHAPTER XVI
Anna Katharine Green    204
CHAPTER XVII
Helen R. Martin    215
CHAPTER XVIII
Sophie Kerr    226
CHAPTER XIX
Marjorie Benton Cooke    238
CHAPTER XX
Grace S. Richmond    246
CHAPTER XXI
Willa Sibert Cather    254
CHAPTER XXII
Clara Louise Burnham    267
CHAPTER XXIII
Demetra Vaka    284
CHAPTER XXIV {vii}
Edna Ferber    292
CHAPTER XXV
Dorothy Canfield Fisher    298
CHAPTER XXVI
Amelia E. Barr    304
CHAPTER XXVII
Alice Hegan Rice    313
CHAPTER XXVIII
Alice Duer Miller    320
CHAPTER XXIX
Eleanor Hallowell Abbott    326
CHAPTER XXX
Harriet T. Comstock    334
CHAPTER XXXI
Honoré Willsie    342
CHAPTER XXXII
Frances Hodgson Burnett    357
CHAPTER XXXIII
Mary E. Waller    369
CHAPTER XXXIV
Zona Gale    377
CHAPTER XXXV
Mary Heaton Vorse    386

 

FOREWORD BY OLIVIA SALTER

As readers, we often find ourselves lost in the worlds created by talented authors, swept away by their words and characters. But how often do we stop to think about the women behind these timeless novels? In "The Women Who Make Our Novels," Grant M. Overton shines a light on the female writers who have shaped and defined the world of literature.

From the groundbreaking works of Edith Wharton and Anna Katharine Green to the masterpieces of Willa Sibert Cather and Marjorie Benton Cooke, this book celebrates the diverse voices and perspectives that have enriched our literary landscape. Through meticulous research and insightful analysis, Overton offers a compelling tribute to the women who have dared to dream, to challenge, and to inspire.

"The Women Who Make Our Novels" is not just a collection of biographies; it is a testament to the power of storytelling and the enduring legacy of female writers. It is a reminder that behind every beloved novel is a woman with a story of her own. So as you delve into these pages, I encourage you to not only appreciate the tales they tell but also the remarkable women who bring them to life.

Join me on this journey of discovery as we celebrate the extraordinary contributions of the women who make our novels.

 

Olivia Salter

06/18/2024


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