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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Saturday, January 4, 2025

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway | Foreword by Olivia Salter

  

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway | Foreword by Olivia Salter


A Farewell to Arms


By Ernest Hemingway



Foreword


Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms is much more than a novel of love and war; it is a profound exploration of the human condition, told through the lens of one man’s journey during World War I. First published in 1929, this semi-autobiographical work captures the essence of Hemingway’s literary genius—his unmatched ability to distill emotion and experience into prose that is as sparse as it is deeply evocative.

Set against the backdrop of the Italian front, the novel chronicles the story of Frederic Henry, an American ambulance driver, and his passionate, tragic romance with Catherine Barkley, a British nurse. Their love blossoms amidst the chaos of war, a stark reminder of the fragility and transience of human connection. Yet, this is not a story of idealized romance or heroism. Instead, Hemingway offers an unflinching portrayal of love as both salvation and suffering, and war as both senseless destruction and a crucible of human resilience.

Hemingway’s prose, characterized by its simplicity and precision, allows readers to inhabit the spaces between words, where the deepest emotions reside. His use of understatement—what he famously called the "iceberg theory"—renders moments of joy and sorrow with haunting clarity, leaving readers to grapple with what lies beneath the surface.

The themes of A Farewell to Arms—love, loss, courage, disillusionment—are timeless, resonating with readers across generations. It is a book that speaks not only to the specific horrors of World War I but to the universal struggles of humanity in the face of war, uncertainty, and mortality.

As you embark on this journey through Frederic Henry’s world, prepare to confront the full spectrum of human experience. Hemingway does not shy away from life’s harsh realities, but within those, he uncovers moments of profound beauty and truth. A Farewell to Arms is a testament to the enduring power of literature to illuminate the darkest corners of existence and remind us of the resilience of the human spirit.

Olivia Salter

01/04/2025




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