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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Showing posts with label Richard Ashley Rice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Richard Ashley Rice. Show all posts

Friday, December 4, 2015

A Book of Narratives by Oscar James Campbell, and Richard Ashley Rice (1917)

 A Book of Narratives

 

 by Oscar James Campbell, and Richard Ashley Rice 

 

(1917)


A Book of Narratives by Oscar James Campbell, and Richard Ashley Rice (1917). The editors of this book of narratives have one object in view — to lead the reader to see life closely and imaginatively. It is not especially planned as a guide for young writers who want to sell their first attempts to the omnivorous magazines; and we much doubt if anyone will learn from it the temporary tricks for turning out "current fiction." The aim of all great literature is to interpret life, and the special aim of fiction is to see life imaginatively. 
 
Emile Zola once said that all a novel can hope to be is a corner of nature seen through a temperament. To inculcate something of this supreme art of seeing life, by the methods of fiction, is the purpose of the present collection. As we understand it, the purpose of writing courses in college, especially while drill in correct usage goes on, is to train the logical powers. We believe that there can be no better training in logic than that which exercises the faculties for close observation of life and for constructive imagination. Our commentary and notes are entirely devoted to defining and illustrating this exercise. We hope that the book will also be of help in the general study of fiction.

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