by Joe Bunting |
I recently read a novel that, on the surface, was nearly perfect. It had an action packed plot, a love triangle, and a feel good ending.
However, as I read, I noticed that every time a major conflict in the story would come up, the author would back off. She would briefly show the conflict, but then skip on to the next scene, leaving you, the reader, to sort everything out. It was almost as if the author knew she needed conflict, but was so uncomfortable with it, she wanted to slip the conflict into the story and get out as soon as possible.
by Joe Bunting |
My family and I went to see Les Misérables the day after Christmas. My dad said, “It was probably the best film I’ve ever seen,” and while I may not go that far, it certainly had me (and three-quarters of the theater) dripping with tears more than once.
I want to write a story like Les Misérables. Not a musical, but a story so powerful, so captivating, that it could move people in the same way.
If you’d like to write a story as powerful as Les Misérables, I’ve put together this list of five observations about what made the story so powerful, and how writers can emulate it.
by Joe Bunting |
I’ve been in San Francisco with my family this weekend. Needless to say we’re having a great time.
While San Francisco is a relatively young city, it has a storied history regarding the arts. Notably for writers, it was the home of the literary movement known as the Beat Generation in the 1950s.
The Beats included writers like poets William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg and novelists Jack Keruoac and Neal Cassady. Their motto was liberty of expression and their style has influenced writers for the last 60 years.
by Joe Bunting |
Is what you’re reading what you write? Not entirely, though admittedly it can be a subconscious influence. Reading foreign authors and other cultures, in different genres and styles, can broaden one’s horizons almost as much as visiting remote places and exploring cultures. The opportunity to find out – to explore – to discover – is only a book away.
by Joe Bunting |
What do you do when you get stuck with your writing? There isn’t one answer of course, but I hope your first thought settles on reading. Assuming you’re an avid reader, a bibliophile, or a writer, at some point you’ve probably thought with regret about the limited scope of reading you can do in a lifetime. The latest boom in publishing (online, self-publishing, indie publishing), brings countless piles of books to to the reader. How to choose the right ones?
by Joe Bunting |
I was going to try to tie the election into today’s post, but after twelve out of fourteen ads during Jeopardy were campaign ads, I realized that I have no desire to give either of the candidates that satisfaction. Just make sure you go vote today.
And now, on to more important things, like bathos.
