Hatrack River Forum: Yay! :D "Characters & Viewpoint" came today

This is topic Yay! :D "Characters & Viewpoint" came today in forum Discussions About Orson Scott Card at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Verai (Member # 7507) on :

Lots of good stuff in here [Big Grin]

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

Yeah, it and How to Write Science Fiction are two of my favorite books on writing.

Posted by AntiCool (Member # 7386) on :

I much prefer How To Write Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

Man, leave off two stinkin' words and they just pounce on you!

[Razz]

Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :

I always thought the contrast between Characters and Viewpoint and Stephen King's On Writing was just fascinating.

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

I've not read King's book. How would you characterize the contrast?

Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :

King's approach is so much more informal. I mean, he talks about getting things into your toolbox, but the whole thing is just so less structured and analyzed than OSC's books. OSC is sort of writing a manual, whereas King sounds almost like he's making giving advice about writing into a story.

edit: I thought they were both really good books (HTWSF&F too). I was interesting seeing the very different styles with which they seem to approach writing.

[ March 17, 2005, 05:44 PM: Message edited by: MrSquicky ]

Posted by AntiCool (Member # 7386) on :

quote:
Man, leave off two stinkin' words and they just pounce on you!

Actually, I wasn't pouncing on you. I was just saying that I liked How To Write Science Fiction and Fantasy more than I like Character and Viewpoint.

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

Oh.

Well, in my defense, I didn't think you were *seriously* pouncing. I just thought you were ribbing me.

'Cause, you know, it's all about me*.

*Hey, Ralphie, I think I found your mojo!

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

You wanna borrow it for the weekend?

Posted by Jenny Gardener (Member # 903) on :

Good book! I hope you enjoy it. I know I've found it helpful (especially when deciding on viewpoint characters).

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

::making good use of Ralphie's mojo::

Posted by Exploding Monkey (Member # 7612) on :

That's my favorit writing advice book. Cannuck SF writer Robert J. Sawyer referred me to it through a brief eMail exchange we had. The whole 'Elements of Fiction' series that it's grouped with ain't too bad either, but Card's is very clearly the best of the bunch.

Stephen King's 'On Writing' is really good too. Not a lot about his advice on the craft in there, but a great read despite it.

[ March 20, 2005, 11:42 PM: Message edited by: Exploding Monkey ]