I stumbled across this article about a writer who interviewed Elmore Leonard. I thought the advice in it was solid, but also thought the writing in the article was itself a bit touching. Since there is writing advice, I thought I'd put the link to the article here.
Thanks, Mr. L Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :
Elmore Leonard's Get Shorty is my favorite of his novels. I have a list of other Leonard writing guidance, but it's from an unknown source so I won't post it. Rest in grace, Mr. Leonard.
Edited to add: Leonard's guidances came to me thirdhand, why I didn't know the source. A moment of reflection and a quick keyword search pointed me to Leonard's website, where his ten pointers are.
[ August 25, 2013, 10:45 PM: Message edited by: extrinsic ]
Posted by babooher (Member # 8617) on :
You know, I don't think all of those rules would aptly apply to the genres we see most here in the tree house. #9 in particular seems at odds with creating a world--not a complete contradiction, but certainly not congruent. But in all, not bad advice.
Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :
Maybe I take different meaning from Leonard's guidance. I don't for one take the word "rules" to mean imperative necessity when they are about writing. For every "rule" there are successful exceptions that work, that appeal. Leonard uses a kind of understated irony in the "Rules," where he states an imperative "rule" then elaborates with self-contradictory exceptions.
"Rule 9" is self-contradictory too. The principles Leonard espouses are more along the lines of Know your audience, like fantasy genre is more about milieu and asks for more description than perhaps other genres, If description matters in the moment, use it judiciously and timely and spread it out so it's not in long blocks, Keep description dramatic so that it causes characters emotional reactions, and Stay in character viewpoint and voice.
[ August 26, 2013, 10:22 AM: Message edited by: extrinsic ]
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
In memory of Mr. Leonard, I went through my latest thing and took out the word "suddenly."
Which I shouldn't have used in the first place, though its use is acceptable. (The sentence that introduces Strider in "The Lord of the Rings" begins with "suddenly.")
Posted by babooher (Member # 8617) on :
In honor of Mr. Leonard, I got up extra early this morning to write. I was having difficulty linking one scene to another and the solution presented itself nicely. If things progress like this tomorrow and the next, my story might be done by the end of the week and I might be converted.
Posted by shimiqua (Member # 7760) on :
I've been waking up at five for a while now, and I concur. Writers need quiet. I need consistency. Sometimes, I think my writing would be have come out better if I used those hours to sleep, but every day and word forward pushes a story along.