tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26676840.post2493057067904273577..comments2024-03-21T01:33:09.488-06:00Comments on <center>LDS Writers Blogck</center>: The Dead Authors SocietyKeith N Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05222131826035498684noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26676840.post-37957140216710681642008-05-14T15:00:00.000-06:002008-05-14T15:00:00.000-06:00Keith,You made a good point. Good writing can be f...Keith,<BR/>You made a good point. Good writing can be found in every generation, even if the "rules" and styles change. <BR/><BR/>I enjoyed reading your blog, and would love for you to do a discussion of several more of the classics!Cindy Beck, authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16915624341543651886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26676840.post-38644962151423325612008-05-13T11:48:00.000-06:002008-05-13T11:48:00.000-06:00A large portion of the books I read are in audio b...A large portion of the books I read are in audio book format. It seems that if I have enough time to sit down and read a paper-based book, that I could have used that time more efficiently somewhere else. Maybe I'm just impatient.<BR/><BR/>As such, much of my "reading" is someone reading it to me as well. I honestly feel I can get thru some stories that otherwise I would not have been able to read on my own.<BR/><BR/><I>Alice in Wonderland</I> was NOT one of those. I could not get very far into the story without having to turn it off. I was at the gym "reading" it and the book made me want to go home, so I listened to something else.<BR/><BR/>I'm sure it was a good story and lots of people loved reading about Alice. I mean, it's a classic, right? It's so well known. <I>Somebody</I> must have enjoyed reading it.<BR/><BR/>But I left Alice somewhere in her fantasy world. I hope she found her way out--or at least that she liked it there, because I sure didn't.Darvell Hunthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16376869585148507892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26676840.post-82467282099543422512008-05-11T23:00:00.000-06:002008-05-11T23:00:00.000-06:00I hear a lot of the same in songwriting. For ever...I hear a lot of the same in songwriting. For every rule someone quotes me, I can cite at least 10 major classic hits that break that rule. <BR/><BR/>I get a bit of an attitude about it, too, because they tell me that nobody's going to publish and pitch my songs unless I "follow the rules".<BR/><BR/>Well, often those rules help me write better songs. Sometimes I want to break them and I do it. I don't see people lining up to promote the songs of people in our little small-time group anyway...<BR/><BR/>I do, however, think it's very good to know the rules, and that when you break them, you should be doing that as a concious artistic choice, rather than simple ignorance.mrkhmusichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05724027246990759522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26676840.post-32461338022364499362008-05-11T04:06:00.000-06:002008-05-11T04:06:00.000-06:00that writing styles and preferences change and not...that writing styles and preferences change and not always for the better. And that good writing (and great novels) can be found among many literary styles/schools/periods.<BR/><BR/>I beleive that was the point I was making. I guess it only proves that mt writing needs to improve in order for people to get the point.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your commentsKeith N Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05222131826035498684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26676840.post-83465824003944937822008-05-10T13:53:00.000-06:002008-05-10T13:53:00.000-06:00To a large extent, I agree with William. The defin...To a large extent, I agree with William. The definition of "good writing" changes over time. What worked for Milton's or Dickens's audience doesn't work for today's. What's a "sin" today was a common (and "good") tool back in the day--among them large passages of description, POV hopping, and so forth.<BR/><BR/>So the trick is learning what elements from those writers STILL work today--those things that pass the test of time--and then use them while adapting to the way modern audience and publishing has changed.Annette Lyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12493583432919249814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26676840.post-26436530272914885672008-05-10T08:26:00.000-06:002008-05-10T08:26:00.000-06:00"One of my pet peeves is when I read a book writte..."One of my pet peeves is when I read a book written within the last twenty years and find the author committed one of the unforgivable sins. I constantly criticize myself for committing these sins because I know if I don’t change things like weak plot, POV shifts, and too much description, my book won’t be published. So, I’m left wondering how the book in question got published because it’s so much harder for us today."<BR/><BR/>Unforgivable sins? More like changes in fashion. Here's the thing -- you may not enjoy it, but some authors are good enough that they can flout the conventions that get drilled into aspiring authors. Fitzgerald is one of them. Although his novels -- outside of The Great Gatsby which is very, very short for novel -- actually aren't very good. <BR/><BR/>I personally find some of the conventions that are drilled into beginning writers to be boring. I'm not fond of the transparent writing style that's popular in many circles -- give me flowery over so plain it's boring (albeit good flowery). I like authors who play around with POV (if it's clearly intentional and not just because the author is inexperienced). I think plot is overrated and too often gets in the way of story. I think description is under-valued and dialog is over-valued. etc. <BR/><BR/>None of this is to criticize your response to Gatsby. But to point out that writing styles and preferences change and not always for the better. And that good writing (and great novels) can be found among many literary styles/schools/periods. <BR/><BR/>Or in other words: modern readers need to become poly-readers.Williamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02713325019392755637noreply@blogger.com