Way of the Writer
Saturday, July 17, 2004
Huddle and Fool
Read another chapter of Huddle and two chapters of Fool. Very interesting.
The chapter of Huddle was the longest so far. Each section was from the viewpoint of a different character. Usually. Several sections had awkward slips from one viewpoint character to another in the section. Minor, but noticeable.
The chapter also introduced concepts that, while I had read and heard of, had never actually seen used. One is second person point of view (POV). Another is stream of consciousness. In a third scene, the author uses "i" instead of "I" for for POV. This is in addition to referring to one POV character as "our hero" throughout the entire section. I think the writer used these techniques to not only differentiate the characters but as a thematic component as well.
My opinion? Ugh. The characters still sounded the same and the techniques just made it worse.
As for Fool? Happily plunged into the story.
Friday, July 16, 2004
More is good
Added more links. Now just got to focus not reading them as much as focusing on my own projects.
Thursday Torment
No reading or writing except blogs. Not good for the eventually publication of the quintessential American novel.
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Continued to read
Finished another chapter of Huddle. Either I was more tired than normal or the writing was better, but the chapter read fairly well. It's obvious the author knows how flag football's played which is the more unique element of the novel.
Read a chapter in Fool's Fate. Wow!
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
All words, no writing
Monday
No words down except for blog entries and e-mails. Finished another chapter in Huddle and Fool's Fate before going to sleep.
The Huddle chapter continues to throw unpleasant surprises. I've never read a book where the main character of the chapter (more discussion on that technique later) is constantly referred to as 'our hero'. Irritating. I was already thrown by the fourth point-of-view character in as many chapters. Would not be a prob if the characters were all distinct. Instead I get another beautiful, run-in-the-mill character delusionally dissatisfied with his relationship. Didn't I already read about him back in chapter two and three?
I've had to moderate myself with Fool's Fate by Robin Hobb. Just like the first Farseer book (Assassin's Apprentice), I don't want to stop turning the page. Plot continues to move as FitzChivalary prepares for his voyage to the Out Islands. I couldn't believe that Hobb could continue to deepen the character (the first trilogy of the series alone is over 2000 pages!) but I'm continually astounded by new tidbits. Every time I finish a chapter, I always think, "now this is a good book."
(By the by, Hobb's Farseer trilogy is the standard which I measure all my books.)
Monday, July 12, 2004
Today's plans
Continue to read Huddle by Dan Boyle.
Continue to read Fool's Fate by Robin Hobb.
Start No More Rejections: 50 Secrets to Writing a Manuscript That Sells by Alice Orr.
