Literary styles and techniques we copy

[Kelliezgirl]

I'm not sure I totally agree, but unless one is a talented professional writing for a living, I think this is pretty good advice

Well, Niven was a talented professional writing for a living, and he thought it applied.
What do you disagree with?

 

[AG31]

Well, Niven was a talented professional writing for a living, and he thought it applied.
What do you disagree with?

I think there is a skill about appealing to a broad audience rather than to one's own muse. But maybe I misinterpreted what he said. I don't think I absorbed "other writers." Not sure what that means. I'll withdraw my comment.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I think there is a skill about appealing to a broad audience rather than to one's own muse. But maybe I misinterpreted what he said. I don't think I absorbed "other writers." Not sure what that means. I'll withdraw my comment.

I think that's what he was saying. Your audience isn't other writers, and the things that other writers often "geek out" about aren't things that matter to readers.

 

[djrip]

I think that's what he was saying. Your audience isn't other writers, and the things that other writers often "geek out" about aren't things that matter to readers.

This makes sense a lot of times. But people do read Borges and Pynchon and David Foster Wallace.

 

[ElectricBlue]

A: vs B:

B is easier to read, but the rhythm and order of words convey nothing of how I wanted to show Gwenhwyfar's despair.

I found A much easier to read, because it's lyrical, the sentences flow. B plods along, feet in mud.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I think here at Lit (or anywhere, actually) one of the most important goals of a writer is to find your 'voice' and I don't think you can do that by imitation. But I think as a writing exercise you can learn a lot of other craft-like elements by doing so. I would like to think my efforts subsequent to these trials have benefited.

Absolutely this. Finding your natural voice is so important, even if you don't know, technically, how it works or what you're doing from a literary point of view. I find it fascinating when someone decomposes my writing - I can't do it, myself.

 

[EmilyMiller]

This thread gets the #literary seal of approval.

Em

 

[StillStunned]

This thread gets the #literary seal of approval.

Em

That seems to have put the kibosh on it.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I did pull it up from the depths with my post. But it seems to be sinking back down.

See people say they want literary stuff, but they really want me hitting on @onehitwanda

Em

 

[Kelliezgirl]

This makes sense a lot of times. But people do read Borges and Pynchon and David Foster Wallace.

Maybe the question is "Did those writers set out to appeal to other writers, or did they just do their own thing and it happens to appeal to other writers?"

Sort of the difference between what you set out to accomplish and what you actually accomplish.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

This thread gets the #literary seal of approval.

Em

Does that seal have a cephalopod on it?

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

For a variety of reasons and in no particular order, these authors are in my top ten most impactful to me.

Amy Tan
Cormac Mccarthy
Jim Harrison
Ursula Le Guin
Katherine Paterson (Bridge to Terabithia)
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Isabel Allende
Salman Rushdie
Gabriel García Marquez
Toni Morrison

 

[intim8]

I had one of those online things tell me I write like David Foster Wallace. Never read him, so I have no idea. I don't consciously emulate any, though I can do a hell of a Raymond Chandler impression. I do find that my writing starts to sound a little like whatever writer I read last, which means I don't really have my own voice yet.

I know I have picked up techniques from other writers (I've read something like 50 books a year for over 40 years, so maybe 2000 books, mostly fiction), but I don't consciouly use them as such, they're just there in my head when I need them.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I had one of those online things tell me I write like David Foster Wallace. Never read him, so I have no idea. I don't consciously emulate any, though I can do a hell of a Raymond Chandler impression. I do find that my writing starts to sound a little like whatever writer I read last, which means I don't really have my own voice yet.

I know I have picked up techniques from other writers (I've read something like 50 books a year for over 40 years, so maybe 2000 books, mostly fiction), but I don't consciouly use them as such, they're just there in my head when I need them.

Please elucidate. What 'online thing' did you use? I'd love to know something like this.

 

[Paul_Chance]

I am influenced by what I'm reading. When I catch it as I'm writing, I usually stop myself and set it aside.

Lately I've been reading K.J. Parker's "Under My Skin", a collection of shorts and novellas. I was drawn there after reading his novels. He does an amazing job of writing limited first person POV with an unreliable narrator. I find it entertaining and a combination of light, funny and poignant. I'm dying to try my hand at the style (limited 1st POV and an unreliable narrator).

I have no literary pretentions. File me strictly under pulp fiction and genre fiction. I don't compare my own writing to anyone else's because all I'd do is lose out in the comparison.

 

[StillStunned]

Lately I've been reading K.J. Parker's "Under My Skin", a collection of shorts and novellas. I was drawn there after reading his novels. He does an amazing job of writing limited first person POV with an unreliable narrator. I find it entertaining and a combination of light, funny and poignant. I'm dying to try my hand at the style (limited 1st POV and an unreliable narrator).

I read his Scavenger series, but was put off by the poor editing. Not just typos, but plot stuff. It's been years since I read them, but there were six "agents" or something, but sometimes their number was given as five. And someone was someone's uncle, then his father.

And the plot was so full of twists that I expected those to be deliberate "mistakes", but they weren't. It was a shame, because the idea behind the story was very original.

 

[Paul_Chance]

I read his Scavenger series, but was put off by the poor editing. Not just typos, but plot stuff. It's been years since I read them, but there were six "agents" or something, but sometimes their number was given as five. And someone was someone's uncle, then his father.

And the plot was so full of twists that I expected those to be deliberate "mistakes", but they weren't. It was a shame, because the idea behind the story was very original.

I've not read his Scavenger series yet. I just discovered him last year and have tucked his Saevus Corvax series away and his "How to..." series, which brought me to "Under My Skin".

Can't speak to the poor editing (all I've read so far seem to be professionally done), but the changing relationships/references/counts are all part of his unreliable narrators. "He was my best friend, except for that time he sold me to the slavers, but that's another story. He was my best friend, even after he got drunk and stabbed me."

 

[intim8]

Please elucidate. What 'online thing' did you use? I'd love to know something like this.

I don't remember, I think it was a link going around on socials a few years ago. You just paste a sample of your writing in, and it pops out an author you sound like. Google "what writer do i write like", there's a bunch of them.

Or here, try this one, though I can't vouch for it.
http://markallenthornton.com/blog/who-do-you-write-like/

 

[EmilyMiller]

Literary styles and techniques we copy​

An often Poe-like approach to vocabulary (not that my writing echoes any other elements of his style), which is the the antithesis of yours. I’m still in my love affair with words, not settling for a more middle-aged focus on clarity.

I often use parataxis to convey arousal. And it often becomes more prominent as orgasms approach.

I mostly write in first person past (less frequently first person present and third person past). This is both the go to style of the novice (which I view myself as) and the easiest way to emphasize the emotions and thoughts of the narrator, while masking those of other characters, leading to misunderstandings and / or twists. I know you can achieve that in other ways, but first person past is simplest.

Talking of twists, or the revealing of hidden plans, I’m probably too partial to these.

It’s not a literary technique, but many of my works contain pop culture references and fourth wall breaking. I think my general approach to humor is a shadowy reflection of Douglas Adams, with a little absurdist Lewis Carrol thrown in. I think there are also notes from Whedon’s writing / direction in Buffy and Firefly (insert mandatory disavowal of his behavior towards writers and actors).

I don’t see much of my very favorite authors in my writing. Probably because I’m too embarrassed to try to emulate them. I couldn’t write like Steinbeck, even if you paid me.

Emily

 

[StillStunned]

settling for a more middle-aged focus on clarity.

Hey, now you're making me sound lazy! It's hard work, telling a story in simple words.

Ooh, new challenge idea: write a story using only words of one or two syllables.

 

[intim8]

write a story using only words of one or two syllables.

Grog see girl. Grog like girl. Grog drag girl to cave. Unnngghhhhh.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I am Groot. I am Groot. I .. am ... GROOT.

Grog see girl. Grog like girl. Grog drag girl to cave. Unnngghhhhh.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Hey, now you're making me sound lazy! It's hard work, telling a story in simple words.

Ooh, new challenge idea: write a story using only words of one or two syllables.

Just yanking your chain, hun.

Emily

 

[StillStunned]

Just yanking your chain, hun.

Emily

It will come back to haunt you when *you're* middle-aged, and I'm a ghost rattling my chain at you. "Want to yank it now, EmilyMiller?" I'll say. "Want to yank it now? Wooooo!"

 

[EmilyMiller]

It will come back to haunt you when *you're* middle-aged, and I'm a ghost rattling my chain at you. "Want to yank it now, EmilyMiller?" I'll say. "Want to yank it now? Wooooo!"

Just slightly disturbing

Emily