Friday, January 20, 2017

Reading

Writing has changed how I read fiction. It is as if I have two things going on now. I read the story, but at the same time, I’m noticing the structure. Sometimes, I will go back and reread a section to see how a writer got in and out of a flashback - something I always find hard to do without it seeming confusing.

I make note of things I like about what I’m reading. I’m reading a book now by Mary Kay Andrews. I suppose you’d call it women’s fiction with a dash of romance added. She is very detailed in her descriptions and I see how it makes the book more interesting. It inspires me to do the same. She writes great dialogue and while I’m reading it, I’m trying to figure out what makes it so great. In her case she manages to tell a lot of the story with the dialogue and also give the characters each their own style of speaking.

I am also continually checking the plot as I read. This book had a black moment situation at the very beginning which got taken care of too neatly for the size of the set up. As I read, I kind of went huh? But she was facing disaster and it got fixed that easily?

I’m always paying attention to how the writer mixes in action with the dialogue. Another thing I struggle with and I’m always looking to learn how to do it better. If it’s a mystery, I am always on the lookout for the clues. How were they hidden?

It is a dance trying to mix getting lost in the story while analyzing how it is being told. At first, it felt uncomfortable and awkward and it was kind of an either or situation. But now I have learned how to juggle it so that I can learn and enjoy at the same time.

1 comment:

Ellen said...

Sometimes I can solve a whodunnit by watching what the author is doing, rather than the characters. Then again, sometimes I'm wrong. That's even better.