Influences
Thursday, October 30. 2008
Less than 48 hours till the starting gun fires on NaNoWriMo '08. So how am I spending my time? Reading.
I really ought to do some more planning and plotting (and I will), but now is a good time to re-visit some of my important influences from the past, and try to re-ingrain some of their goodness. To "walk the Pattern" again, so to speak. Then when I get to the center, I can go anywhere in the multiverse... What I'm reading right now:
FICTION: Nine Princes in Amber, by Roger Zelazny. I first read the Chronicles of Amber when I was in the ninth grade, and it's only on a re-read that I'm noticing how much Zelazny's writing style has influenced my own. Second sentence of the novel: "I attempted to wriggle my toes, succeeded." Any Critter who has read any of my short stories would probably recognize that sort of sentence construction. I only realized this morning whence it came.
What I've always loved the most about the Amber series is how Zelazny gives the impression of so much happening behind the scenes and beyond the immediate control of his protagonist, Corwin. The reader always has the sense that there are half a dozen things Corwin could be tracking down or fixing or addressing in some way, but he generally chooses a seventh, different action to take at that moment, which often leads to even more loose ends. The plot is never unwieldy, and everything is tied up neatly by the end of the story arc; Zelazny's way of storytelling works well, and makes for compelling and engrossing tales.
I'm very interested in bringing the same craft to my own novel, so I'm boning up on Z's technique before I step up to the starting line this year.
NONFICTION: How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy, by Orson Scott Card. I don't care for the title, because it makes the book sound like a primer for the masses, but it's really not. Card collects many little nuggets of wisdom in one slim tome, making this perhaps the single most valuable work for a spec-fic author to read. Yes, I already know this stuff (I have been chasing editors for more than a couple of years now), but it's hard to keep it all in one's head at the same time when there is a day job involved. Once I start writing for a living, I'm sure everything will be second nature. But just at this moment, a refresher would be a good thing.
Besides, I don't think I've read the book cover-to-cover since before my cousin Chris borrowed it for something like eight years.
Less than 48 hours till the starting gun fires on NaNoWriMo '08. So how am I spending my time? Reading.
I really ought to do some more planning and plotting (and I will), but now is a good time to re-visit some of my important influences from the past, and try to re-ingrain some of their goodness. To "walk the Pattern" again, so to speak. Then when I get to the center, I can go anywhere in the multiverse... What I'm reading right now:
FICTION: Nine Princes in Amber, by Roger Zelazny. I first read the Chronicles of Amber when I was in the ninth grade, and it's only on a re-read that I'm noticing how much Zelazny's writing style has influenced my own. Second sentence of the novel: "I attempted to wriggle my toes, succeeded." Any Critter who has read any of my short stories would probably recognize that sort of sentence construction. I only realized this morning whence it came.
What I've always loved the most about the Amber series is how Zelazny gives the impression of so much happening behind the scenes and beyond the immediate control of his protagonist, Corwin. The reader always has the sense that there are half a dozen things Corwin could be tracking down or fixing or addressing in some way, but he generally chooses a seventh, different action to take at that moment, which often leads to even more loose ends. The plot is never unwieldy, and everything is tied up neatly by the end of the story arc; Zelazny's way of storytelling works well, and makes for compelling and engrossing tales.
I'm very interested in bringing the same craft to my own novel, so I'm boning up on Z's technique before I step up to the starting line this year.
NONFICTION: How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy, by Orson Scott Card. I don't care for the title, because it makes the book sound like a primer for the masses, but it's really not. Card collects many little nuggets of wisdom in one slim tome, making this perhaps the single most valuable work for a spec-fic author to read. Yes, I already know this stuff (I have been chasing editors for more than a couple of years now), but it's hard to keep it all in one's head at the same time when there is a day job involved. Once I start writing for a living, I'm sure everything will be second nature. But just at this moment, a refresher would be a good thing.
Besides, I don't think I've read the book cover-to-cover since before my cousin Chris borrowed it for something like eight years.
I really ought to do some more planning and plotting (and I will), but now is a good time to re-visit some of my important influences from the past, and try to re-ingrain some of their goodness. To "walk the Pattern" again, so to speak. Then when I get to the center, I can go anywhere in the multiverse... What I'm reading right now:
FICTION: Nine Princes in Amber, by Roger Zelazny. I first read the Chronicles of Amber when I was in the ninth grade, and it's only on a re-read that I'm noticing how much Zelazny's writing style has influenced my own. Second sentence of the novel: "I attempted to wriggle my toes, succeeded." Any Critter who has read any of my short stories would probably recognize that sort of sentence construction. I only realized this morning whence it came.
What I've always loved the most about the Amber series is how Zelazny gives the impression of so much happening behind the scenes and beyond the immediate control of his protagonist, Corwin. The reader always has the sense that there are half a dozen things Corwin could be tracking down or fixing or addressing in some way, but he generally chooses a seventh, different action to take at that moment, which often leads to even more loose ends. The plot is never unwieldy, and everything is tied up neatly by the end of the story arc; Zelazny's way of storytelling works well, and makes for compelling and engrossing tales.
I'm very interested in bringing the same craft to my own novel, so I'm boning up on Z's technique before I step up to the starting line this year.
NONFICTION: How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy, by Orson Scott Card. I don't care for the title, because it makes the book sound like a primer for the masses, but it's really not. Card collects many little nuggets of wisdom in one slim tome, making this perhaps the single most valuable work for a spec-fic author to read. Yes, I already know this stuff (I have been chasing editors for more than a couple of years now), but it's hard to keep it all in one's head at the same time when there is a day job involved. Once I start writing for a living, I'm sure everything will be second nature. But just at this moment, a refresher would be a good thing.
Besides, I don't think I've read the book cover-to-cover since before my cousin Chris borrowed it for something like eight years.
Craig on :
And, although I am not actively "crittering," I do recognize the structure from a couple of your stories.
Brent on :
Honestly, I didn't think you had ever read any of my stories...?
Craig on :
I never finished any of the things I was working on to a point to send up the pole, so to speak. I finally got too busy to crit anything, so I demoted myself to inactive. I still receive the weekly list, though.
I don't remember titles, but I really liked the Mars piece and the Heaven fantasy was real 'thinker'.
Jimmy on :