I recently posted to LinkedIn regarding the way we are currently being taught to write (succinctly, no over-writing, less adverbs, less adjectives, less similes, less metaphors, trimming fat, don’t use the same word over and over, shorter condensed descriptions, stronger verbs and nouns, delete not required backstory, don’t repeat yourself, use active voice the majority of the time, increase action, express don’t explain, show don’t tell, etc.) and asked other writers if they know of any professional published authors that write this way. There aren’t many. It seems that most people break the rules.
One thing I heard was; learn all the rules, then once you have done that and you are proficient in writing the way you are suppose to, only then are you allowed to break the rules as you see fit. Probably good advice. Still, how can we learn from ‘good’ authors if everyone breaks the rules?
Ernest Hemingway seems to be one of those well known and respected published authors that does write the way we are suppose to write. There are probably others, I just haven’t read their novels yet.
It is annoying, though, that we continue to pick up and learn supposedly bad habits from almost every single novel that's on the shelves today.
Here’s the link in case you’re interested: http://www.linkedin.com/groupItem?view=&gid=1780627&type=member&item=113801448&commentID=82456442&report%2Esuccess=PdmtybENV2mnc3t3p8JpWuFiB1ZhaD9OnKUphCsu7LRNRYTOK1wrHHO_rcDN0rVBb1wuxUyPL-SZ#commentID_82456442
*The group is private, so you will have to join to see the posts. Only takes a second and it's through LinkedIn, so it's safe. If you're already a part of LinkedIn then it will take even less time.
My LinkedIn Profile: http://au.linkedin.com/pub/mat-clarke/21/bb6/982
Hi Mat,
ReplyDeletewith regard learning from good authors I don't think that's a good idea as all we would get from them is advice on the way they write and considering we are all unique, we might be in danger of being cloned. I think the besty way is to learn from an editor (like Suraya). I hear your frustration and feel it too but I think doing things our way when we have learned how to - properly, we will develop into our own style - something new writer divas think they have. What they have is a large L plate on their work that only those of us who are going through the mill can see. We all get there in the end with our own "STYLE", created with a little help by breaking the rules.
Howdy Raymond
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting thought. I have read and been continually told that the best way to research writing is to learn from others that have come before me. In other words, read as many varied authors as possible. What I'm looking for are authors that follow the 'rules'. These 'rules' have been created by publishers, writers and editors (Suraya being one of them). And their main point is to not over-write. I just want to read some titles where the work is not over-written so I can get a feel for that writing style.
I'm reading some Ernest Hemingway right now. Interesting. I think Cormac McCarthy channeled him when he wrote his novels.
Well, my search continues for an established current author that has the kind of writing style I wish to 'research'.