Prose, Francine: Reading Like a Writer

[calico_reaction]

Comments

[jenwrites]

Hmm, I could probably use help with how I write gestures, so maybe I'll grab this from the library and read that chapter. Thanks for the review!

[calico_reaction]

You're welcome! :) I was really impressed with that chapter, but then again, one of my biggest problems with my prose lately has been with gestures (my SHU mentor keeps yelling at me for them), so I'm glad to have read it. :)

[calico_reaction]

I can't help but wonder who Prose's book is really marketed to: the beginning writer, or the reader who doesn't pay attention, or both? And if it's the latter, are the classics REALLY the way to go?

Ooooh, I've got LeGuin's book, but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. Thanks for reminding me about it, though. :)

[kmarkhoover]

Good review, thanks. I think on the basis of what you said I'll be avoiding this book nonetheless....

[calico_reaction]

To each his own. :) There's definitely some good stuff in there, but I don't know if it's worth the whole read. :)

[neo_prodigy]

ditto. the attitude about popular fiction kinda rubbed me the wrong way. but it's good to know the book has a few redeeming qualities. in any event thanks for taking the time to review the book.

[calico_reaction]

She doesn't rant about popular fiction by any means, she simply excludes it and makes a few remarks why. But the exclusion itself isn't helpful to those of us who write popular fiction, though as mentioned, there are chapters that are helpful no matter what genre you write.

[24thmystery]

The whole "dismissing any popular fiction" thing irritates me. "Great Expectations," anyone? & l am sure if we took a more careful look at the classics, we would find that many of them were indeed appreciated in their own time. The Odyssey & The Iliad, while not "novels" in the written sense, are the amalgamation of the ancient Greek version of best-selling narratives.

Thanks for the review-- it sounds worth checking out.

[calico_reaction]

That's a really good point. I think the only real difference is that back then, language had a different priority in peoples' lives than it does now. I mean, when you think of it, we've evolved from verbal storytelling as our primary means of communication, to hand-written letters, and now to the more immediate emails. How language is used in fiction will certainly reflect the changes in how language is being used, I think. :)

[time_freak]

I had to read this as part of my course and can't say I was particularly impressed.

[calico_reaction]

Interesting to know. How did your class receive it in general, and what kind of course did you take?

[time_freak]

The class was called The Writer as Critic (the best class I have probably ever taken). I think that in my particular class not many would have read most of it, they were an argumentative bunch, and the ones who were very bright seemed to stay quiet so if they did I can't remember them saying too much about it.

There were things in it that I did like but as a whole I didn't feel it worked, and much of it was far too obvious for me to be too excited by.

[calico_reaction]

Interesting. I would've loved to take a class like that! :)