Fic Talk > General Discussion
Questions to ponder part 12
RokofAges75:
--- Quote from: mare on January 01, 2015, 02:50:48 PM ---That was an interesting article. Not sure if I agree with all of it. They didn't really leave much to go on. I have done many of those things as well though.
I'm not sure what my favorite first line is. I can barely even remember story names. I think for a real novel my favorite first line of a book was from "Nineteen Minutes." I don't recall what it was but it sucked me in immediately.
--- End quote ---
I have mixed feelings about that article too. I agreed with a lot of it, but I can see the reasoning behind using at least some of those beginnings. Like I get that the "It was a dark and stormy night" is cliche, but I don't think it's the worst beginning ever. At least it sets the scene and suggests that something scary might happen. And sometimes I think it's important to show an average day in the main character's life, or at least part of an average day, so the reader understands the status quo before things change.
That said, I also thought this was interesting:
"The modern trend, particularly in genre or YA fiction, but increasingly in literary fiction too, is to start the story with the main character on the first page, and to start with the inciting incident. No backstory before chapter three, and then pare it to the bone."
I have noticed this change just comparing the recently-published YA fiction I've read to the books I read growing up. Modern books move a lot faster, whereas I remember skipping ahead to the third, fourth, or fifth chapter to see when things would finally start getting good with books I read when I was younger. I have definitely been THAT writer, who takes forever to get to the point, too. I think you can definitely show a wider character arc if you take the time to show how the character was before his or life changed, but that's only if you can keep the readers' attention long enough to get them to read that far.
RokofAges75:
--- Quote from: mare on January 01, 2015, 02:57:25 PM ---I really miss reading and thanks to my kids and all the B&N gift cards, I have made a vow to start reading daily again. I've already finished "Revival" and just started "Leaving Time"
--- End quote ---
How was Revival? And which was the SK book you mentioned earlier this fall that had the boyband in it? I could use something new to read before I get bogged down with professional reading for class again. The last book I read was "Gone Girl" last fall, which was great once I got into it, and afterwards I was looking for another good read, but couldn't find anything that really hooked me from the beginning. I love being able to sample books on my Kindle, but sometimes it makes my pickiness even worse because I'll download a million samples, start reading them, and then not care enough to actually buy the book so I can finish it. I need to find something that demands to be finished!
RokofAges75:
As far as resolutions go... I would really not like to go another semester without writing a single word of fanfic. I hope I can find more of a balance between work, homework, other real life obligations, and writing this year. I have learned that I can make time for writing, even on weeknights, if I'm really inspired and into my story, but if I'm not, I just don't have the energy. So I guess my first priority is to get back into my story so I can keep writing, even when life gets busy again. Otherwise I'm going to end up being a summer-only writer, and by summer I mean July, at least until I'm done with my master's.
mare:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on January 01, 2015, 10:25:45 PM ---I have mixed feelings about that article too. I agreed with a lot of it, but I can see the reasoning behind using at least some of those beginnings. Like I get that the "It was a dark and stormy night" is cliche, but I don't think it's the worst beginning ever. At least it sets the scene and suggests that something scary might happen. And sometimes I think it's important to show an average day in the main character's life, or at least part of an average day, so the reader understands the status quo before things change.
That said, I also thought this was interesting:
"The modern trend, particularly in genre or YA fiction, but increasingly in literary fiction too, is to start the story with the main character on the first page, and to start with the inciting incident. No backstory before chapter three, and then pare it to the bone."
I have noticed this change just comparing the recently-published YA fiction I've read to the books I read growing up. Modern books move a lot faster, whereas I remember skipping ahead to the third, fourth, or fifth chapter to see when things would finally start getting good with books I read when I was younger. I have definitely been THAT writer, who takes forever to get to the point, too. I think you can definitely show a wider character arc if you take the time to show how the character was before his or life changed, but that's only if you can keep the readers' attention long enough to get them to read that far.
--- End quote ---
I have noticed that too. Most of these stories start after the main plot point has occured and then they spend their time flashing back and telling us the story. I think because the attention span kids have in general is nowhere like it was when we were kids. No one has any patience anymore. Because of all these video games and action packed movies, if something starts too slow teens want nothing to do with it anymore.
Kids today... lol
RokofAges75:
LOL It's so true though! As a reader, I don't particularly like slow books, but there is something to be said for sticking with a book long enough for it to pay off and then appreciating the slow building of suspense and the depth of character development that comes with a long, slowly-moving story. Like I think of Stephen King's The Stand. It's SO long and so slow in parts, but you have to get through that to appreciate the epicness of the whole thing!
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