tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post4800011409752245986..comments2024-02-12T17:59:33.534-06:00Comments on RAZORED ZEN: OVER THE TOPCharles Gramlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-68346349665219708152012-06-14T21:26:42.830-05:002012-06-14T21:26:42.830-05:00Great post, Charles. Thanks.
I don't think an...Great post, Charles. Thanks.<br /><br />I don't think anyone else has mentioned this, but your rule of thumb applies to scenes. You can get away in literary fiction with a boring scene in which people sit around the kitchen table and drink coffee, but in genre fiction the scenes, too, get dialed up. That coffee better be poisoned, or some of the people better be aliens, or a meteorite needs to crash through the kitchen ceiling killing someone, or better yet, the scene could take place somewhere else while the people are doing something exciting, and all of the above complications occur.Shauna Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03871768714926149114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-5059554164606278882012-06-13T18:15:41.999-05:002012-06-13T18:15:41.999-05:00Mimi, a little melodrama never hurt!
Sidney, hard...Mimi, a little melodrama never hurt!<br /><br />Sidney, hard to believe Bradbury isn't already. that's kind of ridiculous that he's not. but there is still something of a bias against fantasy.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-36541368358565769502012-06-13T18:06:50.268-05:002012-06-13T18:06:50.268-05:00I love "Something Wicked This Way Comes,"...I love "Something Wicked This Way Comes," which achieves on so many levels, as a genre novel, as a contemplation on life and aging and in a poetic way. There was a New Yorker, I think, article the other day about the lines blurring more and more, and it's certainly true. Chandler and Lovecraft are in Library Of America editions and Bradbury will be.Sidneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16284680909152676159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-80374622348849890482012-06-13T14:46:21.967-05:002012-06-13T14:46:21.967-05:00Excellent explanation! At the risk of sounding mel...Excellent explanation! At the risk of sounding melodramatic, I will say no more.Mimi Lenoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01616635898420835541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-50652692189762970662012-06-12T11:26:42.645-05:002012-06-12T11:26:42.645-05:00Jess, take a martini and call me in the morning!
...Jess, take a martini and call me in the morning!<br /><br />Jodi, I'm not a big fan of restraint either, at least in writing.<br /><br />Chris, I suspect it's coming, although slowly.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-68044604065322231802012-06-12T08:33:48.454-05:002012-06-12T08:33:48.454-05:00Great advice, Charles. Your example cracked me up ...Great advice, Charles. Your example cracked me up - definitely comes at the reader from no where in that paragraph. I think literary fiction could use a little more over the top though - a little more freewheeling.Chris Benjaminhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00402945887045545024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-65835623817906609032012-06-11T20:28:07.277-05:002012-06-11T20:28:07.277-05:00Never one for restraint, personally I don't mi...Never one for restraint, personally I don't mind when a certain line stands out. It can catch you off guard, and I like that!jodihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01798858210138821711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-47421743956757996112012-06-11T18:09:25.297-05:002012-06-11T18:09:25.297-05:00Wonderful post! I'm with Chris--headache.Wonderful post! I'm with Chris--headache.Jessica Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18320362797117599955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-79301605280646404202012-06-11T16:42:55.295-05:002012-06-11T16:42:55.295-05:00Rachel, I'm glad it does. I wasn't sure it...Rachel, I'm glad it does. I wasn't sure it would. :)<br /><br />Erik, Yeah, I've seen the morphing happen and done well. It's cool when it works. hard, though, I imagine.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-60421865690950535622012-06-11T14:37:03.188-05:002012-06-11T14:37:03.188-05:00Couldn't agree more.
I take an eclectic appro...Couldn't agree more.<br /><br />I take an eclectic approach and never care if something is deemed "literary" or "genre" -- it's all writing. Consistency in a work (in whatever form) is appreciated, certainly, unless clearly telegraphed as a morph-in-progress.Erik Donald Francehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02332500850365598564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-7961935304553711462012-06-11T14:36:45.959-05:002012-06-11T14:36:45.959-05:00Couldn't agree more.
I take an eclectic appro...Couldn't agree more.<br /><br />I take an eclectic approach and never care if something is deemed "literary" or "genre" -- it's all writing. Consistency in a work (in whatever form) is appreciated, certainly, unless clearly telegraphed as a morph-in-progress.Erik Donald Francehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02332500850365598564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-68603244314740165772012-06-11T10:42:32.953-05:002012-06-11T10:42:32.953-05:00I never thought of the difference between the two ...I never thought of the difference between the two that way and it makes complete sense. Thanks!Rachel V. Olivierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08993034871233904955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-13312807889009048572012-06-11T09:58:26.550-05:002012-06-11T09:58:26.550-05:00Cloudia, I occassionally have older students in my...Cloudia, I occassionally have older students in my classes and they almost always knock the top off of the grades because they know how to learn<br /><br />Szelsofa, glad you enjoyed.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-85854351907500856252012-06-11T06:29:02.432-05:002012-06-11T06:29:02.432-05:00coherence is the key, it seems.
i'm so glad i ...coherence is the key, it seems.<br />i'm so glad i popped in (again) for this useful post.<br />it also draws my attention to some tiny, but important aspect of writing notes on someone else's writing, which i frequently do, on a friendly basis.SzélsőFahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11600289147447182465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-64124661285405055522012-06-11T01:28:50.038-05:002012-06-11T01:28:50.038-05:00While I admire REAL writers who critique and know ...While I admire REAL writers who critique and know stuff like this, I must retain a certain silence on these matters the better to listen to the voices in my head that dictate stories, poems & devices that I could not otherwise hope to achieve. <br /><br />Evidence (your interesting comments)that my posts<br />contain something of value to someone of your talent, smarts, and humanity is a constant source of inexplicable daily joy to me, Charles. <br />[BTW I managed to maintain a 4.0 gpa when I returned to university to complete my BA in my 40's]<br /><br />Thanks for the free therapy!<br /><br /><br />Aloha from Waikiki,<br /><a href="http://comfortspiral.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Comfort Spiral</a><br /> > < } } ( ° >Cloudiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05853753108637831069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-52552379520684776402012-06-10T16:49:46.254-05:002012-06-10T16:49:46.254-05:00Patti, I think it just came too soon in the tone. ...Patti, I think it just came too soon in the tone. and was overly strong. Toned down slightly it could have worked.<br /><br />Aimless, I guess it makes my point, it's hard to tell when something goves over the top or not.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-39556896522166816412012-06-10T14:29:22.323-05:002012-06-10T14:29:22.323-05:00Melodrama is in the eye of the beholder. I never t...Melodrama is in the eye of the beholder. I never thought of wondering if what I wrote was too over the top or not. <br />I think too much makes me want to turn the page but in the right place and time in the story sometimes it works. <br />I liked the piece on depression. Anyone who's ever had an issue with that would read your passages and go, "Yes! That's it exactly."Aimlesswriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03012050763172251381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-44562060251629225622012-06-10T11:14:19.405-05:002012-06-10T11:14:19.405-05:00Such an interesting post, Charles. It seems to me ...Such an interesting post, Charles. It seems to me the final sentence was what made me want to read more.pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-54468899205996811752012-06-10T10:28:11.846-05:002012-06-10T10:28:11.846-05:00Rick, thankee
Ivan, sounds like you need to get t...Rick, thankee<br /><br />Ivan, sounds like you need to get that "pariapatetic" thing looked at. Could be a problem, man.<br /><br />Ty Johnstone, I don't do it consciously either, though I did for my example. For me in reading, it makes a difference only in the first few paragraphs/pages, when I'm easing into the story. After that, I'm like you.<br /><br />David Cranmer, I'm a big critic of Lit actually. I think it's way overrated by some, at the expense of genre.<br /><br />Mark, then you have already mastered the secret. ;)<br /><br />Sage, it's kind of fun to think about anyway.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-57254047911466612682012-06-10T07:40:07.891-05:002012-06-10T07:40:07.891-05:00I like your musings on writing and find them helpf...I like your musings on writing and find them helpful to ponder. Thanks!sagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17499891950639742366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-90393802689840707662012-06-10T07:10:52.238-05:002012-06-10T07:10:52.238-05:00Sounds like reasonable advice to me but I normally...Sounds like reasonable advice to me but I normally shoot for over the top and beyond the pale.the walking manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10058913927297370740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-66435484684916873182012-06-10T06:27:48.230-05:002012-06-10T06:27:48.230-05:00I've never understood the Lit vs. Gen debate. ...I've never understood the Lit vs. Gen debate. If I like it, I like it. Whether it is F. Scott or Lester Dent.David Cranmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04749857752139212888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-8155807165320954332012-06-10T06:18:18.442-05:002012-06-10T06:18:18.442-05:00When writing, I find I don't consciously make ...When writing, I find I don't consciously make a decision whether to be melodramatic or not. I simply go with whatever I feel is appropriate for the tone of the story. After, looking back at what I've written, then I can say to myself, "Oh, yeah, that's more literary," or not.<br /><br />When reading, generally I don't make such a distinction, or at least it's not at the front of my thoughts, even when reading. Either a book is enjoyable to me or it's not, and the style of prose is only one factor in that equation (though often a big factor).Tyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09192814826756623212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-758296529334810772012-06-09T21:31:07.568-05:002012-06-09T21:31:07.568-05:00Dunno.
I am pariapatetic, whatever the hell that m...Dunno.<br />I am pariapatetic, whatever the hell that means. Wandering through mediums, I suppose.<br /><br />I kind of like the late Janis Joplin.<br /><br />She sets the mood early in one of her more moody songs, "Ball and Chain"<br /><br />S.s.s. sittin' by the window<br /><br />Lookin' at the rain..."ivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05662075375182633162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-49204902047962036502012-06-09T19:53:36.646-05:002012-06-09T19:53:36.646-05:00Well said, CharlesWell said, CharlesRickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14546882686381428986noreply@blogger.com