tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444140180860700005.post8938529338944615290..comments2023-09-10T16:34:09.992+01:00Comments on The Writer's Little Book: What's the point of language?Eileen Parr, Writing Mentor to heart centred authorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498608213415714364noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444140180860700005.post-16091401826092558492011-07-17T18:09:56.761+01:002011-07-17T18:09:56.761+01:00A friend of mine has just finished reading my next...A friend of mine has just finished reading my next novel and he very kindly gave me a long report on it, mostly positive, but he did make this – accurate – observation about my style of writing:<br /><br /><i>As a reader, I sub-consciously crave a Story and, as a writer, I possibly understand a little better than other readers what it is that I expect. You seem to deliberately eschew Story – snubbing your nose whenever an opportunity comes up to pander to the needs of the poor reader.<br /><br />I don’t require much of a story either, a few crumbs here and there along the track will keep my marching merrily along… and you have a story here – a neat Odyssey story. The trouble is, you don’t signpost it. Part of the fun of story is anticipation, “I can see where this might go…” “Oh this is going to be good…” etc etc… but I feel you do not want to play that game. I feel you view the traditions of storytelling as ‘walking’ and that you wish to ‘run’. If this book was you painting a bowl of fruit, you would be splashing paint around in vivid creativity while I would be squinting to make out the banana.</i><br /><br />He’s perfectly right. I use the word ‘story’ as an insult. I don’t go on about it on my blog (especially not in my reviews) but the simple fact is if I read a book and all I have to say about it was that it was “a good story” then I feel let down. I look for more than that.<br /><br>Jim Murdochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12786388638146471193noreply@blogger.com