I love blogging – the people who drop by to comment or share a post, the exploration and thinking required to dig into a new topic, the chance to craft sentences in the milieu of non-fiction, the speed of getting something into ‘print’.
But, it occurs to me that I haven’t asked YOU — dear readers — what YOU want to hear about on this blog?
Please use the comment feature to let me know, or send me an email. mktod [AT] bell [DOT] net.
21 Responses
I am a fairly new reader of your blog and I’ve enjoyed reading along. You’ve brought up topics that I would not have thought of so keep at it! I particularly enjoy historical fiction where the main characters are actual historic figures but the dialogue and some details are imagined, so any interviews of authors who write along those lines would be welcomed. Thanks for being consistent at blogging!
Many thanks, Bob. I’ll look for some authors to interview with that perspective. If you have any suggestions, let me know.
Can’t speak for all but I read a book a week…because I give up on so many.
Wishes: no more prologues; no more today and yesterday ‘oh, look, a letter in the trunk…’; no more first person; no more WW2 written through today’s eyes. Please no more show and no tell…I know they all teach it in the schools but sometimes you scream for a page to end when we could be told and move on. Above all, something new about the style of writing or a fast-moving plot…nothing deep about me!
I try to read a book a week or more as well … perhaps with a higher “get to the end ratio” than the norm which I understand averages under 40% of all books started. . I like first person after reading John Braine’s “Room at the Top” and have just noticed of the 20 or so James Grant books I have read the three I liked most were written in the first person.
The most annoying thing I have found since I started writing fiction in 2010 has been the “show not tell mantra” especially with too much dialogue. Therefore, I cheered when I saw your comments because I thought I was a lone voice as a reader and writer heavily influenced by my preferred non fiction telling background.
I have just started a book written by a well known creative writing teacher and am expecting great things … well I would have done if I had not had a peep at the damming reviews!
Hi Alexander – here’s a link to Emma Darwin’s excellent blog post on ‘show versus tell’. As I said to Jeffrey, a more balanced view.
http://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/showing-and-telling-the-basics.html
Thanks, Jeffrey. Emma Darwin has a balanced perspective on the ‘show don’t tell’ mantra. You can find it here http://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/showing-and-telling-the-basics.html
Thanks. Lots of good material on her web pages. Have started to read Emma’s book Mathematics of Love. At least it scores a few points in being in the first person! I read on …By the way I like the range of your blog posts and the surprise of new topics … keep up the good work.
all those above – your blog is always interersting whatever you write!
You are so kind, Helen. I appreciate the encouragement.
I am very interested in reading your blog and like to be guided by your writing. Sorry I can’t give you any direction but keep up the good writing!
Many thanks, Sarah. On we go!
No help here. I’ve liked/am interested in all of the above.
Many thanks, Lausanne. Good to know.
I like best (1) your own reviews of historical novels and (2) the concise author interviews and other posts giving an insight on the writing process behind historical fiction.
Thanks, Soraya. I’ll keep going on the reviews and the writing process. Are you writing historical fiction??
I’m not a writer (at least not yet!), but I am interested in the relationship between facts and fiction, and I like to find out more about an author’s writing process after I read her or his book.
I have found your analysis of historical fiction and what readers are looking for very enlighting and look forward to what your blog fans say they want! I keep getting advice from people that I need to find a niche for my own blog and stick with it, it instead of writing whatever I feel moved to write, but I am a stubborn person I guess. I don’t like being put in a box, even if I made the box.
Much more fun to be free and write what you feel like.
Thanks for asking. I’m interested in reading about historical fiction novels set in India, particularly during the British Raj.
Thanks for your comment, Waheed. One that I read last year is Mountain of Light by Indu Sundaresan. Perhaps I will put together a post listing others. Great suggestion.
Your article was amazing and I love to read historical fiction. As I was reading this article, a book popped into my mind named (The Thief, the Harlot and the Healer), you can find it here:https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BWV2NH9S