Comments on: The art of writing http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/11/23/the-art-of-writing/ A Mock Newbery Blog Tue, 16 Apr 2013 01:12:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: fairrosa http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/11/23/the-art-of-writing/#comment-106671 fairrosa Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:24:28 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2939#comment-106671 One example from a different year can be found in Olive's Ocean by Henkes: the chapter of Martha's near-drowning is very short and it is in one long sentence. It captures the brevity, the urgency, and the breathlessness of this turning point event perfectly. In a way, my not keenly aware of all this (but definitely "feeling" its impact) without a second or third close reading makes this chapter exceptionally artful and not forced. The line between artfulness (natural, fluid, organic) and contrivance (artificial, forced, overwrought) can be so thin... (and again, dependent on readers' subjective interpretations.) One example from a different year can be found in Olive’s Ocean by Henkes: the chapter of Martha’s near-drowning is very short and it is in one long sentence. It captures the brevity, the urgency, and the breathlessness of this turning point event perfectly. In a way, my not keenly aware of all this (but definitely “feeling” its impact) without a second or third close reading makes this chapter exceptionally artful and not forced. The line between artfulness (natural, fluid, organic) and contrivance (artificial, forced, overwrought) can be so thin… (and again, dependent on readers’ subjective interpretations.)

]]> By: Jonathan Hunt http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/11/23/the-art-of-writing/#comment-106666 Jonathan Hunt Mon, 26 Nov 2012 21:49:13 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2939#comment-106666 I take style to mean not only sentence level writing (from which voice derives), but also paragraph level writing and even chapter level writing. For example, I think the decision of Applegate and Nelson to write THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN and NO CRYSTAL STAIR in very short discrete pieces of text is a stylistic choice. That doesn't also mean that it's not a narrative choice. I think both of those books kind of double dip when it comes to style and plot. I take style to mean not only sentence level writing (from which voice derives), but also paragraph level writing and even chapter level writing. For example, I think the decision of Applegate and Nelson to write THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN and NO CRYSTAL STAIR in very short discrete pieces of text is a stylistic choice. That doesn’t also mean that it’s not a narrative choice. I think both of those books kind of double dip when it comes to style and plot.

]]> By: fairrosa http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/11/23/the-art-of-writing/#comment-106664 fairrosa Mon, 26 Nov 2012 21:10:01 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2939#comment-106664 As I mentioned on my recent blog post, I agree with Nina that, at least for the purpose of examining books for the Newbery, style means a lot more than "voice" -- to me it can mean "the ability to find fresh turns of phrase; the dexterity in writing a sentence that paints an image vividly or conveys the internal struggle of a character without spelling blatantly out for the readers; the expert and consistent use of a particular narrative device; the talent in crafting a satisfying but not too-predictable ending; the successful employment of humor, or irony, or pathos; and many many other literary aspects that are not plot, character, setting, facts, or organization." And Style will be the most subject area during deliberation! I am currently reading a book that definitely has a distinct style that must be attractive to some (myself) but leave someone else cold. As I mentioned on my recent blog post, I agree with Nina that, at least for the purpose of examining books for the Newbery, style means a lot more than “voice” — to me it can mean “the ability to find fresh turns of phrase; the dexterity in writing a sentence that paints an image vividly or conveys the internal struggle of a character without spelling blatantly out for the readers; the expert and consistent use of a particular narrative device; the talent in crafting a satisfying but not too-predictable ending; the successful employment of humor, or irony, or pathos; and many many other literary aspects that are not plot, character, setting, facts, or organization.” And Style will be the most subject area during deliberation! I am currently reading a book that definitely has a distinct style that must be attractive to some (myself) but leave someone else cold.

]]> By: Nina Lindsay http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/11/23/the-art-of-writing/#comment-106653 Nina Lindsay Mon, 26 Nov 2012 16:56:46 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2939#comment-106653 "Style" can mean voice... but it can be harder to pin down than that. Does TEMPLE GRANDIN have a "voice"? I don't think so...and I think it's deliberate, and part of its style, and part of what makes it distinguished. At the same time, the two nonfiction books we included in our shortlist do have distinct "voices," which are part of their style, but not all of it. I think of "style" as the choices the author has made in how their going to present their text...the "bones" of it, so to speak...everything hangs on these bones, and they have to be consistent with the structure, and the structure has to serve the story, and the structure should be both invisible and apparent to the reader: it should not get in the way of the reading, but it should be clear when you look for it... “Style” can mean voice… but it can be harder to pin down than that. Does TEMPLE GRANDIN have a “voice”? I don’t think so…and I think it’s deliberate, and part of its style, and part of what makes it distinguished. At the same time, the two nonfiction books we included in our shortlist do have distinct “voices,” which are part of their style, but not all of it. I think of “style” as the choices the author has made in how their going to present their text…the “bones” of it, so to speak…everything hangs on these bones, and they have to be consistent with the structure, and the structure has to serve the story, and the structure should be both invisible and apparent to the reader: it should not get in the way of the reading, but it should be clear when you look for it…

]]> By: Sondy http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/11/23/the-art-of-writing/#comment-106645 Sondy Mon, 26 Nov 2012 15:28:40 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2939#comment-106645 Nina, thanks for this. It comes at an interesting time for me. I had lots of listening time taking my son home from the dorm and back this long weekend. I had four books to listen to that were nominated for the Cybils, and none of them worked for me, enough that I didn't finish any of them. Now I'm trying to pin down why. Was I influenced unduly by the narrator? I think I can point to more specific things that keep those particular books from rising to the top, but it's definitely a question to explore. Now, the Cybils are trying to also include books with strong kid appeal -- so it's a very different standard than the Newbery. And right now, we're still frantically trying to narrow down the books we want everyone on the panel to read. But I'm exploring that classic question (What makes a good book?) in a whole new way, and I appreciate your thoughts coming right when I'm thinking about that. Nina, thanks for this. It comes at an interesting time for me. I had lots of listening time taking my son home from the dorm and back this long weekend. I had four books to listen to that were nominated for the Cybils, and none of them worked for me, enough that I didn’t finish any of them. Now I’m trying to pin down why. Was I influenced unduly by the narrator?

I think I can point to more specific things that keep those particular books from rising to the top, but it’s definitely a question to explore.

Now, the Cybils are trying to also include books with strong kid appeal — so it’s a very different standard than the Newbery. And right now, we’re still frantically trying to narrow down the books we want everyone on the panel to read. But I’m exploring that classic question (What makes a good book?) in a whole new way, and I appreciate your thoughts coming right when I’m thinking about that.

]]> By: Sheila Welch http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/11/23/the-art-of-writing/#comment-106639 Sheila Welch Mon, 26 Nov 2012 14:35:37 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2939#comment-106639 The term "style" seems to me similar to "voice." Beginning authors are often advised to find their own voice. It's an elusive quality, very difficult to define. But it's probably what draws me into a book and keeps me reading as much as an exciting plot, well developed characters, etc. The term “style” seems to me similar to “voice.” Beginning authors are often advised to find their own voice. It’s an elusive quality, very difficult to define. But it’s probably what draws me into a book and keeps me reading as much as an exciting plot, well developed characters, etc.

]]> By: Jonathan Hunt http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/11/23/the-art-of-writing/#comment-106602 Jonathan Hunt Mon, 26 Nov 2012 03:45:44 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2939#comment-106602 Nina, thanks for reminding us that the Newbery Medal is technically not given to a book, but rather to an author for a book he/she has written. We often use this interchangeably, but it's an important distinction to make. We often view the Newbery Medal as kind of a matchmaking tool for young readers and books, and while it can absolutely be that, that's not its intended purpose. Roxanne, I also really enjoyed reading your response to Nina on your own blog. I do think that style is one of the qualities that helps books not only resonate with readers, but helps a book stand up to multiple readings. I think theme is the other literary element that really delivers this, but I'm speaking of theme in a broader context than you are in your previous post on theme and didactic intent (which I happen to agree with). Nina, thanks for reminding us that the Newbery Medal is technically not given to a book, but rather to an author for a book he/she has written. We often use this interchangeably, but it’s an important distinction to make. We often view the Newbery Medal as kind of a matchmaking tool for young readers and books, and while it can absolutely be that, that’s not its intended purpose.

Roxanne, I also really enjoyed reading your response to Nina on your own blog. I do think that style is one of the qualities that helps books not only resonate with readers, but helps a book stand up to multiple readings. I think theme is the other literary element that really delivers this, but I’m speaking of theme in a broader context than you are in your previous post on theme and didactic intent (which I happen to agree with).

]]> By: fairrosa http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/11/23/the-art-of-writing/#comment-106548 fairrosa Sat, 24 Nov 2012 17:35:13 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2939#comment-106548 Nina, thank you so much for a thoughtful post. I especially appreciate this, "If I can see the author’s struggle in a work, then it’s probably not distinguished. If I can see that the author didn’t struggle: it’s certainly not." Nina, thank you so much for a thoughtful post. I especially appreciate this, “If I can see the author’s struggle in a work, then it’s probably not distinguished. If I can see that the author didn’t struggle: it’s certainly not.”

]]> By: Eric http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/11/23/the-art-of-writing/#comment-106524 Eric Sat, 24 Nov 2012 04:10:22 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2939#comment-106524 EL Konigsburg. EL Konigsburg.

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