Fiction sickness • 18 March 2008 • The SnowBlog
Fiction sickness
I've mentioned this before, but ever since I started trying to write pretty words, I've found my enjoyment of other people's writing has diminished. Instead of getting swept up with the story, I find myself inwardly debating whether I would have used a particular word or phrase or style. How would I have written that? Would that have worked better? Would I be capable of writing that last paragraph? How long would I be able to maintain that tone?
It's entertaining in its own way, but not what reading fiction is supposed to be about. In some ways that makes it a good thing, purely from my point of view, that Snowbooks is trying to point itself in the direction of more non-fiction - simply because it's a safer business proposition. But I don't suppose our partial re-alignment will please 'fans' of this blog, because talk of writing here almost always means novels. But I am perennially interested to know your non-fiction predilections. Since the last time I asked, has anyone tucked into a good non-fiction tome and learned anything juicy or thrilling or mind-boggling? Care to share?
Rob
I've mentioned this before, but ever since I started trying to write pretty words, I've found my enjoyment of other people's writing has diminished. Instead of getting swept up with the story, I find myself inwardly debating whether I would have used a particular word or phrase or style. How would I have written that? Would that have worked better? Would I be capable of writing that last paragraph? How long would I be able to maintain that tone?
It's entertaining in its own way, but not what reading fiction is supposed to be about. In some ways that makes it a good thing, purely from my point of view, that Snowbooks is trying to point itself in the direction of more non-fiction - simply because it's a safer business proposition. But I don't suppose our partial re-alignment will please 'fans' of this blog, because talk of writing here almost always means novels. But I am perennially interested to know your non-fiction predilections. Since the last time I asked, has anyone tucked into a good non-fiction tome and learned anything juicy or thrilling or mind-boggling? Care to share?