THE WRITING GREEK apologizes for the ongoing technical difficulties ... and excuses … err, uh, general lack of May blogging. In truth, I’ve decided to cut back on blogging as it is rather addicting and time consuming. Fear not, blog friends, I still love you and will visit you – just not every moment of every day. It’s not that my writing dream has been derailed. In fact, in pursuit of more literary smarts, I’ve been tackling GRAPES OF WRATH and OVID and have even mixed in THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE while on blog hiatus the past couple of weeks.
On to business (correction – writing!) -- One of the books I’m currently reading is a 2008 book by Alicia Rasley titled, POINT OF VIEW. Ms. Rasley studied Edgar Allen Poe’s POV for her thesis and talks about him in the book’s opening. She asks the question, “How did he make a narrator’s voice sound both rational and insane? <…> When did the narrator start lying to the reader?”
Ms. Rasley goes on to say that few critics understand Poe’s POV approach and that these few were writers themselves. She includes Dostoyevsky in this bunch. There’s lots to glean from my last couple of sentences, but the main thrust is that: (1) above average POV authors spend time studying the best and (2) these folks don’t limit their character to their own experiences.
Anyone have any authors that they’d recommend studying for POV?
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I usually only blog on my personal site once or twice a week. That's plenty for me. Your writing is more important than blogging. Protect the work!
ReplyDeleteI wish I did! I've haven't spent that much time studying POV theoretically or otherwise. It's a worthwhile exercise, though.
ReplyDeleteWith the deep reading you do, I totally see why you'd but back on blogging. it's intimidating!
ReplyDeleteI still have a book from high school creative writing it's Points of View: an anthology of short stories edited by James Moffett and Kenneth R. McElheny. It has wonderful examples from the classics from Chekhov to Cheever, even Truman Capote etc. I don't know if it's in print anymore. I only post weekly on my blog.
ReplyDeleteBlogging has to be moderated or it will become all-consuming and steal from your very valuble writing time.
ReplyDeleteI"m in the same boat as you w/ blogging. I'm not able to blog or visit blogs as much as I used to. I think we all come to this point sooner or later.
ReplyDeleteI think Neal Shusterman is the Master of multiple POV's. Kathleen Duey's SKIN HUNGER is also a great example of two POV's.
Good luck w/ your studies! Sounds like a great book.
Just checking in.... Hope the writing's going well!
ReplyDeleteHaven't talked to you in a long while, D.A. How's writing? How's the book coming along? How's life?
ReplyDeleteI've not been blogging for awhile either (was away in Greece for 7 wks and trying to finish my novel etc.) But I'm trying to reconnect. will check out your website.
ReplyDeletePS I see you've got reams of messages from that Asian person (spam!) I got the same for awhile and eventually reported it.
ReplyDelete