tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651058317830668643.post3032809523639463764..comments2024-03-26T19:52:25.909-04:00Comments on PT Dilloway: Two Cent Tuesdays: Rules Made to Be BrokenPT Dillowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09394481476862013009noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651058317830668643.post-13466859469902066262013-11-13T09:46:19.777-05:002013-11-13T09:46:19.777-05:00First person can work well when the narrator has a...First person can work well when the narrator has a distinct and interesting voice that can hook the reader.Sandra Ulbrich Almazanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15365908651235829765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651058317830668643.post-12439213860654118802013-11-12T14:46:23.689-05:002013-11-12T14:46:23.689-05:00My issue with first person narration is that, for ...My issue with first person narration is that, for many authors, it becomes an excuse for lazy and/or bad writing. "It's just the character" when, really, it's "I didn't feel like learning those grammar rules." And I've heard several big(ish) time traditionally published authors say that's why they chose to write first person. That really bothers me.<br /><br />The other thing I hate about first person is when the narrator starts describing herself (because it's almost always a "she") to the reader but in the context of, say, admiring herself in a mirror. Or by saying something like "I flashed my piercing, frost blue eyes at him." Seriously? No one thinks like that, and, if that's the kind of descriptions you want in your book, please write in third person so that I don't spend my time dwelling on how lame your character is. (And it's probably stuff like that that leads to the "narcissism" arguments.)<br /><br />I tell my students to write in third person. I think that's where they should start. I think it helps to give a better grasp of writing and not take short cuts like "I was sad."Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651058317830668643.post-12787691361555994602013-11-12T12:47:25.286-05:002013-11-12T12:47:25.286-05:00The best use of bad grammar is in "Flowers fo...The best use of bad grammar is in "Flowers for Algernon" since it was part of the narrative. Maurice Mitchellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15338165486757095191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651058317830668643.post-51719825164329289772013-11-12T12:47:22.142-05:002013-11-12T12:47:22.142-05:00Bravo!
Here's what I think: The way you prese...Bravo!<br /><br />Here's what I think: The way you present your story has to serve the story, and that's really the only rule. I chose first person for "Temporary Anne" because part of the idea was that nobody in that story even comes CLOSE to being a likeable person/entity -- but to give the reader a reason to keep reading I had to put them inside her mind, so they could feel what motivates her. That adds a second layer: as you read "I" "I" "I" about all these terrible things you are almost in the character's shoes, which makes it very uncomfortable.<br /><br />That worked with Chuck Pahalniuks (Not sure how it's spelled, don't care) "Survivor," which I listened to as an audiobook and which was terribly effective for being told in first person. ("Survivor," though, like Anne, had a bit of a framing device: the character is telling his story to a flight recorder on a doomed plane in the former, and possibly writing a book/letter to people in the latter. In both, the framing device almost never crops up.)<br /><br />"Hunger Games" and many YA novels are written first person because tweens and teens like to feel they are part of the action. <br /><br />As for pronouns: A reviewer of "Eclipse" complained that in each chapter dealing with Claudius' childhood, nouns were capitalized when they shouldn't be. That ONLY happened in those chapters, and was meant to point out how "child" Claudius perceived the world in a very different way than "Space" or "Committed" (maybe?) Claudius.<br /><br />I can't be responsible for, and you can't, and no writer can, readers who don't make that connection. If you've got an uneducated protagonist, he's gonna talk all wronglike, you know whut I mean?<br /><br />Way to take a stand in favor of people not following rules just to follow rules!Brianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01616494058636881575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651058317830668643.post-82209934360588173292013-11-12T11:43:53.431-05:002013-11-12T11:43:53.431-05:00You sure have had your share of bad reviewers read...You sure have had your share of bad reviewers reading your books. For what it's worth, I really loved "Where You Belong." I had no problems with the first person narrative at all. I recommend the book quite often to people, but I don't know if it results in any sales for you. But I do my part.Michael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651058317830668643.post-81372335102575415372013-11-12T11:22:00.792-05:002013-11-12T11:22:00.792-05:00I made this mistake with my first novel, having it...I made this mistake with my first novel, having it narrated by someone not nearly as interesting as the main characters. I though I was clever doing it this way but in the end I discovered I'd written a boring book.stephen Hayeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17659054447637207734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651058317830668643.post-38473109943366819822013-11-12T10:36:51.025-05:002013-11-12T10:36:51.025-05:00I've tried to narrow down my rules of writing ...I've tried to narrow down my rules of writing to as few rules as possible, mainly: Be interesting.<br /><br />From there, I might have subsets of rules that I at least try to implement, but really, Be Interesting is all there is for me. That way, if I feel like starting a story with dialog, or with the main character stands in front of a mirror, or I want a damned adverb to appear from time to time... or be in passive voice on occasion, well, if it's interesting to read, then I don't have to cut it out. Rusty Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09887821877521181811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651058317830668643.post-10541575490845488382013-11-12T10:18:45.977-05:002013-11-12T10:18:45.977-05:00Thanks for the free book!
I didn't know there ...Thanks for the free book!<br />I didn't know there were rules. I thought the author had literary licence, much like the poet has poetic licence. Great grumpy bulldog rant. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06208969934278199592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651058317830668643.post-7302898774210734092013-11-12T10:14:34.131-05:002013-11-12T10:14:34.131-05:00I loves me first person narration. It's what ...I loves me first person narration. It's what I'm doing in my WIP, actually. (And clearly in Yoshimi as well.)Tony Laplumehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07854455859399339169noreply@blogger.com