It used to be there was "Fantasy" (swords and magic) and "Science Fiction" (ray guns and technobabble explanations). Now there's urban fantasy, dystopia, a much stronger Young Adult market, and a dozen other variations and distinctions at use in the publishing world. A look at what genre classifications are currently in use would be interesting, and possibly a discussion of the extent to which those classifications are helpful in today's marketplace. (Perhaps we should all be learning to think in terms of "keywords" or "tags" rather than genres.)
I for one have wondered where the blurry line is drawn between children's literature like Harry Potter and young adult novels like Mortal Instruments even though the two are alike. – SpectreWriter9 years ago
The Harry Potter series is Young Adult after the first 2 books. What made you think they were children's? The content and thematic material is too mature for children's, not to mention the series is about teenagers, and the film series is mostly rated PG-13. I'd actually say Harry Potter is far more mature and adult than The Mortal Instruments series. – declankc989 years ago
You managed to get over that writer's block and write. But now comes the hard part – editing. Not everyone likes to do it, but it has to be done. Explain the important things to look for when it comes to editing, or give advice on how to make editing easier.
Perhaps look at editing techniques. Rereading as a reader and not a writer, as if you don't know what happens and see how well you understand your own piece, look for the common misspellings and punctuation, an error in development, inconsistencies, perhaps taking note of everything you build up for and state as fact in your piece just in case you do an inconsistency later. – SpectreWriter9 years ago
Editing is crucial to the writing process. Young writers starting out are especially uncomfortable with editing, but it is a crucial skill that must be developed in order to become successful. Perhaps stress this, and then as mentioned above, provide tips on editing techniques. The editing process at newspapers and other publications is extremely thorough and usually runs on a schedule: hard due dates, one day set aside for flats, another for first draft, another for peer editing, and then blocking. Peer review is extremely beneficial if done at a later time in the writing process. Editing on a "flat", or printed copy, is also a good tip. It's easier to find mistakes on a printed piece that don't show up as well digitally. – Emilie Medland-Marchen9 years ago
Definitely! From self-editing to peer editing to critiques! Perhaps you'd like to look at the difference kinds of editing in the story telling business - TV, film, animation, literature, playwriting. Dramaturgy is a vital aspect of new script writing, and passionate dramaturges are a rare find! A good playwright and dramaturge pairing listen to each other, understand their needs. To find a good editor/dramaturge, I've learned, the writer needs to know how they work and what they need from an outside force to succeed. – yase9 years ago
I think what scares most people about editing is simply how many rules there are. There is such a heavy emphasis on "correctness," and no matter how much you edit it seems impossible to get it perfect. It is definitely much easier to edit other's work than it is one's own.
I'd love to see the writer here explore the differences, or psychological reasons for, editing one's own work versus editing another's. There's some great research already being done on the topic, but I'd love to see it given that Artifice take. – G Anderson Lake9 years ago
I think so much of the writing process is editing. Starting to write is one of the hardest parts, and for me, it involves a lot of free writing just to get the thoughts out on paper. Afterwards, it's looking for grammatical errors, fixing sentence structure, rephrasing different parts to make the words flow more fluidly. Editing is necessary because it's refining those initial thoughts and ideas, and coming back to your writing gives you a chance to read your work over with a new perspective. – Kim9 years ago
I enjoy editing someone else's work but not my own. It makes me very anxious. It's simply not pleasant, and I know it shouldn't be this way. I should enjoy editing my work as much as I enjoy writing it. What helps me a little is having a physical copy of my work in front of me. It reads differently in print, and very often you are able to identify your mistakes more easily. I wonder how the process of editing used to be in, let's say, the 18th and 19th century. I have this pre-conceived idea that writers of that time did not need to edit their work very much. Anyone know if there has been research done on this? I think it would be interesting to compare the editing techniques of that time with the ones today. – Desexualize the Banana9 years ago
Once the work is published, who controls the world the author built? For example, if the author publishes a work and readers interpret something a certain way and the author offers up another interpretation, whose do we go by? Where is the line rawn? Do readers inherit the work upon paying to read it? Or do authors maintain a certain degree of control even afterwards?
To whomever decides to write on this: keep in mind this piece I wrote a while back on the impact that fan interpretations and theories should have on a work: https://the-artifice.com/relevance-of-fan-theories/ – Matthew Sims9 years ago
It's a difficult topic to address. Some offer that once a work is finished and released upon the world - in this case a published work of literature - that nobody controls it. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this passing of ownership is simply that the work, for all intents and purposes, has become unchangeable. (At least, theoretically.) Also I think it's fair to say that much of this comes down to how an individual is looking to interpret the work. I think for the most part a work of fiction, (where these lines are blurred perhaps the most frequently,) once published, stands on its own. Certainly, the author of the published work will have the most insight into the interpretation of the work, insofar as it relates to their individual involvement and creation. But as an outside reader, one is able to interpret the work any way they choose, thus negating any input from the author. A good example is as simple as asking whether or not the reader is aware of the author's intent. If you've never heard the author's input, does that automatically negate your own interpretations? I would argue not. – Chris L9 years ago
This topic is in danger of going to the depths of reader's theory and the author function. I would suggest reading Barthes and Foucault... – Jill9 years ago
Are comic relief characters best reserved for serious storylines where humor is a rare breed? Or are they also welcome in light-hearted storylines? What are the pros and cons of each when a comic relief character is involved in either? What are some of the best ways to write a comic relief character?
Writing a series? What to do? Go for a single story where each book can be read as a stand-alone or an over-arching storyline where it's best to read one and then the other? Some books like Harry Potter go for the overarching storyline yet some, especially in Anime like Kino's Journey, go for the single-story narrative. What's best? What's more popular?
A lot of people look down on Fan Fiction, especially those who do not understand completely what it is about. Some authors refuse to allow fan fictions of their stories to be published online, George R.R. Martin called it a bad practice. But is it? Is it bad practice? Or does is in fact strengthen hopeful writers and help build a base? And what does Fan Fiction do to the fandom? Does it strengthen the fandom or weaken it?
I will have to give my personal experience here to make a case. I started fiction writing with the fan fiction, and I see several benefits. First of all, you don't have to worry too much about world building and work on your styles; the world is already there, and you should have good understanding of it. You are likely to be more motivated since the subject is of your liking, which is a big plus. When I was writing fan fiction for Castlevania, I was only happy to write about the world I liked. Many of my chapters were never read, but I did not care because I was loving every second of it. If the new writer is unsure of how to make the world, fan fiction can be a good practice. Of course, there are several pitfalls with fan fictions. The most dangerous of all is that if you stay with fan fiction for too long, you will have hard time developing your own world. In addition to this, overuse of Mary Sue can create conflict within the fan community, and can lead to disastrous consequence. If certain "interpretation" gains popularity, the writer may become arrogant and stops improving him/herself. So my opinion is that fan fiction is a great way to start writing, but eventually you have to get out from it to be original writer. – idleric9 years ago
For those interested, please take note of the thesis posited within an article I wrote about, especially the final sub-heading: https://the-artifice.com/when-a-story-should-end/ – Matthew Sims9 years ago
Last March, Hanif Kureishi, teacher of creative writing at Kingston University, dismissed creative writing classes as "a waste of time," calling "99.9%" of his students "untalented." Some, like Kureishi, would argue that creative writing is a skill that cannot be taught; however, these courses are more popular now than ever. Does this argument hold up? Or can creative writing indeed be taught to some degree? If it can't, is there another way in which these courses can be beneficial to those who enroll?
I would like to fight Mr. Kureishi. Genuinely, I would like to fight him. I just claimed a topic and I'm working on an article for that one, but I'm very tempted to grab this one, too- I have strong feelings about this. Because, seriously, he's wrong as hell, and people like him are why some parts of the writing and publishing industry are terrible places to hang out. There are plenty of things a person can (and, arguably, MUST) be taught in order to be a good writer. Talent is great- I am lucky enough to have been blessed with it. But I've also attended tens, maybe hundreds of various writing workshops in my 18 short years, and I've gotten something out of every single one of them. I'd not be anything like the writer I am today without taking those courses, and I think it's probably the same for any successful author. Sure, some people wake up one day and sit down and write masterpieces, but that's rare. More often, good writers spend years BECOMING good, and sometimes even then they can't be successful, because it's hard as hell to be a writer. You have to learn somewhere, whether it's from book, from courses, or just from talking to other writers or editors or whoever. There's huge benefit in creative writing courses, and good writing (at least on some level) can absolutely be taught. tl;dr Hanif Kureisi is clearly bitter and full of it, and I will personally fight him and every other person who has ever made comments similar to his. There's LOTS to be gained from creative writing courses, they're REALLY important, and they're VERY useful. – Julia9 years ago
I also agree that creative writing classes can be beneficial. I've taken a few in college and I feel like I learned a lot. It helped me prioritize what things I should focus on while I write (POV, plot, dialogue, etc.). I also found it beneficial to learn from professors who had been published and from classmates who enjoyed writing as much as I did. The deadlines and discipline associated with taking a course more generally helped me set a writing schedule (as soon as I graduated, I had to reset my schedule and have been struggling with that since). Although, grading creative writing material is subjective and would be difficult to do. – S.A. Takacs9 years ago
I agree creative writing classes are beneficial. Skills and passions lie dormant if they are not first discovered, and then fostered. What better way than through teaching. Everyone has capacity for creativity, which is a skill that can be brought into any field or job and be an asset. – Steffanie9 years ago
I think Hanif is correct in his reasoning in why he is there. As a production and fine arts professor, I know that a majority of my intro students don't have what it takes to make it. Some may have their lives enriched but as someone who dedicated themselves to the craft, they are really eating the tone of people who well also dedicate themselves to the same feels of study. With that said the creativity can and should be nurtured. I tend not to fall students trying on new things. I encourage them and their growth. Sometimes trying to find out what is stopping them from being good artists helps me learn how to teach. better. The are many systems that help organize thoughts into manipulatable data points. Teachers like hanif should take a stand everynow and then. What trapped in his class no one knows. But I did have a student who cited himself in his own paper and he was never published before. There is lack pod talent and then their is lack of talent and laziness, that is a horrible combination in the creative industries. – fchery9 years ago
Clearly he doesn't know what he's talking about. The problem is not that creative writing can't be taught. This teacher is probably under the assumption that he was not taught, therefore 'it' is not taught. This is a wrong way of looking at it. Creative writing can be taught but it needs to be taught differently. The probem with these courses (I took one in University) is that they focus too much on the different kinds of Literature and post required readings. It would be best to explore the students' interests and come up with ideas, less reading more writing. Some argue that reading is essential to be a good writer but students read enough in general English classes. Creative writing can be taught, but the teaching style should be remodeled. It's not a subject we're teaching now but an actual action of writing. This means they learn by doing. – SpectreWriter9 years ago
I took two creative writing class in my third year of university. One for prose and poetry, and the other for playwriting. Both teacher's had their unique way of teaching and approaching the assignments, as well as grading their students. I found my creative writing class to be mechanical, boring, and strict. My playwriting class the opposite. My professor spends her attention on each of her students, working with them to accomplish what they want and need. There were fewer students in this class than to the creative writing class, which was open admission. To participate in playwriting, students has to apply. I believe it depends on both the teacher and the student. People are capable of learning. And when they study something they feel passionate about, a class can work wonders. Training is essential. I don't think anyone should discourage a human being from practice/training. – yase9 years ago
So far I have not learned didly squat in the two creative writing classes at what I was told was a good creative writing progam. This is how it works. You basically write one short story, maybe revise it, and that's it, while reading everyone else's story, most of whom have no skill in the art of language and prose and are probably just there for the credits. That sounds very cruel but it's the truth. Then we read realist fiction and I got nothing out of it. We discussed it yes, but none of these stories stimulated my mind except for a few. Their prose was too basic and ordinary. And we almost never talked about plot structure, characters, sentence structure, linguistics, metaphors, story genres, description, editing, etc. We talked not about any of these very important features. I have learned so much more in my literature classes and history classes. It is these classes that have influenced my writing. It is the ideas and the texts I learn in Medieval literature and Ancient Greece for example, or the literature of the ancients and how academics interpret them that inspire me. What a writer needs to learn is how to basically write a sentence. That's taught in grade school. After that it's really artistic choices. Talent and work. If a creative writing class can expose students to a variety of genres and as practice write a story micking that genre, then I will believe a creative writing class works. Until then I am convinced that writing is a self taught thing where it's talent and work that counts. I hope you find this viewpoint useful. – Starvix Draxon9 years ago
I find it strange that books about real things are defined by books about fake things. What is the reason for this? Also, the term "non-fiction" only really came into use in the 1900s, what were they called before?
I find this nomenclature of ‘Non-Fiction’ disarming as well; I have to stop and think about the meaning real or not real? It just doesn’t flow well. Perhaps, research could be combined with the topic someone else posted regarding defining Creative Non- Fiction; which I understand the meaning however, it adds to the already confusing state of Fiction, Non-Fiction and Creative Non-Fiction. – Venus Echos9 years ago
I'm not sure about the term "nonfiction" and what it was called before the term was invented, but I do know a little something about fiction and the term "novel." I took a class on early British fiction (18th century), and there really was no term for books that deal with non-real things. "Novel" was not a thing. In fact, authors billed their stories as reality. Exampes: "Oroonoko: or, the Royal Slave, a True History" by Aphra Behn; "Robinson Crusoe" by Daniel Defoe; "Pamela: or, Virtue Rewarded" by Samuel Richardson, maaaaybe "Fantomina: or, Love in a Maze" by Eliza Haywood; and "The Vicar of Wakefield: A Tale, Supposed to be written by Himself" by Oliver Goldsmith. The firsthand accounts these novels/novellas gave made readers believe they were truthful. Samuel Richardson especially went to great lengths to make people think Pamela's letters were real. Anywho, this may have something to do with how the terms "fiction," "novel," and "nonfiction" came about. – Erica Beimesche9 years ago
Anyone hoping to nab this one in the bag, if you haven't done so already, check out Reality Hunger by David Shields. Might be of some use. – Luke Stephenson9 years ago
What do you mean by books about "fake things" or "real things"? – T. Palomino2 years ago
