Blog

Tag: literature

  • September 7th, 2012 7:37am

    Rushing was the very last thing his words seemed to be doing; indeed, for one whose profession and social status it was to be a writer, he was making miserably slow progress, and no one could have watched him without reaching the conclusion that a writer is a man to whom writing comes harder than to anyone else.

    —

    Tristan by Thomas Mann (via tsumetaihikari) 

    Just finished reading this in one of the lit classes I’m taking. Definitely my favorite of Mann’s stories. 

  • August 26th, 2012 12:54am

    Pro-tip for writers,

    because I’ve been seeing this a lot. 

    To be is the most common of the linking verbs and also the most overused, but all the linking verbs invite generalization and distance. To feel, to seem, to look, to appear, to experience, to express, to show, to demonstrate, to convey, to display – all these suggest in fiction that the character is being acted upon or observed by someone rather than doing something. She felt happy/sad/amused/mortified does not convince us. We want to see her and to infer her emotion for ourselves. He very clearly conveyed his displeasure. It isn’t clear to us. How did he convey it? To whom?

    Most linking verbs have active as well as effectively passive forms, and it is important to distinguish them. She felt sad is effectively passive, but she felt his forehead is an action. If the magician appeared, he is acting; but if he appeared annoyed, then the verb is a linking verb and the only action implied is that of the observer who perceives this. 

    Linking verbs, like the passive voice, can appropriately convey a sense of passivity or helplessness when that is the desired effect. 

    From Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft by Janet Burroway

  • August 23rd, 2012 5:54pm

    The second best thing about space travel is that the distances involved make war very difficult, usually impractical, and almost always unnecessary. This is probably a loss for most people, since war is our race’s most popular diversion, one which gives purpose and color to dull and stupid lives. But it is a great boon to the intelligent man who fights only when he must—never for sport.

    — Robert A. Heinlein, Time Enough For Love – 1973 (via trevoredwards)