Into the Fire

Passionate thoughts about the world of writing and the Power of God

recent posts

about

Passionate: right or wrong. Writes love stories with a passion. Raw Romantic Redemptive

The way a story is told . . .

 

Some of you enjoy stories when you know what to expect, but I often enjoy those stories which surprise me with their approach and style. The Passion of Mary-Margaret by Lisa Samson was written like a journal by an aging Sister who was leaving her memoirs at the request of others to record her legacy. She lived a fascinating life and often rambled as she recalled her life story. Travis Thrasher wrote Blinded from the second person POV. Brave and unique. Different novelists have employed all kinds of interesting methods to tell stories.

The genre classifications can inhibit this with their "category" identities, but I suppose those readers who look for specifics in the novels they read want to find those sure things.

I appreciate those who break the genre barriers and dare to do "different". The argument against this tactic is that your readers come to expect certain types of stories and can be disappointed when you surprise them with something new or unrelated to what they anticipate.

How 'bout your expectations? Do you care when a favorite novelist veers off the path of your favorite novels?

Father, thank you for your immense variety in creation. You can make all things new. Please continue to provide stories for those you've appointed to tell them. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Posted in

4 responses to “The way a story is told . . .”

  1. BK Jackson Avatar
    BK Jackson

    I always take this on a case by case basis and the author’s got a 50/50 shot at impressing me. If they veer off the normal course but do it so sensationally that they knock my socks off, great. But if they veer off course and aren’t sensational at it, it usually leaves a very bad taste in my mouth.
    As a rule in life in general, I’m not much of an experimenter–with food, clothes, or anything else. In books, I’d rather an author wow me with a great story, not experimentation.
    But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. But I’m old school. I haven’t even learned to embrace first person POV. *-)

    Like

    Reply
  2. Brenda Anderson Avatar
    Brenda Anderson

    It doesn’t bother me if an author’s trying something new, as long as it’s well done.
    I read Blinded quite a while ago, but was not impressed. 2nd person POV is extraordinarily difficult to write well, and in my mind, Thrasher didn’t succeed. He overused the word “You” which completely drew me away from the story. My mind was on auto-correct.
    The same thing happens when I read a novel written in 1st person that overuses “I,” or when I read a poorly written present tense novel (few can pull off present tense successfully.)
    If the writing style interrupts the story, then it’s not well done. Story is key, not style.
    Not too long ago I read Cynthia Ruchti’s debut novel, They Almost Always Come Home. Loved the story. I didn’t realize until I analyzed the book that she had employed both present tense and past tense strategies. Her reason for using both made sense. But the important thing was, my mind didn’t auto-correct–it just enjoyed a well-told story.
    As a writer, that’s what I want to achieve.

    Like

    Reply
  3. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    Thanks for your thoughts on this, B. Interesting that you’ve never embraced first person POV. I used to hate it too. And I do mean hate. Now, if I hated it still, I’d be very short on books to read. Some of the best at it that I’ve read are Sibella Giorello with her Raleigh Harmon character and J. Mark Bertrand with his Roland March.
    I think I did a fair job with my first attempt at it in Breath of Life with Michael Jamison. It has third person POV mixed in the story. And I’m attempting it again in my new WIP which also has a little third person in it.

    Like

    Reply
  4. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    Bren, good thoughts there. I might be slightly more “forgiving” with style just because if it’s different and done well or, as you say, I like the story, I’ll appreciate the attempt at something different. So many stories are just that. Nothing exceptional. So if a writer tries something different, it can make it more intriguing to me. Sometimes. 😉

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment