Obviously, all of this is opinion, but I see storytelling as the most important aspect of writing (definitely fictional). I define "fluff" as unneeded content, unnecessary words that get in the way of the story or do not contribute to it. So, while I do truly appreciate and respect Dostoyevsky's uniquely powerful portrayal of Raskolnikov's internal struggle, I find that 1/4 or 1/3 of the novel is fluff and unnecessary when you look at the main storyline (and yes, the king of fluff is RJ and in my mind, Tom Claney, my goodness, you can skim 3/4 of one of his novels and not miss anything).
This is the difference between a great attribute of a novel and a great novel itself. Huck Finn, Great Gatsby come it mind as the total package. But thinking about the power of storytelling, I will cite Uncle Tom's Cabin. The take away meaning/message was no different than hundreds (likely thousands) of abolitionist journals, pamphlets, and non-fiction accounts of the horrors of slavery, but this novel broke through to the national consciousness because of the storytelling.
So, to me, storytelling is the key. And I don't want anything in the prose to get in the way of the story. Regarding the aspects of writing, style, grammar, syntax, construction of sentences, I really don't care. The best prose is when it is unnoticeable and allows the story to rise or fall all by itself!
This is the difference between a great attribute of a novel and a great novel itself. Huck Finn, Great Gatsby come it mind as the total package. But thinking about the power of storytelling, I will cite Uncle Tom's Cabin. The take away meaning/message was no different than hundreds (likely thousands) of abolitionist journals, pamphlets, and non-fiction accounts of the horrors of slavery, but this novel broke through to the national consciousness because of the storytelling.
So, to me, storytelling is the key. And I don't want anything in the prose to get in the way of the story. Regarding the aspects of writing, style, grammar, syntax, construction of sentences, I really don't care. The best prose is when it is unnoticeable and allows the story to rise or fall all by itself!
Brandon Sanderson plans 36 books in his 'Cosmere' setting
19/02/2012 11:45:24 AM
- 4653 Views
Was Sanderson created by the Writng Gods to counter balance GRRM?
19/02/2012 05:13:07 PM
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I just wish he'd be done with the RJ shit and go back to writing his own books.
19/02/2012 05:40:59 PM
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well, the publication date for that book is set somewhere a year from now..
19/02/2012 07:48:58 PM
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Agreed on both points.....
19/02/2012 08:00:41 PM
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Well, but he is a "fluff" writer from a literary standpoint
20/02/2012 02:16:11 AM
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Not a fluff writer in my mind.....
20/02/2012 03:12:46 AM
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You don't seem to want to hear what I'm saying
20/02/2012 03:51:13 AM
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And I am saying that storytelling is more important.....
20/02/2012 04:52:39 AM
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Storytelling is crucial...
20/02/2012 05:59:57 AM
- 1432 Views
A few comments/replies about your post.....
20/02/2012 02:57:16 PM
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You are correct in one respect: all of this is opinion.
20/02/2012 07:01:11 PM
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You sound like one of those nasty "literary elites"!
20/02/2012 08:07:13 PM
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Literature is subjective
21/02/2012 12:26:35 AM
- 1375 Views
I agree with your point about reading Shakespeare from textbooks.
21/02/2012 03:18:37 AM
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Never heard of Thomas Mann and the real Mona Lisa.....
21/02/2012 03:34:12 AM
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Conversely, why should I trust the likes of you?
21/02/2012 06:19:18 AM
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Oh, come now...
21/02/2012 10:35:18 AM
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When it comes to evaluating schema, I'm not going to trust someone who only had English 101
21/02/2012 11:26:03 AM
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Larry = snob
21/02/2012 05:34:22 PM
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Amusing
21/02/2012 07:49:20 PM
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Wow, you lack basic reading comprehension skills.....
21/02/2012 08:29:24 PM
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No, I read that and didn't disagree that there couldn't be works that had both (read other comments)
21/02/2012 09:23:31 PM
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Uh...Faust is a play. Doctor Faustus is a novel. The former is Goethe, the latter is Mann. *NM*
22/02/2012 12:00:22 AM
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I suppose fame is relative, but the most famous Doctor Faustus, to me personally, is indeed a play.
22/02/2012 07:29:59 PM
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Wait, let's look at the gross disconnect between two statements.
21/02/2012 01:59:34 PM
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So true about the Mona Lisa.
21/02/2012 07:57:41 PM
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Yes, I was at the Louvre and you are right.....
21/02/2012 08:32:40 PM
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This is where your own rethoric defeats you...
23/02/2012 06:38:54 AM
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Slow down - it may not be the current elites that are hyping it.....
23/02/2012 05:12:47 PM
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Re: Slow down - it may not be the current elites that are hyping it.....
13/03/2012 03:10:12 AM
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Seems like an awful lot.
19/02/2012 08:11:22 PM
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Sanderson is a machine. Also, the books (so far) have been wildly different
20/02/2012 12:50:41 AM
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Re: Sanderson is a machine. Also, the books (so far) have been wildly different
20/02/2012 03:00:17 AM
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Same here- I didn't know about the Cosmere at all until I started poking around online
21/02/2012 03:25:36 AM
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Likewise. After reading Mistborn and Warbreaker I started looking into him more
21/02/2012 06:20:09 PM
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It's likely to stay that way...
20/02/2012 06:22:50 AM
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Confirmation on the Mistborn trilogies. I am so happy. *NM*
20/02/2012 05:38:23 AM
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I am thrilled to see that there will be more stories about Wax and Wayne.....
20/02/2012 03:46:37 PM
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The one issue I had with that book...
21/02/2012 06:21:29 PM
- 1287 Views