It's a given that reading is just as important as writing or maybe even more so. I'm always reading something. In the last month I read the first two novels that John Updike wrote about Rabbit Angstrom (Rabbit, Run and Rabbit Redux). My intent is to read some well-known and well-regarded books written by people of my generation. Philip Roth is on my list as well. I have no doubt I can learn a thing or two about novel-writing from these books. I won't get into a discussion of plot and characters here. I am more interested in Updike's writing style. The books are long. I bought old paperback editions and the typeface is so tiny I could barely get through five to ten pages at a sitting. Recently new novelists have been told to vary the length of their chapters and sentences and paragraphs and use a lot a dialogue instead of long narratives. Updike consistently breaks those rules. The two books I read had long, long chapters, paragraphs and sentences and little dialogue. … [Read more...]
Revisiting John Updike
Support an author month
This is a reblog from Cate Russell Cole's wonderful site: CommuniCate Resources for Writers. Books have been on my mind lately, and this is just the push I need to buy some more. Next on my list is something by John Updike. I've decided to catch up on his and Philip Roth's work in the next few months. There's a little used bookstore up on Main Street in Santa Monica, called Angel City Book Store and Gallery. I plan to be browsing there one day this week. Now here's Cate: Support an Author: Grab that Book You've Been Wanting ~ #saam14 Posted on May 23, 2014 by Cate Russell-Cole There is a pie shop near here that has the slogan, Buy one so we both don't go hungry. It is one of the best advertising slogans I've seen. Books feed both the reader's and the writer's soul in so many ways. So, you know you've been meaning to¦ this week, your love task for Support an Author Month is to go buy that book you've planned to get, but didn't get around to. Don't forget, wherever you … [Read more...]
