Details and specificity are part of the craft of being a writer, as I’ve understood it and have seen it done by those whom I’ve read and will extol (Tolstoy and Flaubert, Joyce & Woolf, Fitz & Hem, Bellow & Faulkner, Roth & Atwood & Rush & Theroux & Murdoch) —— they all give me that complete world. It’s an all-at-onceness act, that gives us the visual-imaginative experience. Without the details (and this is the writer’s main task: which to include and which to leave out) the story is simply an internalized hash of “talking” between the character and the writer or the narrator and himself.

Likewise, a writer’s job is to give the reader the view of a world in which he sees it, not how I might see it or a fourth or fifth party. I understand that you (and everyone else) has a specific sight and understanding of a bag lady. But then there is this bag lady that I have imagined and present. This is a specific bag lady that you have not seen, or have not taken the time to notice among all the bag ladies you’ve watched. Who among us focuses on bag ladies anyway? And when we do, what do we see? Do we ask the questions that the narrator asks?

Criticism is as ephemeral as stories themselves. Should I listen to the negatives, the positives, make stories the way “they” would like stories, or employ the techniques of the major authors (and major prize/award winners)? It’s not even a toss-up Q/A, because I’ve always been drawn to story that gives it all to me, not minimalistically or with opaque veils of talking maelstroms from the writer’s mind.

The question is, how much of a first impression is your reader willing to give you. I usually give a book the first sentence. Your first sentence engaged me so I read on into the briar patch. Then dropped to the following paragraphs where I got interested again.

If you hadn’t asked, I would not have read on past the thicket. Hope that helps.

I found the style quite useful and dynamic for telling a dual-character story without relying on (or being forced by) 3rd-P Omniscient; I didn’t want an overall narrator getting in the way of the characters’ “felt” story-telling, and I also didn’t want to get into the minds of other characters.

I appreciate your comments. Have you read the short sample to my upcoming novel, “What Beauty” ?? You can find it here: http://www.bibliogrind.com/2011/12/29/what-beauty-novel-launch-news/

Cheers.

In no way intended as a put down, but I’m curious about the POV, as I’m having trouble orienting myself to the text. Is it illeistic third? Or is there a third person narrator?

The style itself, seems very felt.

Cheers.

That said, I think your fearless leader is more realistic. The number of books being written today is immense. You would find yourself so overwhelmed you would not even know how to qualify what you would look at.

Accepting stuff from agents that they can’t sell might be one way to go. But when would you have time to write, for all the read throughs?

Do I ever know that feeling. Occasional traffic. Little feedback. That’s the way it goes.

Saw you on NYRB. Liked what you had to say. Thought I would click through. See what you are up to.

Like your choice of books and the way you blog them. Short blurb and pithy quote.

Adding disqus comment system might help attract more comments. It also keeps a record of comments you write elsewhere on disqus. chronicle.com is great for attracting readers.

Pay me visit. Keep in touch.

http://bonalibro.us

Did you see your comments? I think someone was trying to reach you.