RP/Writing Meme: 15
Sep. 7th, 2010 10:53 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meej15. Midway question! Tell us about a writer you admire, whether professional or not!
Oh jeez. Well, I admire Valentine's ability to convey the emotion of a character and the inner journey that character is going through without descending to schmoop or schmaltz or triteness. This may sound like a small thing, but I myself find it so unbelievably hard, and have seen others do it ridiculously awfully, that Valentine is always a pleasure for me to read, no matter whom she is writing. She portrays emotion and reaction and resolve with grace and compassion for the character, and this pleases me greatly, especially considering what kind of SHEER AWFUL some of her characters go through.
This is not going to turn into a list of saying nice things about all of the writers I know, which is why I took so very long with this question.
Instead, I will also propz James Michener, who has a justly-famed ability to evoke a sense of place and an atmosphere for his books. I can honestly say that, of all his novels (and I have read every single one), the setting is absolutely vital, and the story takes full advantage of the terrain and culture therein. It could take place literally nowhere else. This is wonderful, and why I read and try to learn from Michener.
Also he likes people.
Oh jeez. Well, I admire Valentine's ability to convey the emotion of a character and the inner journey that character is going through without descending to schmoop or schmaltz or triteness. This may sound like a small thing, but I myself find it so unbelievably hard, and have seen others do it ridiculously awfully, that Valentine is always a pleasure for me to read, no matter whom she is writing. She portrays emotion and reaction and resolve with grace and compassion for the character, and this pleases me greatly, especially considering what kind of SHEER AWFUL some of her characters go through.
This is not going to turn into a list of saying nice things about all of the writers I know, which is why I took so very long with this question.
Instead, I will also propz James Michener, who has a justly-famed ability to evoke a sense of place and an atmosphere for his books. I can honestly say that, of all his novels (and I have read every single one), the setting is absolutely vital, and the story takes full advantage of the terrain and culture therein. It could take place literally nowhere else. This is wonderful, and why I read and try to learn from Michener.
Also he likes people.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-11 12:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-21 03:31 pm (UTC)I ... also recommend everything else he writes. XD I mean, I'd provide a list of my favorites, but it would TURN INTO A SHORTLIST OF EVERYTHING HE WROTE. The ones I try to reread every year or so are Texas, Poland, Hawaii, and Caravans (which takes place in Afhanistan). :D
no subject
Date: 2010-09-22 01:22 pm (UTC)...sorry. I still think of that every time Hawaii and Alaska come up in conversation. ^^
But anyway, I know I have Hawaii and Mexico somewhere, probably at Dad's house. I'll have to look for them the next time I'm back there! Space is going rather slowly, mostly because I only have time to read it when I'm at work, but I love it.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-12 08:36 am (UTC)<3