For the writers

[girlyswot]

I do find that Jo Bourne (author of the Spymaster's Lady) often talks a lot of sense about the art of writing. I particularly enjoyed her defence of the much-maligned cliché in her latest post. She also gives some interesting feedback on some of the decisions she's had to make in writing historical fiction about things like vocabulary choice and complete historical accuracy. I don't always agree with her decisions but the process is interesting to observe.

Plus, if you've read her books, she occasionally gives snippets from the cutting-room floor and hints of what's to come in the next book. Worth checking out.

Comments

[moonette1.livejournal.com]

I do like Jo. Not sure if I fully agree about the telling how the POV character is feeling straight out. It seems better to draw the reader into the sensations rather than just blurt it out. What's your view on that one?

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

I think both can work and both are probably necessary at different times. People aren't always thinking about their own feelings, so sometimes it's better to focus on what the POV character is thinking about and doing. But sometimes the POV character is conscious of their own emotions and so it makes sense to talk about them more directly.

I do agree with her that you don't think about yourself the way you do others, so I wouldn't have a POV character talk about 'raising a satirical eyebrow' or any of that nonsense.