Thinking about writing
September 19th, 2006I’ve been thinking and reading a lot about writing over the past few weeks. Obviously, this subject interests me because it’s how I make my living, and I’ve been doing it for a long time now. But I really want to improve, and that’s why I’ve been concentrating on the topic so much lately.
Let me ask a few questions and see how you respond:
1. What do you consider to be good writing? What are the characteristics and features?
2. Who are your favorite writers? I’m not talking about your favorite authors, although the two could be one and the same. I’m talking about favorite writers. I can hate an author and yet love his or her writing. Similarly, I can appreciate an author for his or her thoughts, and yet not particularly like how they present them. Who are your favorite writers?
3. What is it about your favorite writers that you like?
I’ll respond with my answers in a bit. Right now, I have to go teach a writing class.
Good questions.
In the vein of thinking in these terms, I highly recommend the book, “The Right Word” by William F. Buckley, Jr. There is a wordsmith, indeed, even if I’m not always with him exactly in political matters. I’ve tried to read his spy novels and gotten horribly bogged down each time in the prose. His syndicated column seems to me much better.
A similar reflection on the more narrow art of creating horror fiction is Stephen King’s “Danse Macabre.” King is my favorite author/writer, a master at setting a scene and at creating believable, sympathetic characters. In addition, he seems to have an innate sense of what will creep me out.
Also good, Tom Clancy and Dean Koontz, when it comes to the mechanics of story-telling and plotting. Neither one writes prose that sparkles, though, in my opinion.
Also, in the category of writers I like, without necessarily endorsing what they’ve written, is Dr. Gary North. Whatever else you may think of him, here is a guy who can write theology and make it fun and thrilling, even when he’s discussing something as mundane as monetary policy. He’s a master at making the boring seem exhilirating.
My favorite writers:
Don Delillo
Kurt Eichenwald
Randy Alcorn
Knut Hamsun
James Ellroy
Frank Peretti (older stuff)
Pete Dexter
John Steinbeck
A.W. Tozer
Joe Meno
To me a good writer is one that can make a strong connection with the reader.
As far as secular writers go, John Grisham is my hands-down favorite. Perhaps it is because I am from the south, but I see how realistic the settings of his books seem without the details being overplayed. Louis L’Amour was also good at this.
Among Christian authors, Gordon MacDonald stands out because of his transparency. Max Lucado may not have the deepest theology, but his use of words to convey worshipful meaning is amazing. John Piper is an excellent doctrinal writer who allows his substance to outshine the packaging.
Another secular magazine writer I have always enjoyed is Patrick McManus of Outdoor Life. He is always good for a laugh.
Short answer (at the moment I don’t have time for longer):
Writers who don’t distract you from WHAT they are saying by HOW they say it.
John Grisham’s the best. He manages to keep his novels very interesting without having to put in vulgar words or scenes. He also manages to instill Christian values into his readers after reading his novels. Furthermore, he is very skillfull in writing in different perspective, both young and old. His novels are stories one would enjoy forever!
Good writing takes different forms depending on the media. Good journalistic writing will be different from good literary writing. For journalism - the imparting of information - short words, short sentences, action verbs are always good places to start. For literature - imparting a tone and feeling along with the information - guidelines will fluctuate with what the author is attempting (time, place, import, etc., of the story). These are only two examples. Frederick Beuchner is brilliant at this: read Sacred Journey, Godric and Brendan, all of them beautifully written books, and each of them completely different from the other two.
Good writers make you want to keep reading rather than insult you by being melodramatic, exceedingly hyperbolic, continually sarcastic, or obsessively detailed. (I know, this was a melodramtic, hyperbolic, sarcastic detailed list of things I don’t like, but isn’t that how post-modern Americans describe what they do like…by what they don’t like?) If you are still reading this, then I must be a good writer. Ok, no.
Writers and why:
Steinbeck, because of Grapes of Wrath. Such an amazing story, full of development, but you’re not overwhelmed with polysyllabic jargon and long sentences which Faulkner (and now I) tend to do. Simple wording, but great structure.
Jeff Sharra. he makes you want to know what his characters next thought will be. he also sets the context well. I like his writing much better than his dad’s. Gods and Generals…book much better than movie.
Nevada Barr. She paints pictures with her words, even of the emotions of her characters. Again, she makes you want to know what happens next rather than boring you. Blind Descent is my fav, with Superior Death and High Country next.
Grisham usually tells a good story well. A few of his books have been obvious “contract keepers” but most are well written. Other lawyer thrillers tend to fall into either a melodramatic badguy or sappy victim mode. A Painted House and The Testament
Good answers Bill. Grapes of Wrath is a classic; I also love Of Mice and Men and The Winter of Our Discontent.