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 Post subject: Techniques of the Masters
PostPosted: Wed Sep 03, 2003 7:15 am 
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Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2002 1:01 am
Posts: 8342
Location: Bethesda, Md.
Over the years, I've learned important lessons by copying out lines, passages, even entire stories by other writers whose work I admire and would like to emulate.
Typing Wall Street Journal features taught me the anatomy of a nut graf, that section of context high up in a story that tells readers what a story is about and why they should read it.
Copying word for word short stories by Larry Woiwode and Alice Adams and passages from novelists Richard Price and Stewart O'Nan taught me a variety of lessons ... about the art of fiction that writers in any form can profit by using.
(Chip Scanlon, Poynter again)<p>***"Reading" works for most of us, "Chip."***


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 Post subject: Re: Techniques of the Masters
PostPosted: Wed Sep 03, 2003 8:43 am 
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Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 485
Location: San Jose, CA
<blockquote><font size="1" face="TImes, TimesNR, serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by blanp:
<p>***"Reading" works for most of us, "Chip."***<hr></blockquote><p>
Real writers have used the technique he describes to some effect ... Ralph Ellison of "Invisible Man" fame said he did the same thing ... I believe he copied the writings of Hemingway.


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 Post subject: Re: Techniques of the Masters
PostPosted: Wed Sep 03, 2003 12:48 pm 
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Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2002 1:01 am
Posts: 8342
Location: Bethesda, Md.
That may be so, but Chip is not Ralph Ellison, and writing a newspaper story is not writing a novel. At least I hope it isn't.<p>[ September 03, 2003: Message edited by: blanp ]</p>


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 Post subject: Re: Techniques of the Masters
PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2003 5:51 pm 
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Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2002 1:01 am
Posts: 356
Location: Everett, Wash.
[Truman Capote] That's not writing; that's typing [/Truman Capote]


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 Post subject: Re: Techniques of the Masters
PostPosted: Mon Sep 08, 2003 1:53 pm 
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Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 1286
Location: Saranac Lake, N.Y.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="TImes, TimesNR, serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by JonScribe:
[Truman Capote] That's not writing; that's typing [/Truman Capote]<hr></blockquote><p>That's what he said about Kerouac's writing, as I recall.


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 Post subject: Re: Techniques of the Masters
PostPosted: Mon Sep 08, 2003 5:05 pm 
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Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2002 1:01 am
Posts: 26
Location: Albany, NY
i've learned much about writing by copying, or at least writing messages on this site by copying the three little stars blanp uses,<p>like this: ***<p>And I've learned to use "No, it's not," in daily conversation.<p>I just don't know how to work those little stars into converstation.


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 Post subject: Re: Techniques of the Masters
PostPosted: Mon Sep 08, 2003 5:13 pm 
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Joined: Fri Nov 15, 2002 1:01 am
Posts: 3557
Location: Cusp of retirement, grave or both
Blanp, if you don't believe writing a news story isn't like writing a novel, you haven't read our Sunday business section.<p>It's like reading the collected works of Jackie Collins, but puffed out with discussion of earning reports instead of descriptions of cheap sex.


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