Literary Writing

  1. Literary Fiction: A Consolidated Practical View

    Popular/"commercial" and literary fiction differ considerably in the norms and values that shape them. Their core readerships want and expect different things—in many respects opposite things. The body of received wisdom that's usually applied to the writing and formative critique of popular fiction often does not apply to literary fiction and may not strengthen but weaken it. In this post, I've systematized my thoughts on how and why "good" popular and literary fiction are so different,...
  2. What is Literary Fiction?

    This post and its series have been consolidated into and superseded by: [URL]https://www.writingforums.org/entry/literary-fiction-a-consolidated-practical-view.66349/[/URL] ========================================================================= What is literary fiction? It's a perennial question with as many answers as there are people who presume to answer it. But in the book trade, all of the practical answers distill to a single thing. Literary contemporary fiction is defined in contrast to...
    Categories:
  3. What is Literary Fiction, Part 2

    This post and its predecessors have been consolidated into and superseded by: [URL]https://www.writingforums.org/entry/literary-fiction-a-consolidated-practical-view.66349/[/URL] ========================================================================= The first post of this series defined literary fiction entirely in relation to popular fiction—specifically, as fiction written outside the conventions, expectations, values, templates, and received wisdom that govern the writing of popular fiction....
    Categories:
  4. What Is Literary Fiction, Part 3

    This post and its predecessors have been consolidated into and superseded by: [URL]https://www.writingforums.org/entry/literary-fiction-a-consolidated-practical-view.66349/[/URL] ========================================================================= The first post in this series defined Literary Fiction in practical terms as fiction that does not adhere to the restrictions, expectations, values, or conventions of popular fiction or its many genres. The second post took a superficial look at some...
    Categories:
  5. What is Literary Fiction, Part 4

    This post and its series have been consolidated into and superseded by: [URL]https://www.writingforums.org/entry/literary-fiction-a-consolidated-practical-view.66349/[/URL] ========================================================================= So we're in the process of looking at Literary Fiction through the contemporary book-trade definition of not conforming to the restrictions, expectations, conventions, etc, of Popular Fiction. The previous post outlined a number of the elements that shape...
    Categories:
Loading...
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice