Ten Rules for Writing Fiction

in Literature | February 25th, 2010 Leave a Comment

The guardian asked twenty nine writers to give their 10 rules for writing fiction. those given by jonathan franzen (the corrections) were arguably the pithiest, and we list them below. the full lineup of writers (including elmore leonard, margaret atwood, and richard ford) can be found here. (the new yorker has since followed up with some commentary on the guardian list. )

The reader is a friend, not an adversary, not a spectator.
Fiction that isn’t an author’s personal adventure into the frightening or the unknown isn’t worth writing for anything but money.
Never use the word “then” as a conjunction €“ we have “and” for this purpose. Substituting “then” is the lazy or tone-deaf writer’s non-solution to the problem of too many “ands” on the page.
Write in the third person unless a really distinctive first-person voice offers itself irresistibly.
When information becomes free and universally accessible, voluminous research for a novel is devalued along with it.
The most purely autobiographical fiction requires pure invention. Nobody ever wrote a more auto biographical story than “The Metamorphosis”.
You see more sitting still than chasingafter.
It’s doubtful that anyone with an internet connection at his workplace is writing good fiction.
Interesting verbs are seldom very interesting.
You have to love before you can be relentless.

Via @kirstinbutler

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by Dan Colman | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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1 May 29th, 2010 at 4:19 pm

Ashley

Normally i don’t love crop tops, but for some reason i like how johanna wore hers. she’s one of the rare few who can pull them off, i think! ditto with the headband. sometimes those wrap headbands look weird on certain people but it’s perfect on her and works well with her style. also loving her lv belt! great pick.

2 May 29th, 2010 at 4:21 pm

A

I actually like her crop top, this is definitely one of the better looks on campus.

3 May 29th, 2010 at 5:39 pm

Suburban sweetheart

I like johanna’s general style, but i don’t like the outfit itself or some of her interview. :/ i find cropped tops to be a little sleazy, even when done well, & the headdress headband look is a little too hippie for me. i do like her bracelets, though, & her skinny jeans – but i don’t understand “sexy yet glamorous women” as an answer. “glamor” & “sexy” are too often synonymous, so the “yet” seems a little unneeded; i’d prefer sexy, unglamorous women, frankly, instead of women who try too hard to be both! and i can’t afford pedicures but still love sandals – no shame!

4 May 29th, 2010 at 6:37 pm

Breanna

@Suburban sweetheart: I don’t think she meant having a pedicure done by a professionalist, rather that you should take care of your feet in general, before you jump into sandals from your winter boots. This is something you can also do yourself, at home and without spending much money. I like her style, but not that much this particular outfit – it feels very “horizontal” and thus it makes her look wider than she probably is and also, shortens her legs (that may be the photo angle, still, those pants doesn’t look that much flattering in the hips area). She’s a very prettygirl though.

5 May 29th, 2010 at 6:38 pm

Jillann

I’m loving her hippie style. this is probably my favorite looks on campus yet.

6 May 29th, 2010 at 7:04 pm

Runawayinla

I love her crop top & the jewelry is so adorable, i want some of those now!

Love this look, johanna’s style is my favorite so far!

Xoooxoxo

7 May 29th, 2010 at 8:03 pm

Linda

Wow. she’s my fav loc so far…totally love it.

8 May 29th, 2010 at 8:07 pm

Chelsey

I love her outfit so much. and her fashion tip to take care of yourself is really great advice.

9 May 29th, 2010 at 9:07 pm

Lena michelle

Wow, look at her bracelets! i love them! i’d love to give this look a try

10 May 29th, 2010 at 9:48 pm

Adrienne

I wear sandals without pedicures all the time. then again, i don’t get them done by a professional but i do take care of my feet. anyway…that said, i like the outfit.

11 May 29th, 2010 at 9:56 pm

Kip

Wow she is super gorgeous! ! i really love the outfit! great job

12 May 30th, 2010 at 12:14 am

Kate

I like the top half of her out fit (meaning shirt up) but i feel like the top half and the bottom half are two different out fits.

I do like her style though, this is definitely one of the better looks on campus!

13 May 30th, 2010 at 1:34 am

Sara

Where do you get head wraps like that? ? ?

14 May 30th, 2010 at 1:44 am

Jaylen moore

Wow so far she is my favorite look on campus. i love the multiple bracelets thats something i do everyday

15 May 30th, 2010 at 5:31 am

Aish

I love how she dresses but my fav looks on campus is the guy steven with the faux fur vest

16 May 30th, 2010 at 8:11 am

Libby

I feel like there isn’t enough diversity in the looks on campus. i feel like i’ve seen her style before, only on a different body.

17 May 30th, 2010 at 11:40 am

Kaley

I love her belt…it was the first thing i noticed! but why i wanted to comment was i so completely agree about taking care of ones feet! i get professional pedis, but one can be done easily at home using drugstore nail polish and getting a pumice stone for the shower. anyone can afford to give herself a pedicure, and i can’t lie and say i dont always notice someone walking around with chips of polish from months ago sported with sandals.

18 May 30th, 2010 at 12:30 pm

Laura

I think she looks beautiful, and she has the confidence to pull the outfit off. a lot of time i leave the house not too sure if i’d end up on a mag’s “worst dressed list” (fyi i am not a celebrity! ) but worrying too much about how i look has gotten old. instead, i try to practice confidence so that if i feel comfortable in something, i don’t care if others don’t like it! johanna’s advice to take care of yourself is spot on! and she just exudes confidence and inner beauty. i feel like i cannot pull of the crop top but she does it seamlessly and i love wrap bands! ! ! xd

19 May 30th, 2010 at 1:11 pm

Deanne

@laura i completely agree with you! even though this look is not something i would ever wear, you can tell she has a lot of confidence, which can be even more attractive than how someone dresses themselves. i’m always excited to see vintage trends come back to life with a modern twist.

20 May 30th, 2010 at 2:24 pm

Shay monet

Definitely one of the best loc! love everything about the outfit (even though i dont think i can pull off the head wrap). and i agree 1000000% about the pedicure thing. Dirty feet in sandals is a very unattractive look and dont be fooled into thinking no one notices!

21 May 30th, 2010 at 4:03 pm

Lalalina

@libby, i have to disagree, there has been a ton of diversity in style and in people that have appeared in this series.

This girl is so beautiful and i think she really rocks this outfit. her jewelry and other accessories really make the outfit. like everyone else, making your feet presentable for sandals is very important. i too cannot afford pedis but i’m getting pretty darn good at doing it myself! i would also like to say the same goes for hands. if your polish is chipping, please repaint you nails or take off your polish. chipped polish on toes and fingers is really trashy to me.

22 May 30th, 2010 at 9:22 pm

Lauren

I really like this, but i agree about the jeans and proportions making her look a little thicker than i’m sure she is. she looks tiny, the jeans just might not be doing her justice.

I’m looking for a crop top that doesn’t look too trashy. and ideas for the bottom half on a hot day; i don’t want to show a ton of leg if i’m wearing a crop top. ideas?

23 June 2nd, 2010 at 11:37 am

Clc

Wow she’s gorgeous! ! ! she’s really working the crop top–good for her, she’s fierce!

24 October 31st, 2010 at 7:28 pm

Maxine

I love her crop top and her multiple bracelets. girl has some style, yo!

25 January 28th, 2011 at 3:10 pm

Jule

Lovely outfit. casual, but still somewhat original