Firsts in Fiction
Firsts in Fiction Gross Anatomy of a Novel: Dramatic Question In Part 2 of our Gross Anatomy series we turn our attention to an element of plotting: Discovering the plot’s dramatic question(s). First, let’s define “plot.” A plot is a series of events in […]
If you’re looking for the novel spotlight, you can find it (and many other fun features) on our newsletter. Be sure to sign up at aarongansky.com! Intro: What is Gross Anatomy of a Novel? In this series, we’re going to take a holistic look […]
Originally published on March 23, 2014. Featuring prior co-hosts Steve McLain and Heather Luby. This cast was originally, and is rebroadcast, as audio only. *ADDENDUM* The good people at EditionGuard.com put together a pretty fancy infographic, and were kind enough to ask me to […]
NOVEL SPOTLIGHT (Pops): In 2011, Simon & Schuster published Stephen King’s 11/22/63. I received the book as a Christmas present from one of my sons-in-law. It’s weighty book, as King’s novels often are, of 850 pages or so. King has proven himself a […]
Steve McLain and Aaron Gansky look into the mysterious case of Show v. Tell. This is our take on when you should show, and when you should tell when writing fiction.
Welcome back, loyal listeners! A quick disclaimer: we faced quite a few technical difficulties this week. The content is still top-notch, but the quality of recording was spotty (mainly on Aaron’s end at the beginning). Stick with us, though. The quality improves further in. It’s […]
Music can have a profound impact on our writing. Here, we explore how to maximize music in our fiction.
NOVEL SPOTLIGHT (Aaron): The Road by Cormac McCarthy I’m a sucker for stories about fathers and sons, and this one is about as gritty as it gets. Set in a post-apocalyptic future filled with cannibals and other darker perils, the father and son […]
NOVEL SPOTLIGHT (Aaron): The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien This is another staple in my English classes. I first read it while at Antioch and fell in love with it. In his collection of short stories (that some argue is more of a […]
NOVEL SPOTLIGHT (Pops): The Taking, by Dean Koontz, 2004, Bantam Books, 448 pages in original release. When I think of books by Dean Koontz several titles float to the surface of my mind: Strangers, Sole Survivor, Odd Thomas, One Door Away from Heaven, and […]