/lit/ - Literature

I have read the books years ago and I quiet enjoyed them.
Mind you it was still at the time when I was a fantasy reader and had not gotten into 'serious' literature yet.

But even now, I have to say that the books are not 'garbage' as many people here lable them. On the other hand do I not think, that they are brilliant, genius or anything above average. Yes they are enganging, yes they are fun to read and you are interested in the story and the characters.

In my opinion, those books are just written for easy entertainment. There are no deeper meanings, there is no amazingly stylistic prose or whatever. They are fun and that is simply it. That is what they have been written for and they serve their purpose.

I read the book and I quiet enjoyed it.
But I have to say, that I wouldn't put it on a list of my favorite books. I twas a good book, but that is all there is to it.

The writing was good, but not amazing, same for the story. The idea was quiet interesting though.

What the book was about. Wasn't the main character basically a sociophat? Someone who wasn't able to handle any kind of human interaction and had no interest in them at all? The only thing he was interested in was his perfums and to create them, to be able to make his 'perfect perfum'.

In the end, when he had done so. He noticed, that he could everything any man could want from it. Anything at all. He could get all the money, woman and power. But what he realized was, that he would still be his same old self. He would still be misserable as he was all his life. He wouldn't be 'happy'. And so he decided to die. Maybe he realized that in the end, all his work was futile anways?

>>3396296
I can agree to the first part. It is a short book, but Camu's whole philosophical idea is quiet interesting.

What are you saying with the second part of your post? You mean no one in /lit/ has a deeper understading of literature? I think this might be true partways, but don't put everyone on /lit/ there my friend.

>>3392163
This. There are tons of dumb people out there. There are tons of people who are not interested in literature. Just leave them be, read a book and be happy you got something from it.
Life is to short to get mad about every stupid comment you see.

Don't write on your computer? Turn of your computer or anything else that can distract you and start writing by hand.
There are tons of places where you can write. Right now I take my notebook with me to the public library we have in town and spend some time there until I have finished my daily goal.
I also iterate between writing and reading. I read for a while, then get back to writing. Once I need a break, I read a little more, maybe go for a smoke and then continue writing.

In the last few years, the worst book I read was 1Q84 by Murakami.
The book started out interesting, but it became boring, tedious, long wined and redundant after a while. I usually finish books even if I don't really like them, but had to give up after the end of book two.

Oh and what really was annoying were his references about classical music. Every character listened to some obscure and not well known symphony or what not. It was like Murakami was trying desperatly to make his characters seem 'intellectual'

What piece of shit.

>>3369806
>>3369940

Any ideas of improving? I am not a native English speaker and translated it by myself. I was looking to get some insight on the overall writing style.

>>3368440
It is the same for me man. Reading a paperback book feels better than reading things on a screen. And I also really like to have a collection of nice books in my apartement.

This might be a stupid advice, but have you thought about looking for graphic novels, comics or manga?

Wait, so are all the courses on that page for free? I am a little confused right now.

There you go:

http://pastebin.com/8cGF3JZN

bump

>>3364720
Well of course. I don't expect to be a great writer or anything after I finished reading that book. Those are nothing else but helpful little tools, that I might use and see how things work out.
I know that I still have to sit down and write every day or I won't improve even if I read hundreds of 'how to write' books and stuff.

>>3364684
Great post man! Thanks!

>>3364643
Ah thanks I will check out what Pullum has to say about it. Overall I did read through it and noted down what I thought was interesting and could be useful.

Well it is true by studying fiction itself I could learn the same, but it would take a lot more time. What I am going for is basically avoiding the typical mistakes one makes when starting out to write.
I am not saying that I don't read other stuff and that I am not noting down things when I read something, that I think is truely great.

>>3364557
Why do you think 'The elements of Style' is bad?
And yes I have to say reading about writing is some kind of procastination and I know I could use the time to write more. On the other hand don't you think that some of the stuff you can learn in these books is good and can help a apsiring writer out?
I mean right now my writing style isn't really good and some of the stuff (not all) that is mentioned in the book (Stein's) and the examples are helping me out a lot.

>>3364575
Why do you consider a sense of rhythm one of the most important qualities? For poetry it is obviously true.
But what about prose? I am not saying it is not important, but to be one of the most imporant things? Can you clarify a little?

>>3364571
What he said is a good idea. The small things you notice can make up a good story if you just give the idea or the scene you noticed some time to ripe.
Say you see a mother with two children. One of the kids is happily walking next to the mother and has a snack in his hand. The mother drags another kid with her, which is crying and trying to free herself from the mothers hand, while the mother doesn't even acknowledge her second kid. Why is this? What is the mother thinking? etc. Not the best example, but I hope you get what I mean.

On the other hand, I can also recommand you just sit down and start writing something, anything. Start with the sun outside that was shinning or the old man you saw infront of your house. But just start writing, you will get ideas.

bump

I pretty much went for the sticky and did choose some works and read them. When I enjoy a certain book, I get others by that writer and check out who wrote similar stuff.
But a lot of times I simply see a book mentioned on here or see something in the sticky that pokes my interest and decide to get it and read it.

I also try to diversify my reading. I try to read a good amount of classics from a lot of different countries and movements, but also read more contemporary works

So /lit/ what would you consider a talented writer?
Or better to say, what makes a writer talented? Is it a natural grasp of the language and its usage or is it that talented writers learn 'how to write' faster / easier?

Also is talent inherrently connected to passion?

Which of the great writers would you consider to be talented and which would you say achieved their legacy by constant hard work?

Doctor Zhivago is quiet sad at times. Didn't cry but some of the stuff that happend was really hard.

>>3363443
>>3363454

Aparently it is by Craig Mullins. Google told me he is doing lots of computer games and digital art.

I think another big problem with fantasy are the characters. Most characters in fantasy are shallow as hell and just have to stop the evil antagonist. Or the previously mentioned farmboy becomes legendary hero. But even if non of these chliches are used, most of the time characters in fantasy are just names that get dragged along a plot and do what the plot requires.