Litsy

Wonderbook (Revised and Expanded): The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction | Jeff VanderMeer

I have some more reading to do. Then, some writing...

#writersofinstagram #writer #amwriting #writerslife #peptalks #writerstoolbox #wonderbook

GingerAntics

Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction | Jeff VanderMeer

so-so

2.5⭐️ I‘ve read just about everything in here I need to read right now. I‘ll reserve the revision chapter for after NaNo. Some of this is very specific to writing fantasy works, which I do not, so I had to take those things with a grain of salt. He likes Campbell‘s whole “Hero‘s Journey” thing, which I do not. I disagree with parts of this and felt disheartened by others. The writing challenges are very specific to each chapter (cont‘d below)

GingerAntics so they cannot be used for whatever you‘re working on or developing. The writing exercises in the back are specific to the fantasy genre, so if you‘re not writing that you‘re SOL. I like my writing exercises to be more utilitarian than Vandermeer I guess. I‘m glad I didn‘t have to read this for a class. I honestly probably would have dropped a class centred on this text before it made just not want to write at all. (Cont‘d below) 6y

GingerAntics This wasn‘t the writing book for me. I did enjoy discovering new authors and I‘m a huge Neil Gaiman fan so I greatly enjoyed his essay. I probably learned more about writing from Neil Gaiman‘s tumblr account that I did from this book. If this is your genre this is probably a great book for you. It just wasn‘t for me. The graphics are great, but their placement got old and then obnoxious fast. (cont‘d below) 6y

GingerAntics I took a few things from this book, but not enough for this book to be worth it for me. I honestly think there are two things from this text I plan to incorporate into my own writing. Again, this may be the text for you, but it‘s not for me. #wonderbook #jeffvandermeer #creativewriting #nanowrimo #notmycupoftea 6y

GingerAntics As reference, I plan to incorporate studying poetry to study concise ways to describe things, and writing your ending then deleting the last paragraph or two to add in a bit of mystery/ambiguity to your ending so readers can infer things for themselves; although, admittedly I am a fan of ending things with a question of two left unanswered anyway, so it might not always be necessary. (edited) 6y

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GingerAntics

Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction | Jeff VanderMeer

Total fan of some parts of this book, not a fan at all of others, but I am enjoying discovering new authors to check out. My TBR is growing from various parts of this book (the ones I like obviously).
#wonderbook #jeffvandermeer #authordiscovery #growingTBR

jmofo John Le Carre‘s descriptions can be quite eloquent and surprising. His books are unusual but not in a way the word unusual is usually used for. I am a big fan but he‘s not everyone‘s cup of tea. I‘m still near the beginning of Wonderbook. I never expect to agree with this kind of book completely but I am a fan of vetting your own ideas against others‘. I‘m glad you‘re digging in! 6y

GingerAntics @jmofo I like vetting ideas as well. Ultimately, this book really wasn‘t for me. If I had to take a class cantered on this text I would either drop it or stop writing after the class for a while. I don‘t write fantasy so that could be a factor, but I just didn‘t like this book as much as I wanted to. I‘m glad I gave it a shot, though. On to more development and other authors before November. 6y

jmofo @GingerAntics Hooray! Go get ‘em! 6y

GingerAntics @jmofo lol thanks 6y

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GingerAntics

Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction | Jeff VanderMeer

Now this was useful - is this too much highlighting? lol
#neilgaiman #americangods #jeffvandermeer #wonderbook

Dr._Who_number10 You should have seen my annotating for it was crazy my friends thought I was going crazy...I basically doubled the pages of the book😂

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

GingerAntics @Dr._Who_number10 wow, that‘s impressive. 6y

SomedayAlmost I lent my copy of Capote‘s “Music for Chameleons” to a fellow writing student back in grad school, and he was like “whoa” when he saw my zealous underlining... 😉 6y

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GingerAntics @SomedayAlmost rotfl I love when people see things like that, that I see as totally normal, and they‘re impressed. I got a similar reaction when a classmate borrowed my notes in grad school. 6y

SomedayAlmost He may have been more frightened than impressed, lol... 😉 But go you for taking so much from the text! 6y

GingerAntics @SomedayAlmost oh I do love when we can frighten someone. lol I‘m evil like that, though. lol 6y

Linsy Love it! 6y

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GingerAntics

Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction | Jeff VanderMeer

People never understand why I obsess over characters names so much, or why some names keep changing even several drafts in. They don‘t get why I look up name meanings and take such pains to get just the right name for each character. They also don‘t get why I can‘t even start writing unless my main characters are properly named. Neil Gaiman is most definitely my spirit animal. #neilgaiman #americangods #jeffvandermeer #wonderbook #nanowrimo

CocoReads Yep, names are important 6y

Bookwomble In Tolkien's initial draft of The Hobbit, Gandalf was called Bladorthin, whilst Thorin Oakenshield was called ... Gandalf! Getting the right name is important 😊 6y

GingerAntics @Bookwomble oh wow, that would have been an interesting change. The whole thing would have been totally different. Names really inform the role and personality of characters. The mind boggles at what could be if those two names handed been changed. 6y

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GingerAntics @CocoReads some people just don‘t seem to get that changing a name came take a minor character and make them a major character. I don‘t get writers who are just like “eh their names don‘t really matter to me.” 6y

CocoReads @GingerAntics exactly—I mean, I can‘t have a badass alpha male character named Waldo, after all. 🤣🤣 6y

GingerAntics @CocoReads exactly!!! 6y

Bookwomble @CocoReads Heinlein's character character Waldo was badass in a nerdy, evil corporate way! 😁

Waldo & Magic, Inc.

GingerAntics @Bookwomble @CocoReads it probably depends on the story you‘re trying to tell. 6y

Bookwomble Definitely - context is everything. 6y

CocoReads @Bookwomble that may be (Heinlein isn‘t my thing) but all I can ever picture is Van Halen‘s “Hot for Teacher” video, or the “Where‘s Waldo?” books. 6y

CocoReads Context definitely makes a difference! 6y

Bookwomble @CocoReads Ha,ha! I 😁 And, yes, about Heinlein: I like his earlier stuff, but he does get very creepy/sleazy later on. 6y

GingerAntics @cocoreads @bookwomble I was thinking about Where‘s Waldo as soon as I heard the name, too. I‘m sure it‘s a nice name, but I think those particular books have cut that name off from serious consideration for many people. Of course, now I‘m thinking I must write something with a character named Waldo, just to say I did. lol 6y

CocoReads 😂😂 6y

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GingerAntics

Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction | Jeff VanderMeer

Neil Gaiman is officially my spirit animal.
Oh my god, I thought I was the only one this happens to.
#neilgaiman #americangods #wonderbook #jeffvandermeer #nanowrimo
Okay, officially I need to just stick to the author essays in this book.

11 likes

GingerAntics

Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction | Jeff VanderMeer

Am I supposed to feel more self conscious of my writing after reading this? I‘m beginning to think my writing sucks and I should just pack it in now before we even get to November.
#nanowrimo #wonderbook #jeffvandermeer #mayday #houstonwehaveaproblem

CocoReads No, you‘ll be fine! 6y

GingerAntics @CocoReads I‘m thinking I may just read certain parts of it that are things I want to focus on and see if that helps. This raging debate about exposition is evil vs exposition is great, and all this madness is starting to get me all turned around. 6y

CocoReads @GingerAntics I think sometimes the writing books can give too much advice. You just need to go with your gut and just write. That‘s what a first draft is for anyway—you can tighten things up later. 6y

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GingerAntics @CocoReads that makes a whole bunch of sense. Thanks for that. 6y

CocoReads @GingerAntics anytime! I know I‘ve gone through that stage as well and been “talked off the ledge” too 6y

Texreader What are you writing?? How exciting!!! 6y

GingerAntics @Texreader nothing yet. I‘ve decided to do National Novel Writing Month. It‘s not until November. Right now I‘m just getting ideas organised and getting to know my characters. I promise not to kill off any beloved characters. ✋🏻 6y

JazzFeathers Like @CocoReads said, just don't think about style for now. Style doesn't belong to first drafts! First write that draft down, then you'll have all the time you need to make the story as good as possible. I'll be doing NaNo too. I'm Celebcuen on that site, in case you need one more buddy 😉 6y

wanderinglynn You‘ll be fine! Like others have said, first drafts aren‘t about style. Fist drafts are about getting the story out of your head & onto paper. Besides, there is no one way to write (which is is why there‘s a million books about how to write). For every so-called “rule” of writing, I guarantee I can find a successful writer who broke that “rule.” 6y

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GingerAntics

Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction | Jeff VanderMeer

#wonderbook #jeffvandermeer #creativewriting

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GingerAntics

Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction | Jeff VanderMeer

This is an interesting thought I have never considered in the 25 years I‘ve been writing original fiction.
#wonderbook #jeffvandermeer #creativewriting

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GingerAntics

Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction | Jeff VanderMeer

Where creative writing meets history...my world is now complete. Thanks Jeff Vandermeer.
#wonderbook #jeffvandermeer #creativewriting #historyis #whyhistorymatters

batsy The quotes you've shared from this are really fascinating. I loved his Southern Reach trilogy and his imagination and how he puts it to use is endlessly intriguing to me! 6y

GingerAntics @batsy I am actually entirely unfamiliarity with his other work. Good to know someone recognised him. I think I‘m going to have to read some of his fiction after this. 6y

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