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Jun 14, 2012

How to become a writer?

"It is very important in a literary work first phrase," - told us at a seminar of young fiction writers in Dubulti (and that was 15 years ago), the founder of the Soviet "space opera" Sergei Snows. For a long time I thought of the first phrase of these notes - and decided to start with it. And then must go to the very-roll:
But I hasten to remark: no it's not a literary work, namely the notes are not very systematic, salad, svarganenny from both own and borrowed thoughts, perhaps someone from the novice fiction writers, he will actually give us something useful. Still, for the eleventh year, I have the opportunity to become acquainted with the manuscripts for new authors. By its own estimates, read them tysch five, no less. So the judge about something, maybe I can.
However, it's time to round off with an introduction - it was too long. By the way, and the first piece of advice-wish: the reader does not lull to sleep very long boring introductions. Better at once - the bull by the horns! Start with an interesting episode, pry the reader on a hook, hook his attention - and only then, in the course of the narrative, explains to what's what, and why, in fact, the hero of the blaster drenched green of Crank:
This here's a tip: do not, after all, not advice (like writing a well-known Moscow-fiction: "want, beast, learn to write. Yes, we are able to ischo better!") - I just express my opinion, and only thing a beginner author - to listen to this opinion or not.
It would be nice, in my opinion (and not just my opinion!) Before starting to work on the text, determine what you actually want to say his piece. Why do you write? To put the problem? Point the way to solve it? To draw attention to something, something to warn? Just to entertain?
The remarkable Soviet science fiction BILENKINA Dmitri spoke about the four metatemah literature: spiritual world, business and interpersonal relationships, people and society, nature, people - and what lies beyond the horizon of progress, but, perhaps, had ever realized: Fourth metatema - this is metatema fiction. While the naked eye, noticed that today is the definition of good, rather, only for that branch of fantasy, which is called "scientific" and is now out of favor. Maybe - "people - and all unusual?" Well, God bless them with the definitions. What to write - you know. Forward! For me, so to speak, aspiring novelist!
Only raced from the start, and on the way - the first column. Thud! Just listen, which means "hardened chelovechische" aka Leo Tolstoy: "The artistic impression, that is infected is obtained only when the author himself in his own sense of an experienced and hands it, not when he sends someone else, handed him a sense. This kind of poetry is the poetry can not infect humans, but only gives a semblance of a work of art. " But Galsworthy, as if they agreed, is echoed by Leo: "If a man is not made up of some ideas about life on the basis of their own lives, feelings and experiences, he has nothing to say, such that others would be worth listening to."
And if the author is only eighteen or twenty, and experience life, you know:
Of course, anything to argue with the quote - the method is not quite correct, because each quote can be found "protivotsitata." (I remember in the 80s of the last millennium Kiev publishing house "fry" rejected my story, arguing his rebuke of a single quote from the speech of a great connoisseur of science fiction pilot-cosmonaut Vladimir Sevastyanov. Soviet, they say, science fiction is more useless to write about possible destruction of humanity. So I answered them as "protivotsitat" poprivodil! However, if I do not help.
Yeah, that's Boileau immediately declared, "that if the idea you have in mind is ready, / All the right words will come to the first call."
And besides, say, a beginner, it's about literature in general, the real, so to speak, a life, not fiction. In fiction you can and no experience - would be an interesting idea so entangled plot, but the experience here at all to do with it. And anyway, we all are with Galsworthy Tolstova!
I will not argue. They write because young, inexperienced, and write interesting - convinced more than once or twice! And wonderful. So, it's from God. And in the end, and the experience and technology writing - can be acquired. Only flows to me a stream of manuscripts, which I call for a "student of literature." And not because the authors always students (though they are the majority). Just manner of presentation, the image of characters calamity: m-m: number of naive student, and the main character, protagonist, is always seen by the author. "Beautiful," considerations dime a dozen - a man pours out his soul, and that, in general, it is understandable. But pour more appropriately, perhaps, outside the works - in a personal diary, a letter to a friend or in a conversation with him over a bottle of beer: Again, not advice, but my opinion is: do not drown in a personal, not the fruit of their own story in a story of reflection : Although there may be to argue.
I repeat that experience, and technology - can be acquired, and if stretched a hand to the pen, pen to paper - without holding her hand and write! How else to learn to write if you do not write?
So, go ahead. I will tell now, the idea is very banal, well-known, but no less became true: every writer must have a high general culture, intelligence, erudition - call it what you want, but you'll hopefully understand. A science fiction writer, moreover, should be also a dilettante-mnogostanochnikom, that is to have an idea, even superficial, of a variety of things.
"We - the fees, which grew under the bookcase," - said once in the same Dubulti then "seminarian" Alan Kubat. (Hey, Alan, if you reading our "interesting paper" in his Kyr: or Kazakhstan: in general, somewhere in there? '). He said - and I, wise guy, the same day and recorded. Now that's dug this frazochkami in one of his diaries - stead, they do! (By the way, the people, anyone, by chance, do not fall into the hands of the general color of the notebook salad, left in 2001 or in Kharkov hotel "Mir" after "Star Bridge" or the train, "Kharkov, Odessa" - there a few years of my life ! thanked, as expected.
So, what am I? And, the dachshund. Dachshunds - is, of course, eagles, soar upwards, but - who grew up under the bookcase! Unfortunately, from the works of many beginners that I have read, it seems that the authors have grown anywhere, but not that of the bookcase - ABC was not there: Particularly disappointing, they do not know the Russian language, Russian authors (writers from Ukraine has at least some kind of discount can be done, and I myself, having lived here long enough, no, no and even starting to wonder, how this or that word sounds in Russian - and climb to the spelling dictionary. But climb it! Kohl undertook to write to the Russian language - write competently). Brothers, my word, evil takes! Illiterate written manuscript does not publish the fact that - you do not want to read. And I think that I am not a cranky tribe of the editorial.
But what of the manuscript - the vast majority of works comes by e-mail, they are written in "a Word", which detects an error (though not all) - and "vordovsky" text on the screen of my computer as much as the whole of the red underlines: Beginners, do not take the money the dictionary!
Another commonplace (and certainly a commonplace that any longer): books, it still does the reading, and not just fiction, and the "classics", Pushkin, there, Chekhov, and so on. You do not do product-tracing with computer games and "Vidic." And so I come across quite often, until these are old-old phrase: "I hope you know what you're doing?", "Are you okay?" Etc.
I apologize to those who own these passages inadvertently offended, and who are educated and literate, and with shtatovskih fighters do not make rubbings. But it did not invent it all, I: Some, as they say, with Bebel Babel confuses, and the "definition" of "defecation."
Yes, I accept the objections as to whether you need a science fiction writer is a much erudition, Like, if something needs to clarify the course of the story - you can look through special literature and, in general, first to study the topic and then write. Absolutely. I agree. Formulate a recommendation as follows: the author must be familiar with what writes. You do not know - find out today to get the information you need is not so difficult. Everything should be fairly, without "spreading cranberry." On that score well said Andrew Valentine (Shmalko) in a report to the Kharkov "ZM-2002." The report is published in Russian "Piterbook", Kharkov new anthology "The constellation of Eden" in the October issue of "Threshold". For those who have not heard or read, quote (Andrew, I hope you do not mind?). Speaking about the works of Russian fiction, and A. Valentine said: "With the reliability of all the trouble. It then reaches a downright amateurish Everest. For example, today more than ever popular historical fiction. And what happened? In a book where the action takes place in the XI-XII centuries, the glorious city of Baghdad is not ruled by the Caliph and Emir who eats tomatoes, imported from America is not open, and his subjects are counted mysterious "tanga" in Baghdad, which had no circulation. In another book, terrorizing the skies a mysterious squadron of Russian SS, in the third, too, about the World War II, the German army in full NSDAP Party cell function, which before 1944 there did not exist. It is interesting that, at least in one case, the author pointed to the discrepancy, and even before the book was published. And what happened? And anything by calmly responded that, first, and so readers gobble, and secondly, he says, "so see." This, they say, a parallel reality.
You say stuff? Who is really interesting, there actually Squadron CC or did not exist? But that step is the hardest. First, a sort of "parallel reality", then - a parallel language, as a result of the same - a parallel literature that is paraliteratura, the same gloss. A potential reader by opening the cover and reading about the Emir of Baghdad, a shrug, spit - and have been certain that the rumors about the insanity of what is now called science fiction, not too far from the truth.
This is just an example. Those interested can go to the book tray, not looking very first bite came across a book with a dragon or a spaceship on the cover and look through to make sure that such "emirs" nests everywhere - in the author's speech and dialogue, and that the authors believe story. "
What, huh? I subscribe to all these arms and legs.
Phew: breath and move on. Read everything written by and saw some "abusive" I have obtained vinaigrette. Going quietly peacefully express their opinions, and myself: Okay, slow down, and then eq brought!
Little pometochka for beginners. I recommend to read at least "Introduction to Literature" (for those of course who have not read) - it sets out the basics, the foundations of a literary work of art. And at least will not lose anything if you spend a few evenings reading books by Jan Parandowski "Alchemy of the word," Jean-Paul Sartre's "Words", Viktor Shklovsky, "On the theory of prose":
A few words about the function of fiction, her appointment. That way fifty years ago, all we have been very clear: we (meaning Soviet) science fiction - it's educational program for those who are not aware of new trends in science and technology, who does not know how electric vehicles will be constructed, operated a tractor on the radio and photonic starships. Then (or at the same time?) Our fiction has become the mouthpiece of our own ideology, branded in full force black, decayed beyond the "Iron Curtain" and the pastoral picture painted bright communist future. Raised. But the man was preparing to face the unknown.
And now? Once again, asking, for what purpose the author made a beginning to sculpt the product? To sow the wise, good, eternal? Share with the world some of the original idea? Or just entertain people?
When you read contemporary fiction seems that at the heart of the function is now delivered entertainment. The same applies to many manuscripts coming in "Threshold." By the end of the day begins to haunt me in the corner of my room lurks an army of black mages, and settled in the closet the whole horde of dragons. "When I hear the word 'culture' I reach for a gun" - it seems so said the Minister of Propaganda of the Third Reich. When I start reading a new product and sent to stumble at the word "magician", "Dragon," "artifact," "Knight", "devil": Okay, do not let the bad news. And on the same cohort of imitators professors will not. And of all-different Conan. Scripture in the style of "blood and semen on the knee" - the words of Cyrus Bulychev. Wish not to focus on beginners these topics.
Science fiction author George Gourevitch even twenty years ago, said: "There is a distinctive feature of this generation [of the then" young. " - AK]. There is, perhaps: the indifference, even contempt for the scientific use of folkloric imagery - witches, devils, dragons, mixing tales of robots, with an ultra-modern technology. Not a serious and not serious! "
Good or bad? If this is not a rehash, not imitation - then why not? But I have to rehash occur much more frequently than with a truly original, distinctive products. I guess imitation is almost inevitable at the beginning of the creative ways - as an almost inevitable childhood measles. But beginners need to look for his style, his themes - although this problem is not the lightest.
I do not think open beginners America when I say that the art (including the fantastic) product - a kind of trinity, the unity of three components: ideas, plot and language (probably here to add and style?). The idea - that the author wanted to say his piece. The plot - in which form it does. Language - means the realization of the plot, which (in the sense of the plot) implements the idea. Take any of these items - and will not work (though many monsters are born contrive to incarnate in the form of books - well, this is the conscience of publishers). I've got in store small oboymochka regular quotes. Immediately it all and released (for absolute accuracy can not vouch as reproducing from memory):
"All kinds of good literature, but boring" (Voltaire).
"You need to have something to say and need the ability to say this is interesting" (F. Fitzgerald).
"You have to write about or what no one wrote or that, as already mentioned, but it is better" (Ernest Hemingway).
And now once again call on A. Valentinov. The same report at the Kharkov "ZM-2002":
"Disservice to the new generation of fiction writers have, unwittingly, those who ten years ago fought for the very existence of the Russian-language fiction. They won the opportunity to publish, open book of the series, new readers will have grown. The present authors have come to the essence of the finished. No need to fight, do not have to prove its right to exist. Of course, now required, and help, and luck, and a no talent, yet young people have already cleared the road. Moreover, this road is provided with labels and signs. You can not fight for itself the right to be science fiction. Moreover, it can not strain, do not invent a new one: here is a space fighter, so - Slavic fantasy. You can not reinvent the wheel, and taking someone else's rent, to go through a deep rut. So even safer, because new - it is always a risk. So go - another track on another bike. Hence, the prolonged period of apprenticeship. Why invent their own, where you can write a Lukyanenko, at Aldie, under Golovachova. Of course, this is the second grade, but: But the print, but enough is as good as we know, are not looking. The result is: The result is: secondary ideas and themes, if any, are present. At best, a scheme already taken (for example, goes a baron sees - the dragon), and the rest - for existing templates, scary negligence, if not more to say to the language, images, speech, character and structure of the text in a word, literary dilettantism in the worst way: "
In my opinion, the nail on the head.
Yes, the original idea to invent hard. But this advice for beginners can be only one: Look! And perhaps ye shall find. If you really want to leave a trace in the literature in general and fiction in particular - and not just heritage.
What comes first - the idea or the plot? And this is where as here, I think it is appropriate to cite excerpts from old performances BN Strugatsky of the Leningrad seminar at the meeting of science fiction writers: "Every person who wrote in the lives of at least twenty pages of copyright, know that there are two methods of writing fantastic things. Method Number One - is the work of the concept. You take somewhere, sucking of the thumb kind of language that concerns the properties of society and the world, the universe, and then create a situation that best demonstrates her. The second way, you know, the reverse. You are coming from a situation that somehow strikes your fancy, and, proceeding from it, creating the world, one of the faces of which is bound to be some concept.

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