Can anyone advise on authors who really play around with 'rules'?
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To quote Terry Pratchett's wonderful Nanny Ogg: "When you progress further in the craft (witchery), you'll learn that there's another rule; one that Esme's obeyed all her life." "Yes?" "If you have to break a rule, break it good and hard."
I tend to follow that advice when it's relevant to the storyline I'm working on, but never without a very good reason.
As for books that bend the rules I can only speak about books that had a profound influence on the way I write.
I like books that bend the rules as much as the next man. But they do have to grab me, as I do not have the time to constantly wonder, what the hell is going on here. In short, there has to be a story in there somewhere.
One book that springs to mind is "The Last Ship" by William Brinkley. I had a 30 minute wait at a rainy cold train station so I picked up a book with no cover and checked the blurb. The book was about a Navy destroyer looking for a safe haven after a nuclear holocaust. Part of the ships crew where made up of women.I started the book and got so engrossed I nearly missed my train.Beautifully written, it explores the dilemma of women and their relationship with men in a very confined area, with a Nuclear wasteland as a backdrop.
The next book was "The Magdalen Martyrs" by Ken Bruen. After reading it. I changed the way I approached my stories and writing. Both of these books released me from the shackles of some form of unwritten, subconscious writing code.
To bend your brain try "Hyperion" by Dan Simmons or even "Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams. If you think Douglas Adams books are insane, try reading any book about Quantum Physics.
These books worked for me. You will find the magic, I am sure, on your own version of a rain swept station somewhere.
Good luck with any venture you start and Good Camino
To quote Terry Pratchett's wonderful Nanny Ogg: "When you progress further in the craft (witchery), you'll learn that there's another rule; one that Esme's obeyed all her life." "Yes?" "If you have to break a rule, break it good and hard."
I tend to follow that advice when it's relevant to the storyline I'm working on, but never without a very good reason.
Haha thanks Frank, you have me intrigued.......I feel a trip to book shop coming on...
As for books that bend the rules I can only speak about books that had a profound influence on the way I write.
I like books that bend the rules as much as the next man. But they do have to grab me, as I do not have the time to constantly wonder, what the hell is going on here. In short, there has to be a story in there somewhere.
One book that springs to mind is "The Last Ship" by William Brinkley. I had a 30 minute wait at a rainy cold train station so I picked up a book with no cover and checked the blurb. The book was about a Navy destroyer looking for a safe haven after a nuclear holocaust. Part of the ships crew where made up of women.I started the book and got so engrossed I nearly missed my train.Beautifully written, it explores the dilemma of women and their relationship with men in a very confined area, with a Nuclear wasteland as a backdrop.
The next book was "The Magdalen Martyrs" by Ken Bruen. After reading it. I changed the way I approached my stories and writing. Both of these books released me from the shackles of some form of unwritten, subconscious writing code.
To bend your brain try "Hyperion" by Dan Simmons or even "Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams. If you think Douglas Adams books are insane, try reading any book about Quantum Physics.
These books worked for me. You will find the magic, I am sure, on your own version of a rain swept station somewhere.
Good luck with any venture you start and Good Camino