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m_oonmoonI first heard of George Saunders because his book Lincoln In the Bardo was heavily praised awhile back. I tried to read it twice and it just didn't work for me. After reading this book, I'm willing to give it a third (and maybe final) shot.
A Swim in a Pond in The Rain is not really a fiction novel. It's more like a class in writing. In here, Saunders discusses Russian short stories and dives into why the story works. I feel a little out of my depth 'reviewing' this since I haven't written fiction in so long and because Saunders is an actual professor who knows what he is talking about. Regardless of the fact that I'm not the appropriate target audience for this, I still found this thoroughly enjoyable. Not only do I get to read Russian short stories that I've never even heard of, I also get a glimpse into how actual writers develop their craft. Ever since reading this book I have been looking at any piece of storytelling media using the lens that Saunders has taught. Are there superfluous scenes? Does this move the story in a non-trivial way? Why do those elements exist?
This makes me think that stories have a life of their own that seems almost separate from the writer. His advice on not having an "original conception" really stuck with me. Just writing based on something that strikes you (a voice? an idea?) and the story will naturally follow. Intricate stories don't start out as intricate. The writer most likely did not initially intend for the events to proceed a certain way. They most likely started with an original seed of an idea, tweaking things incrementally until they achieve something that they feel will hold a reader's attention. It also makes me think that what the reader thinks is an integral part of what makes the story. Reading feels collaborative, you as the reader engaging with the writer as opposed to simply receiving whatever the writer sends your way.
I would recommend this book to anyone who genuinely loves reading. You don't even have to be a writer to enjoy it. Just reading about how they hone their craft is entertaining enough for me. It also kind of made me want to get back into writing fiction. But I may be getting ahead of myself there.
A Swim in a Pond in The Rain is not really a fiction novel. It's more like a class in writing. In here, Saunders discusses Russian short stories and dives into why the story works. I feel a little out of my depth 'reviewing' this since I haven't written fiction in so long and because Saunders is an actual professor who knows what he is talking about. Regardless of the fact that I'm not the appropriate target audience for this, I still found this thoroughly enjoyable. Not only do I get to read Russian short stories that I've never even heard of, I also get a glimpse into how actual writers develop their craft. Ever since reading this book I have been looking at any piece of storytelling media using the lens that Saunders has taught. Are there superfluous scenes? Does this move the story in a non-trivial way? Why do those elements exist?
This makes me think that stories have a life of their own that seems almost separate from the writer. His advice on not having an "original conception" really stuck with me. Just writing based on something that strikes you (a voice? an idea?) and the story will naturally follow. Intricate stories don't start out as intricate. The writer most likely did not initially intend for the events to proceed a certain way. They most likely started with an original seed of an idea, tweaking things incrementally until they achieve something that they feel will hold a reader's attention. It also makes me think that what the reader thinks is an integral part of what makes the story. Reading feels collaborative, you as the reader engaging with the writer as opposed to simply receiving whatever the writer sends your way.
I would recommend this book to anyone who genuinely loves reading. You don't even have to be a writer to enjoy it. Just reading about how they hone their craft is entertaining enough for me. It also kind of made me want to get back into writing fiction. But I may be getting ahead of myself there.