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Narrative Exposition: How To Improve Your Writing Technique

October 18, 2018

exposition, fiction, literature, narrative, plot, writing

A novel is about emotions and thoughts, but it’s also about facts. Even in literary fiction, where focus is on characters, the author needs to communicate certain facts to the reader. For example, what a character did on a certain past occasion. Or, where her parents were at some point in time. We call this narrative exposition (I will offer a more detailed definition further below). Believe it or not, narrative exposition is an area where authors of even the highest caliber can have trouble with.

Improving your narrative exposition technique can dramatically improve many areas of your writing. It can make your narrative flow more naturally and more realistically. A better narrative exposition strategy can also increase the affective power of your characters.

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Review of Travels in the Scriptorium

October 10, 2018

Book Review, Criticism

Auster, book, fiction, literature, review

Travels in the Scriptorium: the Basics

A review of Travels in the Scriptorium, by Paul Auster, should begin by mentioning a fact: it is not your regular story. Moreover, it is not your regular Paul Auster story. Those familiar with Paul Auster’s work should realize a thing or two by this statement.

For others, let me underline some things. Travels in the Scriptorium is not a story with a typical beginning, narrative evolution, or ending. So far so good. Now, hold tight. Paul Auster’s novella is not a story at all.

Let me repeat that, just so that it sinks in. Travels in the Scriptorium is not a story.

What is it, then, you will ask. Well, let’s see.

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Review of B.J. Cyprian’s Shadow Resistance

October 5, 2018

Book Review, Criticism

BJ Cyprian, book, injustice, literature, review, society

Shadow Resistance: The Basics

Debut novels are something that intrigues me, on a personal level. There is something unique about examining the first published novel of an author. Shadow Resistance is B.J. Cyprian’s authorial debut, though of course – as the reader discovers in the introductory noteParenthetically, if you are the kind of reader that skips introductory notes, do not skip this one, especially if you are an author yourself. It is replete with interesting elements related to the writing process. – other attempts came before it.

Shadow Resistance operates on multiple levels and involves a large variety of characters, but if I had to describe it in a few sentences, it’s the story of a group of individuals who (half-accidentally, as it usually happens with true heroes) combat institutionalized injustice.

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