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Review of The Sense of an Ending, by Julian Barnes

July 8, 2024

criticism, ending, literary fiction, narrative

I’ll say it right away: This review of The Sense of an Ending, by Julian Barnes, was inspired fully – believe it or not – by its… ending. Quite frankly, it’s so atrocious that it should be taught in literature classes as an example of what not to do.

But let’s take a step back.

It all began when, looking for something to read, I noticed this short novel and was encouraged by its blurb that promised an elliptical and ambiguous narrative (more of this in a moment) with clear literary-fiction vibes. I was far less encouraged by the fact that this book in particular and the author in general have received plenty of awards and praise. Quite frankly, I’m thoroughly suspicious of such things.

In any case, I thought to give it a shot, and the result was exceedingly peculiar, as you’ll discover in this review.

review of the sense of an ending, image of old man — Probably this is what the protagonist would look like: old, alone, bored and boring

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How to Use Flashbacks: The Role of the Past in Writing Fiction

June 26, 2023

Fiction Writing Tips, Writing

creativity, fiction, literature, narrative, time, writing

Humans are temporal beings: We live in the present (good luck defining that), but we also have a vastly complex understanding of the past. Moreover, we can anticipate future events, even those, as Schopenhauer put it, in times far ahead of our own. Inevitably then, when it comes to writing fiction, learning how to use flashbacks and understanding the role of the past is an integral element.

Narratives come in all forms and shapes, and the more experimental a narrative is, the less likely it will follow commonly found patterns. Nonetheless, the overwhelming majority of novels feature some sort of characters, some sort of narrative antagonist, and display some sort of structure.

They also display some sort of narrative progression. And, unless for some rather simplistic, point-A-to-point-B stories that are entirely linear, some sort of temporal back-and-forth is present.

In this post I’ll show you how to use flashbacks skillfully, that is, with a narrative intent. To use flashbacks well is to increase affective impact and narrative meanings, and overall, be in better control of your novel.

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How to Introduce Characters: Examples, Problems, and Genre

March 20, 2023

Fiction Writing Tips, Writing

characters, creativity, fiction, literature, narrative, writing

Whether you write short stories or novels, fantasy fiction or literary fiction, you have to deal with characters. Even experimental fiction needs some sort of characters. Is there an optimal way of introducing your characters to your audience?

This might feel like a deceptively simple thing. Surely, one might think, introducing characters can’t be that hard? Well, writing is as hard as you make it, in a way, but that’s beyond the point. Rather, our point in this post is to discover whether there is an optimal way of presenting your characters to your readers.

Obviously, the statement is rhetorical.

Of course there are more than one ways of introducing your characters to your audience, which automatically makes some of those ways “better” – and we’ll soon have to define that – and some “not so great”. Which means, as a writer you have a strong incentive to reflect on how you introduce your characters in your fiction.

That’s what I’m here for!

In this post I’ll show you – with examples – the different ways we can use to introduce the characters of our story. I’ll explain why some ways are “better” than others (and what that really means), though we’ll also take a look at some problem points; gray areas, if you like. Sneak preview: These have to do with the ever-lasting struggle to balance between genre and literary expression, between marketing and art.

how to introduce characters — The “right” way to introduce the characters of your story depends on artistic priorities, narrative balance, and affective intent. In plain terms, it depends on **you**, the author

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