What is literary fiction? Well, I could offer you a definition – and I will, in a while. But let’s get this out of the way. Literary fiction is probably not what you think it is.
Literary fiction is not a “genre”. Indeed, it is the very opposite of “genre” fiction (we will discuss this, too).
Moreover, literary fiction is not “high-quality” fiction. It can be, of course, but there is mediocre literary fiction, as there is stunningly brilliant genre fiction.
What is literary fiction? It’s not about what you say but how you say it
And so, if someone asks you what is literary fiction, how should you reply? Allow me to throw the A-bomb and then we’ll take a closer look: Literary fiction is an aesthetic framework for approaching the human condition.
If you feel confused, worry not. I’ll unpack it for you right away.
In today’s article, we’ll talk about symbolism in literature. Worry not, it’s not an academic post. Conversely, it’s meant as a simple but revealing how-to guide, useful both to inexperienced and seasoned readers and writers. I wrote this article wanting to offer a better understanding of how symbolism in literature operates, and particularly how to read it or write it.
Motivation for this post arose from a review of one of my works. Through the text of the review, I realized that the reader had missed several key aspects of symbolism in the novel. What made the case interesting, however, was that this was not a case of an unsophisticated reader. It was obvious that the reader was fairly experienced, skilled, and read the book for what it was. And yet, s/he missed these symbolic, allegorical excerpts.
Symbolism, allegory, parable, allusion. There are subtle differences between these concepts, but they all coexist under the grand umbrella of “metaphorical meaning”, as opposed to “literal meaning”. To keep this article accessible, I use terms such as “symbolism” or “metaphor” interchangeably, that is, referring to any expression of non-literal meaning.
Virtually everyone knows what this symbolizes, to the extent that its literal meaning (a blindfolded woman holding a pair of scales and a sword) is entirely ignored. Familiarity exists in an inversely proportional relationship with affective power. In simpler words, symbolism in literature that is harder to grasp, is also more rewarding for the discoverer.(more…)
As a fiction writer, you create worlds. You create a different reality, populating it with characters and meaning. In essence, the role of writing as art is to inspire affect – that is, an emotion, a thought, or a state of mind. And learning how to manipulate readers can be an integral part of this endeavor.
At first, the idea of an author manipulating readers might sound controversial. This is probably a result of the connotations the word “manipulation” contains. But, as with so many other things, the controversy stops once you realize what manipulating an audience really refers to in this context.
Manipulating your readers creatively has nothing to do with writing gimmicks. The former is a legitimate literary device; the latter has nothing to do with the art.
In today’s article I’ll show you:
What it means to manipulate your audience.
Why would you want to do that.
How to manipulate readers in an efficient, respectful way.
Writing fiction is not about a strict representation of reality, but about affect(more…)
