Another month has passed since my last posting! It's the first Wednesday of the month and so it's Insecure Writers Support Group day. If you'd like to join, go HERE.
Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh for hosting and to this month's co-hosts: The awesome co-hosts for the September 2 posting of the IWSG are PJ Colando, J Lenni Dorner, Deniz Bevan, Kim Lajevardi, Natalie Aguirre, and Louise - Fundy Blue!
This month's optional question is: If you could choose one author, living or dead, to be your beta partner, who would it be and why?
I'm going to choose two, for different reasons:
Living, I would choose J.K. Rowling. Her world-building skills in the Harry Potter books made me, as an adult, want to go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I wanted my Hogwarts letter to come via owl inviting me to attend. I wanted a wand. I wanted all sorts of magical things. I want to world-build like Rowling.
Dead, I would choose Charles Dickens. His grasp on social issues in the Victorian era was remarkable. Take a look at A Christmas Carol: "Marley was dead to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the undertaker, and the chief mourner...Old Marley was as dead as a doornail." And, A Tale of Two Cities--"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness..." His mastery of the opening line and his ability to get his point across through his stories is unparalleled. He knows how to use his words. I want to learn how to use my words like Charles Dickens.
What about you?
Who would you choose as a beta
partner and why?
Have you ever been to the Harry Potter worlds at Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure? You would love it.
ReplyDeleteYes! My daughter lives in Florida and we went. I had the best time of my life! LOL. I'm such a big kid :)
DeleteA few people have picked Charles Dickens. J.K. Rowling is a great choice too for her fantastic world building and ability to create good plots.
ReplyDeleteDickens is a classic and if you can stick with the long sentences (lol) he's a great storyteller.
DeleteDickens was great! That beginning to A Christmas Carol is the best.
ReplyDeleteYes, especially the "dead as a doornail" line--it wasn't a cliche back then ;)
DeleteRowling would really be able to help with world building.
ReplyDeleteDickens is a great choice.
Yes, Rowling could teach a lot about world-building--and the characters!
DeleteGood choices!
ReplyDeleteHave you watched "The Man Who Invented Christmas"? It's about one of your dead beta reader choice. Really good movie.
I had no idea Dickens invented the "dead as a doornail" cliche! Nice alliteration, and makes me want to explore the ramifications of choosing a doornail for the simile.
ReplyDeleteGreat choice, Gwen! It's been too long since I've read Dickens. He was a brilliant writer. And J.K. Rowling. Her books are amazing and she did more in recent years than anyone I can think of to get kids excited about reading. Take care! Happy autumn!
ReplyDeleteReally good choices. I went a bit off the rails with my post this month, mostly because I hate having to make absolute choices. Hope you have a great September. Anne from annehiga.com
ReplyDelete