This has been kicking around the 'temp' folder for months, awaiting posting. TIME TO GET IT OUT
"The Two Magna Cartas
"What, to you, makes a good novel?
"It's an excruciatingly broad question, but give it a shot. And feel free to be as vague or as nerdily detailed as you like; this list can include anything from ultra-short chapters to ribald sex scenes to massive infusions of ill-tempered elves. Anything that floats your fictional boat should go on the list.
"My list, to help give you some ideas, looks like this:
• first-person narration
• quirky characters
• true love
• found objects
• disappointment
• music
• catharsis
• feisty old people
• strong, charismatic protagonists
• improbable romances
• smart but unpretentious writing
• urban settings
• cliffhanger chapter endings
• characters who are at turning points in their lives
• books set in the workplace
• happy endings
"[...] the things that you appreciate as a reader are also the things you'll likely excel at as a writer. These bits of language, color, and technique, for whatever reason, make sense to your creative brain. These are the Things You Understand."
-- Chris Baty, "No Plot? No Problem!"
( Magna Carta I )( Most used elements in the chosen favored works? )( Magna Carta II )
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