Small things...

[khiemtran]

I've started over on the opening to the Bear Story, this time concentrating on the small things.

I've been reading some more Amy Tan lately, and one of the things that has really impressed me is how well she sustains a story with minimal plot. There are some big plot developments across the span of the books, but it's surprising how little each scene needs to remain interesting. I like the way she can turn small things into big stories, delving into the character's feelings. Small things are big things when they're important to the characters and they're shown close up.

It's also interesting, because it seems like one of the keys to the easy narrative voice that I'm trying to master is to keep the story interesting without relying on the main plot. I like the idea of the main plot being carried by a series of little stories along the way, rather than doing the carrying itself.

I guess what this really means, is that I'm starting to want character-driven stories instead of plot-driven ones.

Comments

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

Have you read Barbara Kingsolver? She also does a lot with character, though she almost makes places feel like characters.

[khiemtran.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I haven't actually, although I'll keep an eye out for her.