Techniques Writers Use: Wally Lamb quotes from several noted writers on the subject OF writing, Ann Lamott, Donald Murray, Sandra Cisneros, Dr. Doris Jahnsen, and others. Are you familiar with the various precepts they teach in writing? Since Wally Lamb has told us of the struggle each author had to present her own unique voice, let's watch each piece and see if we can see any evidence of these techniques in use:
The use of past versus present tense in writing memoir how to recast memories as dramatic scenes with the help of fictional techniques how to balance narrative with exposition how to write successful seques (page xii) And let's also look for: (from Thinking Like Your Editor by Susan Rabiner and Aldred Fortunato):
What is the author trying to do? Who is the intended audience? Is the author honest? What is the point of view of the author? Is there bias, is it fair, does it present the other side's position at its best? [Let's add: what are the issues each author explores?] What is the thesis: the position the author takes on the issue. What is the question it asks and what answer does it seem to provide? What literary devices are used? (analogy, foreshadowing, narrative tension, etc.) How is the argument presented, [Let's add: how does the story begin, what devices does the author use to get us into the story?]
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