Hi Jim --
I completely agree. You use the phrase considerable talent, I
used the phrase special talent, but I think we're talking
about the same thing. As I said, there are innummerable
examples of series books that I've enjoyed, some even
improved over time (I think Parker's A Savage Place was
better than The Godwulf Manuscript).
I also agree that whether you're writing series or one-offs,
it's a challenge to keep the material fresh, especially if,
as you say, you're writing in one genre. But would you agree
that as Elmore doesn't write a series, but writes about
essentially the same character, it may be easier for him to
keep things fresh than if he had to build stories around the
same cast of characters (same names, same locales, same tics
and foibles, etc.)?
I also agree about Ellroy's fascinating sameness. His themed
noir of almost gaussian proportions which I found fascinating
in the first book I read from him (Black Dahlia, I think),
has, after a few more (I went back to Brown's Requiem, then
LA Confidential and American Tabloid, plus one or two others)
left me feeling sort of cloyed. Which by no means diminishes
his considerable talent.
I think it must be extremely challenging to put something out
there, especially if it becomes popular, to then try
continually to top yourself; perhaps sort of like doing
special effects for action films.
Question: I understand that some writers develop characters
whom they then set in motion to sort of write the story as
they go along, while others develop the plot, and carefully
structure the story, then write characters to work within
those parameters. Do you think this is true? It seems that
the prior method would more readily lend itself to series,
while the latter would tend to make characters within each
story more unique. What are your feelings? Would you agree,
disagree?
Best Regards, Erick
> ----------
> From:
WordRunner@aol.com
> Reply To:
rara-avis@icomm.ca
> Sent: Monday, February 4, 2002 11:43 AM
> To:
rara-avis@icomm.ca
> Subject: Re: RARA-AVIS: Crime fiction series -
Vachhs et al
>
>
> In a message dated 2/4/02 1:12:23 PM,
Erick.Anderson@nike.com writes:
>
> << I'd have to throw in with the group that
likes the stand alones best,
> >>
>
>
Jim responded:
> It takes considerable talent to write ... and not
get stale...
> Leonard ... books are really all about "the same
guy," ...
> The Ellroy books all have a fascinating
sameness....Nevertheless, for
> a long while Ellroy got stronger with each
book.
> The difficult chore is to keep doing it better each
time, and that is
> damned tough duty for any writer whether he/she is
doing a series or
> creating
> one of a kind's.
>
>
>
>
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