articles on writing
Intriguingly, the “Printer Richardson” exploited his tools of font, type, symbol, and punctuation to mimic the actual physical form of the letters, deepening the experience of the epistolary form. According to Ian Gadd of the Ambient Literature Project (which supplied these pictures of the text), Richardson claimed, “I seldom read but as a Printer.” This is
Many critics consider Clarissa the first “psychological novel,” as it explores the main characters’ emotions, thoughts, and values. Richardson does this by overlaying their first-person accounts of the events, contrasting their understandings of each event. These “dueling perspectives” illustrate not just the difference in the characters’ personalities, but how they change because of the plot
Lovelace and the Dark Triad Read More »
Fielding’s contempt did more than just infuriate Richardson. It inspired him. While he never forgave the insult, Richardson learned from the criticism to transform his “housemaid’s tale” into his masterpiece Clarissa. While he never admitted it, Richardson crafted his next huge novel Clarissa to remedy some of the specific critiques Fielding’s satires had made. While
Henry Fielding Falls in Love… with Richardson’s Clarissa Read More »
After its release in November 1740, Pamela’s huge success naturally created envy and resentment in London’s intense literary community. According to Bernard Kreissman, there followed many unauthorized sequels, editions, and imitations, including at least three stage productions and what seems to be a book of “Pamela Porn.” Kreissman writes that many Londoners in the know
The Post-Pamela/Shamela Feud Read More »
Pamela vs. Shamela: The Origin of the First Novelist Feud, and Still the Greatest Part 1 about Pamela here. Richardson’s epistolary novel Pamela was an enormous bestseller in the 1740s. Naturally this attracted some envy and resentment among the burgeoning population of London “scribblers” who worked as essayists, playwrights, poets, and early novelists. Other writers
Pamela vs. Shamela: The Origin of the First Novelist Feud, and Still the Greatest Read More »
Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded. In a Series of Familiar Letters from a Beautiful Young Damsel to her Parents. Now first published in order to cultivate the Principles of Virtue and Religion in the Minds of the Youth of both Sexes (1740) is not just one of the longest titles in novel history. It is one
The Pre-modern Post-Modern Novelist: Samuel Richardson, I mean, “The Editor” Read More »
I’ve been immersed in 19th century Britain for much of the American 21st Century—researching my Regency-era novels, binge-watching BBC historical dramas, and analyzing the stories of Sherlock Holmes and novels of Anthony Trollope. As a reader and as a novelist, I’m especially drawn to the 19th Century because that was the time when the novel
“Dear Reader”: A new blog series on the epistolary novel Read More »
Melinda Jane Harrison Never write for money, LOL. Kallypso Masters Being a writer is a solitary, sedentary endeavor. Don’t let your health suffer as a result. Try to get up and move at least once every hour or two. Better yet, schedule an hour-long workout for some point in the day. And drink lots of
If I knew then what I know now…. lessons learned by experienced authors. Read More »
So a moment ago I was in the middle of the maelstrom, the eye of the storm. I had a novel I was working on, which needs skates put on it now (because Developments…) but at some point some random factoid on the internet connected with an old, old idea which had been filed away
My sister Jo and I had academic parents, and we grew up in college towns in Virginia. She now lives in Richmond, Virginia. Last year we realized we hadn’t laid eyes on each other for two years. We decided we’d do a sister trip every year in June. This year, we drove about an hour west
June in the Shenandoah Valley! Read More »
I am not here to apologise. Hey, guys, have you MET me? I am not wafting about with a lyre wearing diaphanous robes that float about me, smiling like an angel, gently whispering encouragement. I CONTROL this woman, I always have done, I am the sergeant major barking orders and I expect to be obeyed.
I Am Alma Alexander’s Muse Read More »
In which I contemplate writing my memoirs. How reliable is memory? When I was young, I assumed that my vivid memories of specific events were accurate. But I have always had a vivid imagination, too, and perhaps some of my memories have been embroidered. Apparently, eye witnesses in legal issues are often unreliable. And I’ve
The Rambling Writer: Memory and Memoir Read More »
America has given the world many amazing inventions, good and bad—the lightbulb, the atomic bomb, the airplane, Kraft Mac & Cheese. But I’m going to argue that the most pervasive and probably the most useful isn’t a machine or a snack food, but a word. Now it’s the most widely used word in the world.
The Most Popular Word in the World Read More »
