Agenda
- Why We're Here
- Literary Forensics
- - What do I bring?
- - What do I feel?
- - What do I notice?
- - What do I study?
- Next Month's Reading & Study
Why We're Here
We Writers want to improve our craft
by Reading like a Writer
through Literary Forensics training
we learn from each other
Roundtable Rules
Always refer back to the book
We practice active listening & serendipity
Every feeling and observation is valid...
but not every conclusion
Always refer back to the book
-
Introducing
Rachel Cusk:8 novels
Saving Agnes (1993)
The Temporary (1995)
The Country Life (1997)
The Lucky Ones (2003)
In the Fold (2005)
Arlington Park (2006)
The Bradshaw Variations (2009)2002
A Life's Work:
On Becoming a Mother -
2009
The Last Supper:
A Summer in Italy
2012
Aftermath:
On Marriage
and
Separation
. . 3 years . .
“If you want people to like you, don't write.”
- Rachel Cusk
- Rachel Cusk
Rachel Cusk on auto-fiction:
"The idea of fiction or non-fiction to me has become so meaningless, saying, is this ‘true’?
I’m surprised people care. I definitely don’t.”
I’m surprised people care. I definitely don’t.”
“I don't think character exists anymore.”
- Rachel Cusk
- Rachel Cusk
Rachel Cusk on Outline Trilogy
“The form of these novels is sort of a novel turned inside out, like you can turn a jumper inside out”
What do I feel?
What in the book elicited that feeling?
Every feeling and observation is valid...
but every conclusion should be questioned
We practice serendipity
- nothing is too crazy
Always refer back to the book
What do I notice?
- • Language and Grammar
- • Context
- • Point of view
- • Character & character development
- • Pacing
- • Horizontal structure
- • Layering of themes
- • Overall effect
-
Cologne, Germany
Hotel Im Wasserturm
-
Lisbon, Portugal
Igreja de São Domingo
![Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist by Artemisia Gentileschi ca. 1610-1615](/literaryforensics/books/im/2019/Kudos/Salome.jpg)
Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist by Artemisia Gentileschi ca. 1610-1615
Female Persuasion - Stats
- Marketing: Literary
- Genre: Realistic, Present-Day, Arch-Plot Long-Form
- Word count: 60,981
- Print Pages: 240
- Tense: Past
- POV: 1st person (Faye)
- Publish date: June 5, 2018
- Publisher: HarperCollins
- Trilogy: Outline (2015), Transit (2017), Kudos (2018)
- Awards: New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2018
- Rachel Cusk @ Lighthouse Denver Lit Fest, June 10-14
Arch Plot Structure
![](/literaryforensics/books/im/2019/Kudos/archplot.jpg)
Word Cloud
![](/literaryforensics/books/im/2019/Kudos/wordcloud.png)
Writers Who Read: Next Up
April 3: There There - Tommy Orange (USA, 2018)
*** GEEK ALERT ***
Gary will present Literary Data Science @ Analyze Boulder Meetup
This Wednesday, 6pm @ Galvanize Boulder (1023 Walnut)