Writers Who Read
LIVE! #11

8 September 2019

Newcomer
by Keigo Higashino

translated by
Giles Murray

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

Literary Forensics

 

What do I bring?

What do I feel?

What do I notice?

What do I study?

Literary Forensics

 

What do I bring?

What do I feel?

What do I notice?

What do I study?

Introductions

What do I bring
to this book?

Today's author: Keigo Higashino

  • Higashino is the bestselling and most widely read novelist in Japan and around Asia,
    with numerous television and film adaptations of his work appearing in several languages.

  • His books have appeared in over twenty-five languages
    and have sold hundreds of millions of copies worldwide.


  • Translator Giles Murray

  • Born in the United Kingdom, Murray lives in Tokyo, and has translated
    various Japanese works of fiction and nonfiction.

Literary Forensics

 

What do I bring?

What do I feel?

What do I notice?

What do I study?

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

Literary Forensics

 

What do I bring?

What do I feel?

What do I notice?

What do I study?

What do I notice?


  •    • Language and Grammar

  •    • Context

  •    • Point of view

  •    • Character & character development

  •    • Pacing

  •    • Horizontal structure

  •    • Layering of themes

  •    • Overall effect

Messing with Time

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Literary Forensics

 

What do I bring?

What do I feel?

What do I notice?

What do I study?

Newcomer - Stats


Marketing: International Mystery & Crime, Police Procedurals
Genre: Realistic, Present-Day, Arch-Plot Long-Form
Word count: 79,196
Print Pages: 334

Tense: Past
POV: Multiple

Publish year (Japan): 2009
Publish date (US): November 20, 2018
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Sold By: Macmillan
Awards: New York Times Editor's Choice; Edgar Award Finalist

Point of View - Surprises, Reveals

Contour Map

Word Cloud

Literary Forensics

 

What do I bring?

What do I feel?

What do I notice?

What do I study?

Writers Who Read: Next Up

October 6: Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman (Scotland, 2017)
November 3: American Spy - Lauren Wilkinson (USA, 2019)
December 1: The House of Broken Angels - Luis Alberto Urrea (USA, 2018)




Thanks to: Boulder Writers Alliance

Contact Gary: hello@garyalanmcbride.com
Literary Forensics Resources

Happy
Sleuthing!