Author Review: Jane Austen (Pride & Prejudice, Emma, Sense & Sensibility, Persuasion)

A big undertaking I know, but it must be done. If you can read words then you've heard of Jane Austen, and you're likely to have deep feelings about her work. Her books have legions of die-hard fans and there is a reason for that. Like female writers throughout time, she wrote for women from their own perspective- arguably at a time when it wasn't as easy or popular to do so. So there is a pioneering energy to her work, one that must be respected regardless of how one feels about the actual work she produced. That, coupled with the success of the on-screen adaptions of her work and it's clear that her star power is unlikely to dim anytime soon. I wanted to read and review her works outside of this influence, to simply read the books and enjoy them as they were meant to be enjoyed, and then to see what I felt about this legendary author with regards to her craft. Full disclosure, I came in as a fan of the movies having never actually read any of the books. So, naturally, I assumed I would come out as a fan of the books and more importantly, the author. Well, life doesn't always go according to plan, does it?

"Indulge your imagination in every possible flight."

— Pride and Prejudice.

As a true giant of literature, you may have first encountered Jane Austen's work by picking up one of her books or by watching an on-screen adaption of one of them. Everything she has ever published has been turned into some kind of on-screen production because tv and movie executives quickly discovered that there exists in the world an endlesshunger for the old world, and in particular old English romanticism. Even before the story; the setting, the costumes, and the accents have millions of people already predisposed to like the production. In cases like this- where the subject matter has a preexisting following of its own- it's difficult to judge how much of the success of these adaptions is a result of the brilliance of the work written by Jane Austen vs the longstanding hysteria for all period pieces. That is the particular thing I mean to tackle here- I want to assess Jane Austen the writer for myself, without being influenced by the success of the adaptions of her written works. I feel strongly that, although linked, these two things are very different and should be judged as such.

"When pain is over, the remembrance of it often becomes a pleasure."

— Emma.

The books I read in the Barnes & Noble collection I picked up are Pride & Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Persuasion. Now, this list is clearly not exhaustive, Jane Austen wrote two other novels namely Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey, however, the four that I read are arguably the four most popular. I do promise to make a new review once I've read the other three novels, where I can give a more thorough review of Jane as an artist in the fullness of her (published) artistry. For the sake of completeness, I've included summaries of each of the novels I read that informed this blog post. These are from https://austenprose.com/ and I couldn't have done them better myself, so I didn't.

Sense and Sensibility- is a wonderfully entertaining tale of flirtation and folly that revolves around two starkly different sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. While Elinor is thoughtful, considerate, and calm, her younger sister is emotional and wildly romantic. Both are looking for a husband, but neither Elinor’s reason nor Marianne’s passion can lead them to perfect happiness-as Marianne falls for an unscrupulous rascal and Elinor becomes attached to a man who’s already engaged.

Pride and Prejudice – Austen’s own ‘darling child’ and arguably her most beloved novel– tells the story of fiercely independent Elizabeth Bennet, one of five sisters who must marry rich, as she confounds the arrogant, wealthy Mr. Darcy. What ensues is one of the most delightful and engrossingly readable courtships known to literature, written by a precocious Austen when she was just twenty-one years old.

Emma- tells the story of the handsome, clever and rich Miss Emma Woodhouse who, thinking herself impervious to romance of any kind, tries to arrange a wealthy marriage for her poor friend Harriet Smith, but refuses to recognize her own feelings for here gallant neighbor Mr. Knightley. What ensues is a delightful series of comical, scheming escapades in which every social machination and bit of “tittle-tattle” is steeped in Austen’s delicious irony.

Persuasion- follows the romance of 27-year-old spinster Anne Elliot and a handsome naval officer Captain Frederick Wentworth. They were happily engaged until Anne’s friend, Lady Russell, persuaded her that Frederick was “unworthy.” Now, eight years later, Frederick returns, a wealthy captain in the navy, while Anne’s aristocratic family teeters on the edge of bankruptcy, retrenching to Bath. They still love each other, but their past mistakes threaten to keep them apart.

So Then, What's the Verdict?

I loved the dialogue. I think Jane Austen's gift is writing dialogue that comes alive and crafting scenes around this dialogue that draw you in. As a device, I really feel her use of dialogue should be studied because, without fail, it was my favorite part of each of her books. Her characters felt real and their diction true and I loved that they had characteristics that came through in these scenes of just dialogue. Whatsmore, her characters were consistent, even in the way that they evolved, which made them feel even more real. Perhaps because I appreciate just how difficult this is to do, I know that what Jane Austen does with dialogue is amazing, it's a skill. And as a result, we have some of the most memorable characters in litarature- who wasn't captivated by Elizabeth Bennet the first time they encountered her quick wit and irresistible charm? I also think that this ability to write fantastic dialogue is the reason that her books have done so well as film adaptions. To put visuals and give movement and life to dialogue that already jumps off the page will always be a winning combination. It's almost too easy.

"If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more."

― Emma.

For the most part, I enjoyed reading the books, I have a certain enjoyment for old English, the (what now feels like) rigidity in the structure that makes fluidity stand out and allows the reader to truly savor it. So, I like the wordiness of the books, and in moments where it was done well, I loved finding myself getting lost in the story. The only issue was that, for me, this didn't happen often, and because I've stated how I love old English and wordy text, I know that's not why. I just found the writing around the dialogue to be rather dense, so much so that it pulled me out of the story and it felt like work to get, and sometimes, even suffer through. I found myself longing for the dialogue, paging forward to see when it would start up again to give me the steam I needed to get through the non-dialogue parts.

Now, this isn't a general consensus for all the works and I will say that I didn't feel it to be equally as bad in all of them. In my favorite novel, Persuasion, I didn't have this issue at all. I loved just about every part of the book, even the parts when dialogue was nowhere to be seen. I felt lost in the unfolding of the story, for whatever reason, this narration felt to me like it was done with the most delicate hand and as a result, it flowed ever so beautifully. It helped that her main character, Anne Elliot, was perhaps the most likable of all for me, and the love story between her and Captain Wentworth the most simple at its core. I must also profess that I am a sucker for second-time-around love and a slow burn romance- and this story gifts me both. However, although I loved all these things, I am not swayed by them in my evaluation of the writing. I just simply feel like in this book, Miss Austen was her best. The best part is that she's given us so much material that we can (and must) debate this until the end of time.

"But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them forever."

— Pride and Prejudice.

I think what I enjoyed the least by the time I finished the last novel was the predictability of the stories. Jane Austen seemed to almost write to a formula that she tweaked a little bit, but every story fit comfortably within a mold. (describe the mold). Perhaps it was the time, maybe these were the only stories that she felt or was told she could and should write. Maybe it's all she wanted to write. However, as an artist, I can't help but feel like she didn't grow and evolve and whether by choice or not, this just makes me sad. I know she's come to be known as a great romance writer, and romance writing does fit into a formula- but I think this distinction is in hindsight. I don't imagine she set out to be the celebrated romance writer she is today- particularly because a great argument can be made that she didn't actually write romance, romance just featured strongly in all her books. What she wrote was amazing coming-of-age stories that were honest and connected with the core of womanhood in a way that has proven to be timeless. That was her true talent; the wit, the charm, the beautiful sentences- all that was extra. And yet, as lovely as that is, I still wish she allowed us (and herself) a wider scope within which to enjoy those talents. I may have to eat my words once I read her remaining three novels and I sincerely hope I do, but for now, that is how I feel.

"What is right to be done, cannot be done too soon."

— Emma.

So in conclusion, I fully understand why Jane Austen's collection of books have and continue to amass a legion of loyal supporters, I really do. I'll even go so far as to say that I am a fan, I will be picking up another one of her books again- I really do plan to read her full collection of works- it's just not at the absolute top of my list. It's perhaps bizarre, but in the end I think I enjoy Jane Austen more as a screenwriter or playwright than an author. That is to say that I love her work, but I enjoy it more as live/ on-screen adaptions because she was so brilliant at dialogue, and bringing characters to life. On screen, I get this brilliance without interruption while in the books I sometimes get pulled out by the writing around it and, well...I'm not crazy about that. So while I won't be joining any Jane clubs anytime soon, I will continue to quietly appreciate her from over here.

What are your thoughts on Jane Austen? Do you agree with me or are you a die-hard fan who hates me now because I've confessed that I'm not exactly? I'd love to know.

Happy reading,

Noni

Free Workbook: How To Plot Your Novel in 7 Days - A Guide for New/Aspiring Authors

Have you ever wanted to write a book? Do you have an idea for a novel that you just know has the potential to be a truly amazing body of work, but you're just not sure how to go about making it happen? I know that in my previous posts How To Know if it's Time to Scrap Your Book and How to Actually Write and Finish Your Book, I showcased more than a few of the common pitfalls that can befall new writers as they attempt to write their first book. I certainly suffered through most of them. Through my own experience, I've collected some gems of knowledge that I think would be valuable to an aspiring first-time author who has the book idea and could use some guidance on how to turn that into a book. The best part, this free workbook will show you how to plot your novel in just seven days. Perhaps you think that writing a book is just too big a task for you, so much so that you've talked yourself out of it even before you started...

If this sounds like you, first, I want to tell you that you're not alone. I can't tell you the number of people who react to the knowledge that I've written three books (one published, two completed drafts) with a wide-eyed look that screams 'how on earth did you manage that?' as if what I did is somehow magical. It's not, obviously, but I understand the reaction. It's a reaction to the idea that writing is a difficult, laborious torture of a thing that only special people can get through. This pervasive idea of writers, (and artists in general) while exciting, is also dangerous. It leads to many people believing that writing a book is something that they could never do, that it's something special people do. I hate this idea because it simply isn't true. I think everyone that seeks to is capable of writing a book, they just need to be taught how. Now, I appreciate that there is a critical space for talent, and I will never pretend that all writers are created equal. Some people are just blessed by the gods of words and to read their work is almost a holy act. These writers are a gift and what they do can't be taught to you by anyone. Natural talent is like that, you either have it or you don't.

What can be taught, however, are the principles, techniques and methodologies that are useful and often necessary for drafting a book. The first of which is a detailed plot from which you can confidently begin to draft, with the knowledge that you have a solid, fleshed out book idea. I've created a Free Workbook to help you do exactly that. By the end of which you will:

• Have a clear and specific book idea

• Have a detailed plot that defines your book's genre, scope, POV, main and sub plots, characters and their planned development

• Know WHY you're writing this book

If this sounds like something you're interested in that you know will help you to take your book idea closer to being a tangible, complete book- the you should sign up for this Free Workbook. The system detailed is the same one I used to plot and write my first novel, which was Longlisted for the Dinaane Debut Fiction Award. I'm not promising the sun and the moon, but I believe you will get immense value out of it and more importantly, I believe it will help you get closer to achieving one of your goals- to write a book. You may not fully believe it as yet, but you have everything it takes to be an author. What you need now is just some guidance on what to do first and what to focus on to keep you on track. I really think this workbook will be beneficial to you and I can't wait to see how it helps you grow as a writer. Get started by signing up.

Perhaps this is not for you, but you know someone who might benefit from it- please share it with them. Or make your life easier and just share it with everybody and let them decide. Either way, all shares are highly appreciated.

Sending you my best,

Noni

How To Know if it's Time to Scrap Your Book - The Book I had to Scrap and Why

If you read the previous posts about The Gnawing Call to Write a Book and How to Actually Write and Finish your Book, then you may have caught the hints that my first novel was not great. I thought it was at the time, I thought it was amazing. And honestly, I still think the writing was pretty good. There are some truly pretty passages that still make me smile to encounter and some characters I wish I could create again. But the book as a whole is bad. How is this possible? Easy, I knew how to write beautiful sentences but had no idea how to structure a book. Good books need both (and then some). In this blog post, we'll discuss all the things that were wrong with my first ever novel. Yay.

1. Scope

Scope refers to how large or narrow you want to paint the landscape within which your story will play out. This can include physical landscapes, which can be narrow for example, perhaps the story happens within one small town or the dormitories of a secluded boarding school or it can be very broad and span across continents. Similarly, the scope also includes the timeline and this can be narrow if your entire story takes place over the course of three days or two weeks. It can also be broad and span three generations. Scope, in a lot of ways, creates the soft shell of your book, a soft structure that can determine what kind of book you'll have. The scope of my first novel was too large. In terms of timeline, it spaned both too far into the past and too far into the future. I love books that do this well, but I did not at the time have the skill to pull this off. It was also too broad in terms of the physical landscape, I had my characters traveling across the continent which was exciting to do but, again, I lacked the skill to pull it off.

2. Character Self-Identification

This is a difficult one to admit. But I'm certain I wasn't the first and I'm even more certain (pretend it's possible) I won't be the last to commit this most atrocious of writer sins. In the book in question, I based my main character on myself, very closely on myself. Now, this happens, it's actually quite common among even the most accomplished of writers because if words are your truth, it's natural to want to seep in the depth of your own lived experiences into your characters. However, what a good writer has that I did not, is the awareness of this phenomenon as it happens. Being aware means you can identify when scenarios and characteristics begin to morph into memories on the page and pull back accordingly. Some writers even choose to create such a distance from themselves and their stories that this would never happen, not even by accident. I think mine was a mixture of accidental self-identification and intentional self-based character sketching because I somehow thought that was a cute thing to do. It was not. It actually left me feeling trapped within the character and I found myself bound by constraints that wouldn' allow me to hurt or in any other way taint the character because, well, it felt like doing it to myself. You can imagine how limiting this is when you're trying to create any kind of art. Add to that the genuine horror you must feel when people read the book and perhaps don't like the character that is really you. Luckily for me, this book never saw the light of day so this is only a horror I have to imagine, but some (especially new) authors aren't that lucky.

3. A Lack of Character Development

Another one I hate to admit, but it's true. The characters I created were lovely and I was so proud of them because they were interesting and diverse...they just didn't grow. Topically, yes, but not in the ways that I now I understand character development to be a vital device to drive and enhance a story. When you read a book (a novel anyway) and you really love it because it just resonated with you on a deep level, what you're really connecting with are the characters. Even if everything else is rock-solid; the stakes; plot, the writing, if the characters are flat then your book will be flat. My book was flat. I made them do things and I thought that was enough, it was fun to put them in situations and make them react to those situations but I never quite thought past that. I never asked myself, how is this situation affecting the character? In what ways does it cause them to grow and/ or change? What I didn't understand then was that my problem was not actually knowing the character, I hadn't taken the time to make them real.

Making a character real takes time, but the payout is immeasurable. The writer that I am today understands the value of this and one of my drafting excersises is character sketching. I like to ask myself a series of questions about each character and fill them out layer by layer until they are (in theory) a fully specific person that I could meet out in the world one day. There are no right questions, no limitations, but the more detailed and obscure the more nuanced and interesting it gets. What's their middle name? Where do they live? Were they born there? What's their relationship with their grandmother? Do they have scars? How were these attained? Any allergies? What age did they lose their virginity? How do they feel about mustard? As I said, this process takes time, but I enjoy it and more importantly, it's effective. With every question and answer, the character gains depth and nuance until eventually, they feel as real as you and me. No more flat characters.

4. Over-Protection of my Darlings

We've all heard the phrase 'kill your darlings'. It exists for a reason and it appears that in my first book I was determined to not discover this reason. I liked my characters too much, and as a result I didn't want anything bad to happen to them. As a direct result of this over-protection, my book lacked stakes. There was no risk because there was never any real danger. Just from reading that I'm sure you already know that that resulted in a boring book. Stakes are the pulse of a story, they create that frantic page turning effect in all good books. They create the space for the reader to hunger to know- what happens next? They keep you up past your bedtime to find out. Without stakes your book is dead. So to recap, my book was boring, had flat characters and it had no stakes. Yeah...let that sink in.

5. Not understanding What Editing Means

This may sound silly because you think, editing is editing. See a piece of writing, clean it up. Editing. That's what I used to think back when I was young and foolish. I thought checking for typos and missing words and optimizing the flow of my writing was adequate editing for my book. It was not and that book suffered as a result. I know, I know...that poor book. The upside, as always, is the lesson. I now understand editing to be that cruel art of taking a sword to your work and cutting out all that isn't excellent with the detachment of someone who didn't slave to write it in the first place. I learned the necessity of savagery when it comes to editing. Editing is seeing a section that doesn't quite fit and instead of trying to rework it, just throwing it out and rewriting it. From scratch. It took me a while to get here, but I am proud to say that I am now the kind of writer who will cut my characters and watch them bleed on the page.

Growth is a process. It certainly has been for me. Creating a methodology around my writing at first felt like limiting my passion or 'stifling my muse'. I wanted the freedom to write haphazardly when I felt like it, then gently dust off the result and voila. Perfection. I certainly can write like this, but what I produce will be a far cry from my best work. What I've learned is that discipline is sexy, and methodology creates the structure to house my muse so when that otherworldly spark of inspiration hits- I'm ready to capture it. With all this, I don't wish to imply that I am now a perfect writer. I'm far from it. I just know for a fact that I'm a (far) better writer than I was when I wrote that first book, and I continue to get better with each successive book. In the spirit of getting better and wanting to help others do the same, I created a Free 7 Day Workbook to help new and aspiring authors move their book idea from their head to the page by guiding them through the plotting process. In a detailed and thoughtful way, I guide you through avoiding some of the mistakes I touched on briefly in this post as well as a few others. While I can't promise you perfection, I can say that by the end of it you'll be ready to confidently start plotting your book. You can sign up for the Free Workbook here.

I hope this article can help you reflect on how you've grown as a writer or, even better, help you to avoid some of the mistakes that I made. Or maybe it just amuses you to try and imagine how truly awful my first book was. (It was very bad. It also had magic. I just remembered that and now I'm sad). Either way, thanks for being here, and here's to progressing in the things we love.

Talk soon,

Noni