kc Dyer, author of youth-oriented books and Diana Gabaldon, author of adult literature have something in common (probably more than one something, but anyway)... The use of time travel in their books. How they differ is in how they make use of time travel. In this presentation, they discussed some of the principles of and rules behind using time travel in a novel.
Workshop Description:
Travel Through Time with Diana Gabaldon and kc dyer. Enter into a lively discussion as these award-winning authors examine the intricacies of traveling through time when writing for adults and children.
Time travel
- Can you change time? Should you change time?
- Steven Hawking believes it is possible.
How does it work?
- DG - Genetic
- Everybody can - access to time machine.
- kD - Constraints - serious consideration to time travel. Drug induced? Portal?
- It must be integral to the story (framing) - not just everyone bopping around.
- Be consistent with the rules. What happens with clothes? Glasses? Pacemaker? Prosthetics? etc
- Operate by the customs of the past.
- kD - Doesn't read books in era she is researching. Doesn't want to mix up what the place looks like - doesn't want to inadvertently use someone else's description of the place.
Language
- DG - Depicting lower class with a cockney accent is very jarring - don't use.
- Suspend disbelief!
- Use a very light hand with writing accents.
- When in doubt, revert to standard, formal english. This gives a universal tone to the book.
- kD - James Harriot does a great job of handling the dialect of the Yorkshire dales.
Recommended reading:
A Connetticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
Mark Twain
Time Machine
HG Wells
0 comments:
Post a Comment