After reading City of Thieves, I was re-energized about my writing. I was so excited that I started breaking down the introduction and first chapter and comparing it Chapters 1 and 2 of the master outline. But then I realized I had fallen back into my old habit- switching my focus to analysis, where I am "safe," instead of the unknown world of actual story writing. So, I pulled the plug on that post for now but I still recommend you pick up City of Thieves and spot the elements in play. One thing I've learned about myself is that I can really only be obsessive about one thing at a time. Thus, to get obsessed about my novel- to let it consume my thoughts in every grocery store line and metro ride- I need to let it take priority over writing analysis-based posts for now. That being said, it has been politely pointed out by more than a few of you that I should check in more often instead of retreating into my solitary writing cave. *squints into the light* So, let me tell you about what I've been reading. (I am doing a TON of reading in and out of my genre- with a special leaning toward adventure, time travel, and wartime stories.) I just finished the The Hike by Drew Magary. I chose it based on the fact that it sounded like a crazy hero's journey-style adventure. (Emphasis on the crazy!) It's about a dad who goes on a hike, and somehow ends up in fantasy world where there are no rules except that he has to stay on "the path" if he wants to live and ever get back home. This story takes the idea of "awful awesome" land quite seriously- I noticed quite a few [...]The post The Hero's Journey Gets Weird (Mini Review of The Hike by Drew Magary) appeared first on Better Novel Project.
