Laura’s Blog

In Friday’s guest column, Geoff Hoff  points out that using fiction techniques in your business blog posts makes your writing “more viscerally appealing to your reader.”

I couldn’t agree more. I write non-fiction, but I read fiction (55 novels in 2009). As I inhale novels, I mentally dissect each one to learn how the author creates rich characters, intriguing plot lines, and compelling dialogue.

I love to binge on a particular author. I’ll select an author who is new to me (usually someone recommended by another writer) and read every book written by that author, one after another. Author binges acquaint me with an author’s unique style, and as I immerse myself in every novel that author has published, I become familiar with specific techniques the author uses.

Often, I’ll hand-copy or type several paragraphs from an author’s novel. As I copy the author’s words, they come alive for me and I’m able to pick out specific turns-of-phrase that I can incorporate into my own writing.

I binged on several authors during 2009 (you’ll see from my choice of authors that I have an eclectic reading style – I’ll read almost anyone!).

Here are my author binges, in no particular order:

Orson Scott Card – I started with the Alvin Maker series (the covers alone are some of the cheesiest I’ve ever seen!) and worked my way through the Science Fiction classic, Ender’s Game, and most of the other Ender books.

Ted Dekker – I read several of his recent suspense/thrillers (which have pseudo-Christian themes) and worked my way back to his earlier works. Just finished the Martyr’s Song series. I’m mad at Ted; I’ve spent many a sleepless night turning pages to find out what happens next.

Tamera Alexander – Who woulda thunk I’d like historical Christian western romances? Not me! But I do. At least, I like her books; she’s an excellent writer.

Seth Godin – I know; I know… Seth Godin writes non-fiction. But he writes about business blogging and other business-related topics. I like his style. It’s plain. Simple. Readable. Pointed.

Mary DeMuth – Mary and I met several years ago at a writers’ conference and of course, I must read everything my writer friends publish (Hi, Mary!). I recently read the first two books in her Defiance Texas Trilogy. Her books are heart-wrenching because they address difficult topics (such as child abuse), but she’s a brilliant rising star in Christian fiction.

Alexander McCall Smith – I adore The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Series, am working my way through The Isabel Dalhousie series, and plan to start The Portuguese Irregular Verbs series and The 44 Scotland Street series sometime during my lifetime. Love his intriguing titles and quirky characters!

Elizabeth George – I’ve been binging on Inspector Lynley and his sidekick, Barbara Havers, for years. Next on my list: Careless in Red.

Classic Binges

I binge on these authors repeatedly – sometimes yearly.

Jane Austen – I never tire of Pride and Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, Mansfield Park, and the others, no matter how many times I read them.

Jan Karon – The Mitford Years is my favorite series, bar none.

Maeve Binchy – One of my absolute favorite authors. I’ve read most of her books, and will probably re-read them all.

John Grisham – Who hasn’t binged on him?

Mary Higgins Clark – Ditto.

Richard Llewellyn – It took me 10 years to collect the entire How Green Was My Valley series, but I own ‘em all. And love ‘em.

Thomas Hardy – Dark, intriguing, tragic love stories. Tess of the D’Urbervilles is one of my all-time favorite novels.

Charlotte Bronte – Ditto. The first time I read Jane Eyre I was a young girl; I knew then that I was going to become a big fan of British literature.

I need some new authors to binge on in 2010. Recommendations, anyone?