MODERNISM

Developments in literary Modernism still resonate with writers today. So what is Modernism? 

The term Modernism describes a European cultural movement which influenced thinking in theology, sciences and the arts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As a result of advances (the industrial revolution, Darwin, Einstein, Planck, Freud, WW1) a cultural crisis occurred. Modernism challenged traditional attitudes proposing that only through the arts (painting, sculpture, poetry, drama, prose) could this cultural crisis be expressed and addressed.

Modernism in literature relates to both form and content.

Narrative time is one aspect viewed from a different perspective by Modernist writers. Frank Kermode discusses time using the Greek terms, chronos (an undirected continuous flow of events), and kairos (particular moments allocated import because of their relevance to the end). 

Modernist writers seldom perceived time as a progression of noteworthy steps leading to a momentous conclusion, but favoured kairos where single moments gain prominence because of distinctive insights gained in those moments.  Considered in this way, the traditional dramatic arc of a story recedes in importance, and the story becomes a series of scenes where content is less important than style, and the whole is seen as an object of beauty rather than an act of communication. 

Another notable feature of Modernist novels is the reduced prominence of the authorial voice.

Characters are presented in several ways: through their responses to the world; revealing how other characters see them; an internal monologue that includes thoughts about the past and the future. A further development of interior monologue is stream of consciousness - the most well known example being Ullysses by James Joyce. Interpretation of meaning is left  up to the reader. 

The question arises then – is Modernism relevant today? I think if you consider how admired and influential Hemingway, Joyce, Woolf, Elliot, Beckett and Nabokov are, to name a few, the answer is yes. Even if most writers still follow traditional structure, if we are to believe Harold Bloom, the American literary critic, writers discover their artistic impetus by reading earlier writers, and start by emulating them in order to cultivate a voice of their own. If this is the case, then Modernism has bequeathed today’s writers a rich legacy. 

Writing Update 

I have to be honest, I’m not writing a supernatural mash-up, well, I am, but it’s a romantic supernatural mash-up! I’m nearly half-way through with the speed editing of the first few chapters a distant memory - and I’m back to the slog; but as I’m re-writing/editing chapter by chapter, it’s a more tolerable slog. And most important, I’m still enjoying the process.

I constantly mull over the traditional vs self/indie publishing question, as well as wondering about PR/marketing options as I’ve one novel doing the rounds of agents/publishers. I've described the book as commercial women’s fiction (not chick lit or romcom) and wonder why we have to categorize books - it's a two stranded story about people experiencing loss, love and obsession!
And in the meantime, I realize the best decision is to keep writing. So I’m focussing on my particular twist on the eternal triangle - there are no new plots - only new ways to present them! 

Today’s Haiku  

he’s keen can’t take his

eyes off the swing of her hair –

he’ll buy what she sells  

Useful Links:

For more information about Moderism:

http://www.online-literature.com/periods/modernism.php

An informative post on scene breaks:

http://buff.ly/1em9iy4 

Join me on Twitter at: teagankearney@modhaiku 

Thank you for visiting my blog (I love when people leave comments), and to all story lovers out there, good reading, and to those of you who write, good writing.

PONDERING THE PAST AND ANTICIPATING THE FUTURE

Regret is not something I do very much – what’s the point? I try to learn from my mistakes, not always successfully, or I bury them deep where they can rest in peace. On the other hand I do believe in having a dream – something to work towards and give your life meaning.

Most of us need goals to take us step by step in the direction we want to go. For me, trying is even more important that attainment because as long as you’re trying the hope of success is alive, and if you’re trying, you’re certainly closer to your dream than if you made no effort at all.

The end of the year seems an appropriate time to review how near I am towards achieving my dream – to write and be published.

This year I ventured into the world of social media and started a blog last February. I'm finding it a good writing experience. Blogging is immediate, it’s out there as soon as you press the button, and it’s all you, the writer – no narrator or character between you and the reader – so you're more exposed. I’m gratified I persevered and found the discipline to post once a week, and I’m definitely going to continue blogging.

I probably could be more active on Google+ and Twitter (which I joined later in the year), but find it a juggling act to balance the rewards (support from others, alerting the world to your existence) with the effort and time it consumes. I’m hoping to continue creating friendships and links with other writers in the coming year.

I managed to collect enough haikus to epublish a short book, Gold Dragon Haiku, on Amazon. Success has been small, and I have no plans to publish any more poetry – other than the weekly haiku on my blog, and the odd one on Twitter. However, the experience of preparing, formatting and uploading the work - dipping my toe in the ebook ocean - was invaluable.

Writing Update

The more I learn of what it takes to be a writer (silly me, I thought you just had to write) the more I respect those who have achieved publication. This past week I’ve had the pleasurable experience of writing a synopsis – a skill worth honing, because reading what the agent/publisher wants is vital if you hope to get more than your subject line read. Next on the list is the cover letter and trawling those lists for agents and publishers.

 

I find it hard to believe but my novel is almost at the point where I feel confident enough to send it off for consideration. I’m making the choice to try traditional publishing first, partly because they have the publicity, printing and distribution chain in place. And I guess having a book accepted for publication by the establishment still feels like a worthwhile acknowledgement. My next step towards achieving my dream is to pursue this route first, and if unsuccessful, I will epublish.

Although I started several years ago, the last two years of planning, writing, redrafting, editing and proof reading this story has occupied so much of my inner self that now it’s almost finished I may be suffering from empty nest/book syndrome. There's sadness and a sense of emptiness where the story lived. Writers invest not just their head space, but their heart and emotions in their writing – they live their stories. Without doubt, the answer is to start the next one (plans are simmering), but letting go of the current one isn’t the same as closing a book someone else wrote.

I do believe in my story and I do want it out there for readers to discover and enjoy. This novel may be as ready as I can get it, but the journey is far from over, and I'm looking forward to seeing what 2014 brings!

Today’s Haiku

NEON

half lit sign glows red

sends sporadic messages

in alien code

Useful links:

mslexyia provides great links for lists of agents, publishers etc.

https://www.mslexia.co.uk/resources/resources.php

Writers & Artists website and book are still good places to start a search.

https://w.ww.writersandartists.co.uk/

My haiku ebook Gold Dragon Haiku can be found via the following link:

http://amzn.to/18SbSaG  

To all the lovely people who've supported me on this writing adventure, on New Year’s Eve, 2013, I wish you all a brilliant 2014! May all your writing dreams – and your other ones – at least come closer to fruition!

Join me on Twitter at: teagankearney@modhaiku

To all story lovers out there, good reading, and to those of you who write, good writing.