No no! You are criticizing telling over showing from the viewpoint of an adult. To the 5 year old, the telling is much easier to digest and all in simple words... "Wafting" in your fairy tale is too much! Of course the child can ask you what it means, but that breaks the story rhythm...
You know, I was thinking about your comment, and I was criticizing fairy tales from the point of view of written narrative when they originated from the oral storytelling tradition.
Thanks to your comment, I added this paragraph:
Of course, there’s a good reason fairy tales are like this: because the way we tell a story orally is different than the way we write it. In the oral storytelling tradition (which is where fairy tales originated), it’s easier to remember the gist of a summary than to memorize full-blown scenes. That’s why the dialogue you do get in a fairy tale is often repeated (“Mirror, mirror on the wall” for example.)
Eva, I laughed out loud at this one about having to read them every night. My mom used to cheat and turn multiple pages at once to get through it. I got smart and insisted on turning the pages myself.
It's awesome your husband still has his book of fairy tales. I know they can have cringe-worthy subtext, which could spark some great adult story ideas -- not necrophilia... not condoning it. I loved your re-write.
Writing has changed so much over the years. Today I would reject: The Godfather, Bourne Identity, and a whole host of other major blockbuster classics. Thanks for the shout-out. The free webinars have been fun and informative for the writers, and I enjoy doing them.
omg it’s so true! I will try to skip paragraphs, but she’s got all the stories memorized and she’ll be like, “mommy, you skipped the part where it says…”
And yes, I always tell my writing students that modern novel-writing is much more visual and scene-based than some of the old classics. Readers want to see the movie play out in their mind as they read.
Aw, thanks! Maybe I will one day write a children’s book with my versions of the classic fairy tales but written in a more exciting way. Because let me tell you, Bethany, there are times when I’m reading to my daughter and I think I actually fall asleep with my eyes open! Of course, that COULD be because I’m reading her Rapunzel for the hundredth time!!
No no! You are criticizing telling over showing from the viewpoint of an adult. To the 5 year old, the telling is much easier to digest and all in simple words... "Wafting" in your fairy tale is too much! Of course the child can ask you what it means, but that breaks the story rhythm...
You know, I was thinking about your comment, and I was criticizing fairy tales from the point of view of written narrative when they originated from the oral storytelling tradition.
Thanks to your comment, I added this paragraph:
Of course, there’s a good reason fairy tales are like this: because the way we tell a story orally is different than the way we write it. In the oral storytelling tradition (which is where fairy tales originated), it’s easier to remember the gist of a summary than to memorize full-blown scenes. That’s why the dialogue you do get in a fairy tale is often repeated (“Mirror, mirror on the wall” for example.)
Thank you!
Very true Eva... Good thought. I wonder if (as adults) we respond, perhaps subconsciously, to recorded books differently from reading?
I mean, you have a point that my 5-year-old certainly isn't complaining about how the story is written!
Eva, I laughed out loud at this one about having to read them every night. My mom used to cheat and turn multiple pages at once to get through it. I got smart and insisted on turning the pages myself.
It's awesome your husband still has his book of fairy tales. I know they can have cringe-worthy subtext, which could spark some great adult story ideas -- not necrophilia... not condoning it. I loved your re-write.
Writing has changed so much over the years. Today I would reject: The Godfather, Bourne Identity, and a whole host of other major blockbuster classics. Thanks for the shout-out. The free webinars have been fun and informative for the writers, and I enjoy doing them.
omg it’s so true! I will try to skip paragraphs, but she’s got all the stories memorized and she’ll be like, “mommy, you skipped the part where it says…”
And yes, I always tell my writing students that modern novel-writing is much more visual and scene-based than some of the old classics. Readers want to see the movie play out in their mind as they read.
You’ll have to get a new story she doesn’t know, then skip sections and she if she calls you on story continuity 😉
I love your rewrite of Hansel and Gretel. It's how the story should be written.
Aw, thanks! Maybe I will one day write a children’s book with my versions of the classic fairy tales but written in a more exciting way. Because let me tell you, Bethany, there are times when I’m reading to my daughter and I think I actually fall asleep with my eyes open! Of course, that COULD be because I’m reading her Rapunzel for the hundredth time!!
Mom of the year award!