I read a short story by Anton Chekhov. It was called The Bishop. Chekhov is noted for his character-driven stories and The Bishop was a fine example of that. If I were to judge Chekhov by this first experience, I would say that I don't know if I like his work, but I do respect it.
I think it is very important to separate preference and respect. It is totally possible to respect something you don't like, as is it possible to like totally unrespectable things. Personal preference produces a very strong emotional. Things we like are awesome. Things we don't like suck. But respect doesn't work that way. Respect is a matter of ability and execution. Somebody who is particularly great at something is worthy of respect.
To continue with Mr. Chekhov as an example, the main reason I don't know if I like his work is that I generally don't care for character-driven stories. The lack of action irks me. I find too much time spent on descriptions and back stories. That sounds to me like it flies in the face of "show, don't tell". However, The Bishop is a good piece of character-driven fiction. There is a certain flow of action in it, enough to keep me wondering what will happen next in a scene and what will happen in the end. The descriptions of people and of scenes were not excessive or repetitive (well, maybe a little), so it didn't drag on. It also made me think when I finished it. I wondered not just about the characters themselves, but about bigger things, like if everybody should shoot for the stars or if being people should just reach a point that they're comfortable with and stay there.
Of course, I always say that making the audience think is the most important goal of writing after entertaining them, so The Bishop is definitely successful. I read through it, never felt like I was forcing it, and felt rewarded for finishing it. Even if I don't care for character-driven stories in general, I respect Chekhov for writing a good one.
If you want to improve as a writer, look for authors you respect, even if you don't like them.
About Me
- Kevin Bahler
- I am a writer. A writer is one who writes. By the same logic, I am also a thinker, an observer, and a puzzle solver. I am a graduate from the State University of New York at Cortland with a degree in Professional Writing. The idea of the program is that one studies all three aspects of writing as a whole: Creative Writing, Technical Writing, and Rhetoric. The knowledge I have gained in those subjects is put to use in every aspect of my life. The worst thing a person can be is boring. I am most interested in people who can pique my interests. An example is people who can correctly use the word 'pique'.
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