Todd Shimoda's Writer's Blog
ENTRY
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
April 30, 2014
The great writer died a few days ago. His legacy is firmly in place as one of the world's greatest novelists, so I don't need to go into that. But on a personal level, before I became entranced by Japanese writers I was inspired by him and other Latin American writers. I wrote one of my first novels (unpublished, thankfully) set partially in Mexico with a Mexican main character. I even spent part of a summer in San Miguel de Allende, a colonial Mexican town for research.
I suppose what drew me to them was a difference from the British and Anglo-American classics I read in my literature classes. Growing up where I did and when I did, there weren't many opportunities for exposure to the literature of other cultures, so I had to search it out.
I think the main difference is the richness of the settings, characters, and prose. The Latin American writers' works were more ... fiery. I tried to emulate that style but couldn't pull it off, no doubt because it wasn't my life. I don't think it's a case of write what you know, it's more like write what you deeply feel. And that's what I didn't have in me.
But that's okay, I found my own voice, and I still enjoy reading the Latin American writers as much today.
April 30, 2014
The great writer died a few days ago. His legacy is firmly in place as one of the world's greatest novelists, so I don't need to go into that. But on a personal level, before I became entranced by Japanese writers I was inspired by him and other Latin American writers. I wrote one of my first novels (unpublished, thankfully) set partially in Mexico with a Mexican main character. I even spent part of a summer in San Miguel de Allende, a colonial Mexican town for research.
I suppose what drew me to them was a difference from the British and Anglo-American classics I read in my literature classes. Growing up where I did and when I did, there weren't many opportunities for exposure to the literature of other cultures, so I had to search it out.
I think the main difference is the richness of the settings, characters, and prose. The Latin American writers' works were more ... fiery. I tried to emulate that style but couldn't pull it off, no doubt because it wasn't my life. I don't think it's a case of write what you know, it's more like write what you deeply feel. And that's what I didn't have in me.
But that's okay, I found my own voice, and I still enjoy reading the Latin American writers as much today.
COMMENTS
Number of comments: 2
click here to add a comment
Lee Witte
Yes! "100 years of Solitude" - read it three times. Think I'll read it again.
Lot
Well said...
click here to add a comment
Lee Witte
Yes! "100 years of Solitude" - read it three times. Think I'll read it again.
Lot
Well said...
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