Working within those forms is part of managing reader expectations, which is a key component of making a story appeal to a given reader, but the expectations we have around form and length of stories are not derived from some optimization method synchronized with humanity’s ability to interact with literature.
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Life of Marcus Cato the Elder Review
It paints a rather different picture of the famous Roman statesman than is perhaps suggested from simply reading On Agriculture. Quiet descriptions of the infinite utility of cabbage somehow don’t lead one to think of a man who would conclude every public speech with the line “and Carthage must be destroyed.”
Reading Series
I wonder if perhaps this whole debate is somewhat missing the real point, which is obfuscated by the forms in which we happen to package stories.
On Agriculture Review
It is also interesting to note that Cato, like many of his Roman contemporaries, successors, predecessors, and others in different places and times well into the modern day, lauded the agrarian lifestyle as the pinnacle of human thriving.
Speeches as Poetry
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to give a short speech at a large event. Maybe it could have been more distinctive if I’d had this thought before the speech, instead of about two hours later: I should have treated the speech like poetry.
Winter’s Heart Review
Nine books into Wheel of Time, a series famous for its length and detail, I found myself thinking the series could really be longer.
Clarity of Vision – Opacity of Writing
In a substantial way, the very clarity of my vision for the story undermined my ability to write that story so someone else could understand it.
Exodus Review
Most all of us are probably familiar already with its most famous and iconic moments, but that does not mean there are not still fresh insights to be gained by reading the story straight through.
Writing in the “Real” World
Writing a story associated with the real world is complicated, and it becomes more complicated the more closely associated with the present real world it is.
On Physics Review
With our hydrogen masers, particle accelerators, astronomical observatories, mass spectrometers, laser interferometers, and gravitational wave detectors, we have never had better tools with which to seek a superior understanding of the cosmos. On Physics is a reminder to use our original tool: our minds.
IGC Publishing 