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Post by Belladonna on Oct 2, 2010 0:58:37 GMT -5
(These posts were a reply to another writer who wanted to know how to write in the gothic style. I've snipped away the thread and just included the info.
The links are good as of 12 September 2012, but if you come across any broken links, let me know.)... [snip] From what I understand of classic literature, the Victorians, in particular, were very much focused on nuance and getting the precise meaning of what they wanted to express down on paper. They were focused on finding the RIGHT word, not simply a word that had the same meaning. So vocabulary is definitely one important aspect of the style. Atmosphere is very important. Goth Lit usually doesn't feature gore or horror, but creates a sense of unease in the reader. Things are hinted at but not revealed. It's all about the unseen and invisible. Creating an atmosphere that will disturb the reader is definitely the goal! Make use of all the senses to create atmosphere: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. Death in some form or other is often to be found in a gothic novel. Either a character's death or a death that has some significance for one of the characters. It needn't be a person that dies either. An animal's death which is symbolic works, too. And that's all I can think of for the moment. If I find any on-line articles, I'll post a few links for you. Best of luck with your project!
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Post by Belladonna on Oct 2, 2010 23:46:26 GMT -5
Here's a link to an on-line article by Robert Harris about the elements to include in a gothic novel. [snip] everything2.com/title/Gothic+fiction makes some good points about the genre. [snip] I think that what comprises the Gothic Literature genre is not so much the punctuation or narrative voice, but the elements included in the story. If you've covered the main bases, I think you're both already there! And even if the novel doesn't seem so atmospheric now in the first draft, don't worry. You can always polish it up later when you know how the story unfolds.
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