Thought for the Day No one says a novel has to be one thing. It can ...

[Paul Whybrow]

“No one says a novel has to be one thing. It can be anything it wants to be, a vaudeville show, the six o’clock news, the mumblings of wild men saddled by demons.”

Ishmael Reed

 

[E G Logan]

I've found a number of people are prepared to specify exactly how a novel should be written – and make money from doing so, too, with books and courses.

 

[Hannah Faoileán]

There is one thing a novel must be: engaging.

 

[Pamela Jo]

The absolute one thing a novel must be is finished, done, completed.

 

[LJ Beck]

I'm confused. But I'm pretty literal. Doesn't a novel have to be a story told with words, generally written somehow. So I'm not sure how a a vaudeville show can be a novel? Or the other things listed. They can be stories, but a novel? That's a pretty specific kind of story format.

Or does he mean a novel can be adapted into other formats? Cuz... that's kinda obvious, no?

Can someone please explain this one to me?

 

[Aethalope]

Perhaps he is referring to how a novel can be perceived by its audience.

A vaudeville show is raucous and a bit trashy but a lot of fun for everyone....so maybe a fluffy beach read?

The six o'clock news is something you sit through because you are interested in world events (or at least want to be seen to be interested). Some Booker Prize winners? All those Penguin Classics?

The ramblings of wild men saddled by demons...this seems like a particularly rich field HP Lovecraft, Virginia Woolf, Cormac McCarthy, Sylvia Plath...

 

[Sedayne]

This reminds me of the episode of Bojack Horseman where Quentin Tarantulino is directing Mr Peanutbutter's Hollywoo Heist and decides a movie doesn't have to be one thing. After brainstorming with Todd, they decide that it's not a movie after all but a bi-monthly curated box of snacks.

 

[LJ Beck]

Perhaps he is referring to how a novel can be perceived by its audience.

A vaudeville show is raucous and a bit trashy but a lot of fun for everyone....so maybe a fluffy beach read?

The six o'clock news is something you sit through because you are interested in world events (or at least want to be seen to be interested). Some Booker Prize winners? All those Penguin Classics?

The ramblings of wild men saddled by demons...this seems like a particularly rich field HP Lovecraft, Virginia Woolf, Cormac McCarthy, Sylvia Plath...

Ooooohhhh....Thanks for explaining. See, my literal mind was like... huh? Um, a novel is a novel dude.

So he is saying a story can be anything, told any way. Well, yeah. Sure it can.

I still don't really get it, like why that needed to be said at all. All anyone needs to do is read to know that. haha!!