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Ars Longa Via Brevis
One could easily argue that all fiction is, in some sense, creative non-fiction. After all, a writer doesn’t come to the page devoid of experience. And it’s that experience—coupled with a dollop or two of imagination (not to mention a whole arsenal of mechanics)—that turns the writer’s non-fictional event, at least in the writer’s mind, into a story worth telling. If (s)he’s lucky, and has perfected his or her craft, it’s also a story worth reading.
Ah! you may say or think. But what of science or speculative fiction?
I’ll be the first to concede that both of these genres—if I may consider them separate and distinct genres—require an unusual leap of imagination. Or hallucination. Or at least sleep. But come the witching hour, no writer produces a story worth telling (and worth reading!) out of whole cloth. It just doesn’t happen.
If a reader can’t relate to a story—either because the writer’s experience is too alien, or because the writer hasn’t mastered the mechanics of writing and story-telling—the story will die a quick death.
I firmly believe that a writer owes it to his or her reader to master both skills if that writer is to call him- or herself an author. If (s)he has done so effectively—and particularly in creative non-fiction—let the reader play with the mystery and the intrigue of which elements are fictitious, and which, non-fictitious. And then, let the fiction/no-fiction fun begin!
Ah! you may say or think. But what of science or speculative fiction?
I’ll be the first to concede that both of these genres—if I may consider them separate and distinct genres—require an unusual leap of imagination. Or hallucination. Or at least sleep. But come the witching hour, no writer produces a story worth telling (and worth reading!) out of whole cloth. It just doesn’t happen.
If a reader can’t relate to a story—either because the writer’s experience is too alien, or because the writer hasn’t mastered the mechanics of writing and story-telling—the story will die a quick death.
I firmly believe that a writer owes it to his or her reader to master both skills if that writer is to call him- or herself an author. If (s)he has done so effectively—and particularly in creative non-fiction—let the reader play with the mystery and the intrigue of which elements are fictitious, and which, non-fictitious. And then, let the fiction/no-fiction fun begin!
190 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 20, 2013
2 people want to read
About the author
Russell Bittner
22 books71 followersRussell presently lives and works in Hudson, New York, USA.
Russell has two kiddoes, Chris (M, aged 29) and Alex (F, aged 26). Both are out of the nest -- which, in any case, fell apart long ago. My boy lives in Manhattan, my girl in Brooklyn. The three of us occasionally meet for lunch or dinner or even an entire weekend -- whenever, that is, one party or the other can be convinced to drive north.
Russell has two kiddoes, Chris (M, aged 29) and Alex (F, aged 26). Both are out of the nest -- which, in any case, fell apart long ago. My boy lives in Manhattan, my girl in Brooklyn. The three of us occasionally meet for lunch or dinner or even an entire weekend -- whenever, that is, one party or the other can be convinced to drive north.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 2, 2013
One could easily argue that all fiction is, in some sense, creative non-fiction. After all, a writer doesn't come to the page devoid of experience. And it’s that experience — coupled with a dollop or two of imagination (not to mention a whole arsenal of mechanics) — that turns the writer’s non-fictional event, at least in the writer’s mind, into a story worth telling. If (s)he’s lucky, and has perfected his or her craft, it’s also a story worth reading.
Ah! you may say or think. But what of science or speculative fiction?
I’ll be the first to concede that both of these genres — if I may consider them separate and distinct genres — require an unusual leap of imagination. Or hallucination. Or at least sleep. But come the witching hour, no writer produces a story worth telling (and worth reading!) out of whole cloth. It just doesn't happen.
If a reader can’t relate to a story — either because the writer’s experience is too alien, or because the writer hasn't mastered the mechanics of writing and story-telling — the story will die a quick death.
I firmly believe that a writer owes it to his or her reader to master both skills if that writer is to call him- or herself an author. If (s)he has done so effectively — and particularly in creative non-fiction — let the reader play with the mystery and the intrigue of which elements are fictitious, and which, non-fictitious. And then, let the fiction/non-fiction fun begin!
Ah! you may say or think. But what of science or speculative fiction?
I’ll be the first to concede that both of these genres — if I may consider them separate and distinct genres — require an unusual leap of imagination. Or hallucination. Or at least sleep. But come the witching hour, no writer produces a story worth telling (and worth reading!) out of whole cloth. It just doesn't happen.
If a reader can’t relate to a story — either because the writer’s experience is too alien, or because the writer hasn't mastered the mechanics of writing and story-telling — the story will die a quick death.
I firmly believe that a writer owes it to his or her reader to master both skills if that writer is to call him- or herself an author. If (s)he has done so effectively — and particularly in creative non-fiction — let the reader play with the mystery and the intrigue of which elements are fictitious, and which, non-fictitious. And then, let the fiction/non-fiction fun begin!
January 13, 2014
Some very captivating short stories, some short stories that I didn't enjoy at all either.
The final, longer story about the Girl from Baku was interesting though...
Also, here and there some editing seems necessary - I can see a lot of potential in Russell Bittner's talent as a storyteller, but polishing and editing could make this shine through much better
The final, longer story about the Girl from Baku was interesting though...
Also, here and there some editing seems necessary - I can see a lot of potential in Russell Bittner's talent as a storyteller, but polishing and editing could make this shine through much better
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews