This book first taught me about switching perspective with each chapter. This help give each chapter a voice which sometimes I can lose in my pieces with voice. One chapter would be about Penny ( a girl) and the next about Sam (a boy). Even without the names you can tell which one you are talking about because it has their voice and personality. Penny’s chapters are organized like she will make lists with clever titles, “Reasonable response to a mildly racist verbal attack that was also somewhat complimentary.” (46). While Sam’s chapters are a bit disorganized, “He thought about the A word. / A-B-O-R-T-I-O-N / AH BORISH SHUNN / BORSCHT / As in the beet-red soup with soft bits in it. / Borscht. Borscht. Borscht.” (73 - 74).
The next thing it taught me was how to write romance and their interactions differently. The writer does this through texting. The texting flows naturally and not forced or cringey that an adult woman is writing about 20 somethings’ texting each other. This interaction about dreams flowed naturally and was different because we live in the age of texting and not talking face to face. (With this excerpt I am putting who is saying what only so it is more comprehensible.) “Penny: Wait / Someone you knew buried you? / But was keeping you alive? / Sam: Exactly / Penny: Interesting / Sam: And the crazy thing is / I think it was you / Penny: Why tho? / You must have deserved it.” (230).
The last thing it taught me how to write effective dialogue. I’m not the best a dialogue and the texting in this story is a bit different and that you know the tone of voices and the back and forths between characters feel natural and relatable in any situation. It has nothing to do with magic or anything, these character feel real and the interactions you might have at some point. Though, this excerpt has to do with a possible pregnancy so I don’t know if anyone in this class will go through this but growing up sucks and happens. “So you’re pregnant,” He said. / “I guess,” She responded. / “How do you feel?” he asked. / “Pissed.” she said. / He nodded glumly. / “Like, how dumb is this?” / She rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands and groaned. / “You really want to know how I feel?” she said after a while. / “I want to break shit.” (86).
The next thing it taught me was how to write romance and their interactions differently. The writer does this through texting. The texting flows naturally and not forced or cringey that an adult woman is writing about 20 somethings’ texting each other. This interaction about dreams flowed naturally and was different because we live in the age of texting and not talking face to face. (With this excerpt I am putting who is saying what only so it is more comprehensible.) “Penny: Wait / Someone you knew buried you? / But was keeping you alive? / Sam: Exactly / Penny: Interesting / Sam: And the crazy thing is / I think it was you / Penny: Why tho? / You must have deserved it.” (230).
The last thing it taught me how to write effective dialogue. I’m not the best a dialogue and the texting in this story is a bit different and that you know the tone of voices and the back and forths between characters feel natural and relatable in any situation. It has nothing to do with magic or anything, these character feel real and the interactions you might have at some point. Though, this excerpt has to do with a possible pregnancy so I don’t know if anyone in this class will go through this but growing up sucks and happens. “So you’re pregnant,” He said. / “I guess,” She responded. / “How do you feel?” he asked. / “Pissed.” she said. / He nodded glumly. / “Like, how dumb is this?” / She rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands and groaned. / “You really want to know how I feel?” she said after a while. / “I want to break shit.” (86).