• Who is this gal?
  • Write Me!

Robin Coyle

~ Ink of Me

Robin Coyle

Daily Archives: March 19, 2013

My Interview with Robert Louis Stevenson

19 Tuesday Mar 2013

Posted by robincoyle in In Search . . .

≈ 94 Comments

Tags

Strong vs Weak Words, writers, writing

English: Photograph of Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson practicing his Mr. Hyde evil-eye. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I am honored that Robert Louis Stevenson came back from the dead to grant me an interview. Some say he is pimping my blog to jack-up his book sales on Amazon, but I know better. He has long been a follower of this humble blog and he wanted to pay homage to a fellow Strong vs Weak Word advocate. Plus, Oprah was busy interviewing Lance-Romance Armstrong.

Without further ado, I present my interview with Mr. Robert Louis Stevenson.

So, Bob, if I may call you that, I understand your unpublished essay, “Books and Reading No. 2. How Books Have to be Written,” was recently discovered in the Syracuse University library.

Don’t call me Bob.

What is your essay about?

Like the title says, you dingbat, the essay is about “how books have to be written.”

No need to start with the name-calling. What was your motivation for writing the essay?

I was bored with the glut of so-called literature of my day.  There is such a thing as vampire, werewolf, and bondage over-kill.

Okay, I get that you aren’t into S & M. What did you say to writers about the craft of writing?

Since you were too lazy to read my essay, here is a snippet for you.

“In the trash that I have no doubt you generally read, a vast number of people will probably get shot and stabbed and drowned; and you have only a very slight excitement for your money.”

Your idea of excitement sounds rather violent. Do you have serial killer leanings?

“ . . . if you really want to know what a murder is – to have a murder brought right home to you – you must read of one in the writings of a great writer. Read Macbeth, for example, or still better, get someone to read it aloud to you; and I think I can promise you what people call a ‘sensation.’”

In your writing, you must simulate reality on paper.

Since I haven’t murdered anyone, writing about it would be hard for me. Next question: How do you recommend I make my writing interesting?

“Leave all the dullness out.”

Easy for you to say. Can you give me an example?

“Suppose you were to be asked to write a complete account of a day at school. You would probably begin by saying you rose at a certain hour, dressed and came down to morning school. You would not think of telling how many buttons you had to fasten, nor how long you took to make a parting, nor how many steps you descended. The youngest boy would have too much of what we call ‘literary tact’ to do that. Such a quantity of twaddling detail would simply bore the reader’s head off.”

I understand you wrote the essay while you were working on Treasure Island. Do you think pirate genre will make a comeback?

Outside of romance novels, no. “The famous buccaneers were not chivalrous, but lubbers and downright dunces.”

Thank you, Mr. Stevenson. You may return to your grave now.

All jokes aside, this long-lost essay will be published in Strand Magazine on Friday.

Related articles
  • Long-lost essay by ‘Dr. Jekyll’ author published (sacbee.com)
Enhanced by Zemanta

My Blog

  • In Search . . . (269)
  • Strong vs Weak Words (48)
  • Uncategorized (14)

Recent Posts

  • A New Book and a New Blog Everyone!
  • Something positive has to come out of this, right?
  • Update on one sick puppy . . .
  • One sick puppy . . . and she needs your help
  • Taking a Stance on Stance Underwear

Who is this gal?

  • Who is this gal?
  • Write Me!

Enter your email to receive notifications of new posts, and no, we won't share your email address!

RobinCoyle.com

RSS Feed RSS - Posts

Archives

  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • March 2017
  • November 2016
  • August 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • August 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
March 2013
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Feb   Apr »

Blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy