Tag: Writing as a Craft
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Narrative Threads: A Conversation on Crafting the Reunion Duology, Part the Fifteenth
Jim Garraty’s sentimental nature, inherited from his late mother, influences his interactions and the story’s overall tone. This trait, both a strength and weakness, fosters emotional connections and vulnerability. His self-deprecating humor, developed after high school, helps him navigate adversities. These characteristics make him both likable and credible, adding depth to his character.
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Narrative Threads: A Conversation on Crafting the Reunion Duology, Part the Fourteenth
Music and Emotion: Maddie is a concert pianist for the New York Philharmonic. How did you use music to enhance the emotional depth of the story? Are there specific pieces of music that played a significant role in the narrative? Music is a huge deal in the Reunion Duology, and it shapes the story in…
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Narrative Threads: A Conversation on Crafting the Reunion Duology, Part the Thirteenth
The author of “Reunion: Coda” drew inspiration from Billy Joel’s “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” to implement a dual timeline approach. This allowed for a seamless transition between early 1980s South Florida and early 2000s New York City. The story features Jim and Marty’s high school journey and Jim’s romance with Maddie, presented through alternating…
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Narrative Threads: A Conversation on Crafting the Reunion Duology, Part the Twelfth
The Reunion Duology by Alex Diaz-Granados is a compelling tale of love, heartbreak, and redemption. Through relatable characters, the author explores themes of acceptance and second chances. While not aiming for a specific message, the books encourage readers to embrace love and fearlessly follow their hearts.
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Narrative Threads: A Conversation on Crafting the Reunion Duology, Part the Tenth
The author approaches dialogues as if writing a screenplay, embodying the characters and imagining their discourse. Dialogues are refined by reading aloud and ensuring authenticity, especially with female characters. Writing for a male protagonist is natural, but crafting dialogues for women, such as Maddie, proves more challenging due to the complexities of their personalities and…
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Narrative Threads: A Conversation on Crafting the Reunion Duology, Part the Ninth
The author of “Reunion: Coda” faced challenges in writing from the perspective of a history professor, drawing from personal experiences of history classes in college. Crafting the protagonist’s lecture dialogue at Columbia University required tapping into memories of Miami-Dade professors. The process involved blending various teaching styles for a distinctive vibe.
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Narrative Threads: A Conversation on Crafting the Reunion Duology, Part the Seventh
The author discusses maintaining narrative continuity in the two timelines of the book “Reunion: A Story”. By starting with a dream sequence and then expanding both ways, the author ensured consistent storytelling. Distinct time periods were denoted by writing high school parts in past tense and the 1998 frame story in present tense. The sequel,…
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Narrative Threads: A Conversation on Crafting the Reunion Duology, Part the Fourth
The Reunion Duology draws from real-life experiences, incorporating the author’s high school memories into the narrative. The character Jim Garraty is infused with the author’s personal history, from choral performances to romantic experiences, while some aspects diverge intentionally. The story reflects a blend of reality and artistic invention, providing a compelling narrative.
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Narrative Threads: A Conversation on Crafting the Reunion Duology, Part the Third
How do the settings of South Florida in the 1980s and New York City in the early 2000s influence the narrative of the duology? I grew up in South Florida, and except for a six-year stint in Latin America until I was nine, I lived there until 2016. In every version of Jim Garraty’s story—even…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Shared Traits of Protagonists
On Writing and Storytelling: Writing Exercise – Shared Traits of Protagonists Embark on a Journey of Shared Souls Dive into the heart of storytelling where two lives intertwine across time and space. In this writing exercise, we explore the common threads that bind the spirits of our protagonists, Jim Garraty and Maddie. From the sun-kissed…
A Certain Point of View, Too 