Background on literary writers
Literary writers are known to produce books and novels of extremely high standard and well respected. Literary fiction also known as mainstream fiction or non-genre writing does not follow the normal structure of fiction writing and is much more complex and does not fit into a specific genre. These authors are not just writers they are considered to be artists and a good one is rare to find. With ordinary genre writers, they write novels and plays based on what people already know and love. Whereas literary writers are more experimental with their writing and almost write the unexpected. Literary novels tend to be focused on characters allowing readers to reflect on the characters experiences and relate them to their own lives. Although literary writers are viewed as more serious writers some do tend to fit into the categories of genre writing. Cormac McCarthy’s famous novel The Road is a good example of this as it is considered both literary fiction and genre. Literary fiction is used to inspire readers to be creative and think deeper about the meanings of their writing, it does this by not following the normal structure of genre writing and creating something new. Sometimes literary fiction does not do as well due to its experimentation which some readers don’t like and may fail to capture a large audience immediately but once writers have revived prizes and rewards this helps bring attention to their work, the Booker award especially helps writers sales rise. It is difficult to say who is the best literary writer as there are so many great writers who have won a spectacular amount of prizes and so there are simply too many to choose from.
Who is Donna tartt?
Over the years, Tartt has written three novels as well as taking home a global award and the Pulitzer Prize for her fantastic novel The Goldfinch. She is known to have created the dark academia genre on her own with her first ever novel The Secret History. This genre she had created was seen like no other before which has aspects of mystery crime thriller but also an element of intellectual heft. It is Dickens who Tartt says inspires her writing the most, this is most evident in her longer novels which include a large number of characters. Her plots are usually quite playful and entertaining but also create an element of reality throughout. Some of the themes she likes to focus on are confusion, cruelty but also magic and promise, which are some key themes also seen in Dickens’ work.
Who is Cormac McCarthy?
McCarthy’s writing is quite complex as it fits into both genre and literary and is known for his innovative use of language, creating a poetic aspect to his writing and lyrical. His language use is very dated and might not be to today’s generation’s liking. His first novels are not as popularly read compared to his newer ones, this may mostly be due to the dark themes he addresses in his novels which may not seem as appealing to readers. He focuses on the savagery of men and war and ignores any aspect of a civilized society. His earlier novels begin to lighten up and attract more readers as he starts to focus on the hero and their journey. His novels also tend to translate to films very well as they create a cinematic reading experience.
Who is Salman Rushdie?
Rushdie is one of the most legendary literary writers who dominates British literature and has won awards for his work such as the Booker of Bookers award for the best novel Midnight’s children. His writing is best known for magical realism as his novels are based in the real world but include magical elements such as made up creatures and objects coming to life. Although Rushdie’s work is playful and silly his work can also be political by reflecting on serious parts of history whilst including magical elements.
Who is Harper Lee?
Harper Lee is known for his best and only novel To Kill a Mockingbird which shocked the world with its focus on racial injustice in the United States of America. This work is so influential that it is hard to even fit it into a specific genre, but if we were to choose this piece of literature would fit into the southern gothic and thriller genres. This novel is so easy to read and accessible for all ages but is considered a respectable piece of literature of the highest quality.
Who is Tim Winton?
Tim Winton is an award winning Australian writer who won the Miles Franklin award four times, more than any other Australian writer. He had a very religious upbringing growing up and so his work is deeply influenced by his beliefs and also focuses on the struggles of the working and middle class, facing poverty, loneliness and isolation from society. Although he focuses heavily on these dark subjects he contrasts this idea with description of the natural sublime from crashing waves to the beautiful Australian natural bushland. Some of the brighter themes he writes about is redemption and a spiritual search for strength to finish a journey. You can instantly recognise Winton’s work as literary due to his use of poetic Australian vernacular, which is not used by many other writers.
Who is Chinua Achebe?
Chinua Achebe is most famously known for her Nigerian and African literature and her most famous novel Things Fall Apart. Her famous novel shows her views on colonialism, especially emphasizing the European influence in Nigeria. Therefore, this book is very special to Nigeria and due to this respect and love for his work, it is studied across all of Africa. Through his characters, he shows life before or after colonization and the feelings they experience during this. This book is not just popular in Africa but it is a worldwide favorite, selling over twenty million copies all over the world.
