Serials and Scenarios – Gina Holmes - Counter Point

Isn’t it fun to be different? Really.

All my life I’ve encountered people who reel back, shake their heads and say, “You’re different!”

Sometimes they use other words, but they pretty much mean different.

That’s what I tell myself anyway.

I also tell myself that this is a good thing, hence the question above.

I’ve asked a couple other authors for the answer to the question posted Monday.

Susan’s answer resonates with me. When I encounter meaty prose my heart beats a little faster. A photograph can't fully capture the beauty of creation, but it hints like a shadow or a whisper of something just out of my grasp. Splendid prose is a window cracked open on a warm spring day and every time a slight breeze wafts, you get a whiff of what must be very close to the scent of heaven.

I mentioned Peace Like a River. Mr. Enger penned a vomiting scene unlike anything I’ve ever read. Pure poetry. About vomit… Yeah, only on Scrambled Dregs do you get stuff this funky.

So, back to differences…. Here’s Gina….

Character, plot or prose? Which grabs you by the heart? Why?

All of the above. Though the least would be the prose. I love good writing but story is king and without interesting characters, the story doesn't matter as much. So, in this order: Plot, character, prose. (However, if the writing isn't at least decent, I won't read on far enough to get into character or plot.)

Gina Holmes runs the popular fiction writer's blog, Novel Journey and assists with sister site, Novel Reviews. She has interviewed many of today's greatest authors from Ted Dekker to Karen Kingsbury to Walter Wangerin Jr. She is wife, mother, writer, blogger and Registered Nurse. She is currently working on her third suspense novel. www.noveljourney.blogspot.com www.novelreviews.blogspot.com