Writers Who Read LIVE!: Romantic Comedy - Curtis Sittenfeld

April's meeting--IN PERSON at the Boulder Library Main Branch 2nd floor Flatirons Meeting Room & ONLINE (see link when you register)--is Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (USA, 2023) on Sunday starting at 2:30 pm (for 2 hours). Facilities information here.

The first half of this novel is an intense week at a sketch comedy show that looks a lot like Saturday Night Live. When staff writer Sally Milz meets that week's guest host, aging pop icon Noah Brewster, she falls for him. Hard. But rules are rules, the show's class structure is highly stratified, and besides, Sally doesn't think she's a catch. Sittenfeld has researched the hell out of SNL, creating a realistic backdrop that enhances the drama.

We are Writers Who Read. We use Literary Forensics to dissect a recent novel (published within the past 18 months) with the goal of uncovering how the author has utilized their skills for effect. Storytelling is an art, but it's not a mystery. Every writer must address the following:

• Structure, Timeline, Pacing, Suspense, Omission
• Point of View, including Voice, Character, Place
• Language, Tense, Imagery, Metaphor, Symbols
• Motivation: Making a story pop - generating a thrill
• Why this story? And why now? Industry considerations

We ask that all attendees read the entire book in advance of the meeting, and come bearing their discoveries of how the author has addressed each of the five points above.

What is Literary Forensics? Find out here: https://www.garyalanmcbride.com/literary-forensics/