I had never read a Neil Gaiman novel before starting this class. Unknowingly, I've seen some of his storytelling in action in various episodes of Doctor Who, Henry Selick's film rendition of Coraline, as well as the beloved movie, 'Stardust,' which is based on his novel. I somehow never put two-and-two together, connecting all of these stories as derived from the imagination of Neil Gaiman, but here we are. In the past few weeks I've devoured Coraline (★★★★★) The Ocean at the End of the Lane (★★★★★) and The Graveyard Book (★★★★★). My current read is Stardust, which will be followed by American Gods. The first three I experienced through audiobook format narrated by the author, which I highly recommend. Neil Gaiman has a magical voice which truly brings the narrative to life.
I've been more than surprised by how much I've enjoyed Neil Gaiman's writing. His stories are, in a word, bizarre. The substance of the stories is not so much what attracts me, but rather his deep understanding of the human experience. I feel similarly about the writing of C.S.Lewis, although he is a wildly different kind of writer and person.
All of this to say, as part of the Masterclass, there are writing exercises to practice the techniques and tips offered by NG. I was working on these solo, but roped my brother Sam and my friend Katie into joining me. S&K previously talked me into joining NiaD, which stands for 'Novel in a Day.' This is an annual project in which global writers come together and, surprise, write a novel in a 24hr period. We have been meeting once a week to share our projects over a glass of wine or whiskey, depending on how much the world has exploded that week (fie you 2020). I'll post some of the more promising exercises as the weeks drag on.
KPA
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