Experimental fiction : an introduction for readers and writers

217 Pages·2014·1.159 MB·English

by  Armstrong, Julie

Experimental Fiction
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Experimental Fiction
An Introduction for Readers
and Writers
Julie Armstrong
LONDON • NEW DELHI • NEW YORK • SYDNEY
Bloomsbury Academic
An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
50 Bedford Square 1385 Broadway
London New York
WC1B 3DP NY 10018
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www.bloomsbury.com
Bloomsbury is a registered trade mark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
First published 2014
© Julie Armstrong, 2014
Julie Armstrong has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents
Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior
permission in writing from the publishers.
No responsibility for loss caused to any individual or organization acting on
or refraining from action as a result of the material in this publication can be
accepted by Bloomsbury or the author.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN: HB: 978-1-4411-8908-0
PB: 978-1-4411-3057-0
ePDF: 978-1-4411-2871-3
ePub: 978-1-4411-0729-9
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
Typeset by Integra Software Services Pvt. Ltd
For my Creative Writing students, past and present, at MMU Cheshire

Preface and Contents
Who the book is intended for and why
This book is for writers and readers of fiction, especially those who are
studying, or have an interest in, experimental literary works. The aim is
to enrich readers’ knowledge, understanding and appreciation of such
works and to enable writers to heighten their powers of imagination
whilst developing their craft.
The history of experimental writing, from modernism to the Beats, to
postmodernism and beyond, will be traced. In addition, Experimental
Fiction will analyse why the twenty-first century is a time ripe for
change for the reader and the writer.
How the book is organized
Experimental Fiction: An Introduction for Readers and Writers has an
Introduction, four sections – Modernism, Beats, Postmodernism,
A New Era Dawning – and a Conclusion.
Introduction 1
The introduction will pose, and hope to find answers to, the following
questions:
What does experimental mean? 1
What are the concerns of experimental writers? 2
What is experimental fiction? 3
What are the differences between traditional
realist fiction and experimental fiction? 4
Why read experimental fiction? 6
How does a reader approach experimental fiction? 6
viii Preface and Contents
What criteria can be used for reading as a writer
of experimental fiction? 7
At this moment in time, what criteria may writers
and readers consider when they are deconstructing
experimental fiction? 8
Alongside the historical discussion of each movement, at the end of
each chapter there are creative writing exercises designed to stimulate
writing experimentation and to introduce techniques which will help
learning in terms of the practice of creative writing. References for
further reading are also listed. Each section has an introduction.
Section One When Was/What Was Modernity(ism)? 11
Followed by chapters:
Form and Fiction 25
Worldview and Fiction 29
Gender Crisis 35
The City and Fiction 41
Dreams, Philosophy, Science and Fiction 47
Followed by Further Reading 55
Section Two When Were/Who Were the Beats? 57
Followed by chapters:
Beat/Music 65
Spirituality and the Beats 69
Sexuality, Drug Culture and Fiction 79
On the Road 85
Followed by Further Reading 95
Preface and Contents ix
Section Three When Is/Was the Postmodern Era? 97
Followed by chapters:
Identity in Flux 109
The Fictiveness of Fiction 119
What Is True/What Is Not? 127
What Is Real/What Is Not? 139
Giving a Voice to Other 147
Followed by Further Reading 153
Section Four A New Era Is Dawning 155
Followed by chapters:
Beyond Postmodernism 165
Changing Perceptions of Reality 175
Anti-Novels Built from Scraps 181
Electronic/Hyper/Interactive Fiction 187
Followed by Further Reading 191
Conclusion 193
The conclusion will pose, and hope to find answers to, the following
questions:
How can writers engage in experimental writing practice? 193
What are the implications for the writer wishing
to experiment? 193
Can this contradictory, complex world be represented by
traditional-realist fiction? 194
Index 197
Having read Experimental Fiction: An Introduction for Readers and
Writers and completed the exercises, readers and writers will be better
informed and more skilful creative writing practitioners.