In an interview by Joel Pinckney published on the Creative Independent, Hernan Diaz talks about how the “joy of a beautiful sentence” keeps him writing. “How wonderful that this sentence that never existed, that I don’t dislike, now is here,” says Diaz. “And look at what it’s doing! It’s not only conveying meaning, but maybe it’s mimicking what it’s saying in its own structure, or contradicting what it’s saying. Listen to its music.” Taking inspiration from the multitudinous ways in which a sentence can function, write two vignettes: one that features sentences whose structure mimics its meaning; and one that features sentences that contradict what they’re saying. You might decide to first imagine a character and perspective for each piece, one whose personality or motivations align with the way you’re using the sentences.
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