Anatomy of a Novel

Junko Yoshida
Author and Last Kid Books founder David Benjamin.
media release: Have you ever wondered how a full-blown novel emerges from an idea in the writer’s head?
If so, this writing seminar is for you.
The first time Benjamin presented “Anatomy of a Novel,” he was approached by an audience member who had taken a creative writing course in college. He told the author he learned more from his talk in two hours than what he had learned in one entire college semester.
Benjamin draws ideas from a lifetime of stories from living and traveling throughout the world as well as stories gleaned from his own backyard. Some of his well-drawn characters may be found charting paths through Wisconsin mysteries and other page-turners the author expertly brings to life.
In Paris, where he lives part of the year, he has held a writing discussion with the British National Union of Journalists and a writing workshop at the American Library in Paris.
His recently published novel, Bistro Nights, traces the course of two love triangles a century apart. Along the way the author weaves in 54 eating and drinking establishments. At the back of the book, he included a list—with thumbnails—of the real restaurants he has cited in the novel.
Norman Gilliland, producer and presenter for Wisconsin Public Radio said of Bistro Nights: “For the connoisseur of Parisian nightlife, the real and imagined adventures of Steve and Mie provide a pleasant immersion into the often-whimsical goings-on among the lovers and thugs of the demimonde. For fans of dark, edgy humor, Bistro Nights is an enjoyable diversion from the harsh light of everyday life.”
The Library Writing Seminar- An Inside Look
Some of the questions posed during the seminar include:
+ How does a writer know his or her story hasn’t already been written?
+ How does a writer name characters and how do their names affect the reader’s perception?
+ How important is a startling first paragraph?
“These are among many questions that face every author, sooner or later. The answers can make all the difference between a written and well-written novel,” said Benjamin.
Drop in and join the fun or contact the Sun Prairie Library for more information. https://sunprairie.librarymarket.com/index.php/event/writing-seminar-anatomy-novel-david-benjamin