“The most basic organizing principle was pretty straightforward, and is frankly pretty common: the shorter of what are by my lights the two most engaging stories goes first, the longer of the two goes at the end, and everything else goes in the middle.” FirstsTwoEndsStoriesLightCommonPrinciplesMiddleEngagingStraightforward Author:Roy Kesey
“I start every first draft with voice rather than theme or image or even character as such, so it isn't like I'm ever rubbing my hands, cackling, "The dad is really going to take it on the chin in this one!" Not in terms of any given story, and certainly not in terms of the collection as a whole.” FirstsWholeCharacterStoriesHandsGivenVoiceTermDadThemeCollectionsChins Author:Roy Kesey
“I didn't intentionally emplace the raw material needed for political/allegorical readings into any of the first drafts, but sooner or later I saw it coming, and I did intentionally not cut it from some of the final drafts. In other words, I'm not particularly interested in encouraging readers to read certain stories that way, but I want to make sure that route's accessible should anyone be so inclined.” WayWantShouldFirstsStoriesPoliticalCertainReadingSawsCuttingMaterialsReaderNeededFinalsSooner Or LaterRoutesRaw Materials Author:Roy Kesey
