After sharing a little bit of my writing with my husband, he responded: "You're not American. You're either English or French. You need to read Twain's How to Tell a Story."
I took that as a compliment because with all certitude English literature is better than American literature. The French just have better art, fashion sense, and a prettier language, so why not be French?
Felt pretty good about myself as I started to read the essay. Twain crisply and clearly distinguishes between the threee nationalities. "The humorous story is American, the comic story is English, the witty story is French. The humorous story depends for its effect upon the manner of the telling; the comic story and the witty story upon the matter."
Sounds reasonable. My work probably focuses a little more on matter than on narrative style. And like the French and English my stories are "brief and end with a point," or at least the point exists somewhere in my head. Still feeling pretty darn superior.
Twain contiues, "The humorous story is strictly a work of art--high and delicate art-- and only an artist can tell it; but no art is necessary in telling the comic and the witty story."
Not feeling so superior and French anymore.
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