Im trying to find ways , other than plot twists, of creating writing that imbues a sense of dissonance much like an optical illusion does to the eye.

Something unexepected that makes the reader 2nd guess what he is occurring ,and perhaps even shock him .

An example of this might be something like the imagery Edward Gorey uses at times i.e. the legs protruding from the Giant urns.

m trippen

This is something I've been working on for a while and it's a toughie to do it in a way that isn't completely alien and off putting.

Writing sections in the second person self referential as a way of breaking away from the first person can (he says) create a kind of dissonance. It also helps the character to distance himself from certain actions or to view them in a way that would not be directly possible without writing out of character.

Repeating scenes, lines/key points in slightly different ways to create the notion of an unreliable narrator.

This is something I've been working on for a while and it's a toughie to do it in a way that isn't completely alien and off putting.

You mean without it becoming blatant .

Have you researched into any of experimental writing momvements etc ?

From what I see this is something akin to modern art where the theory excuses the syntax .

Im not fan of that either and its a challange for sure .

Im bit worried especially given my book is essentially for children of doing something that its bit " out there " or has only small niche fanbase.

I think if you have illustrations it give you lot of leyway but Im not sure if this is something I could have creative control over in so far as overseeing artwork myself .

Writing sections in the second person self referential as a way of breaking away from the first person can (he says) create a kind of dissonance. It also helps the character to distance himself from certain actions or to view them in a way that would not be directly possible without writing out of character.

Yes there are tricks the characters perception of events vs narrator .

Using certain actions or decisions to trigger certaian abstarct restrictions in characters world or vice versa .

Repeating scenes, lines/key points in slightly different ways to create the notion of an unreliable narrator.

What about characters , do you find having a ficitonal character like walking bear works against introducing ideas or give you more ley way ?

Can you expand? What came to my mind is the wonderful opening of Ali Smith's hotel world, where the dead girl is gradually separating from this world and this is demonstrated by her losing memory of and understanding of concrete words - not got a copy to hand, but she says stuff like: and then a... has outstretched things with feathers...starts with 'b'... landed on the sill. The fragmentation of the language to suggest her splintering away from this world is stunning. That the sort of thing you mean?
Or the bit in Villette where the furniture all grows and bends cos Lucy Snow has a fever.
Or in one of Jean Ryhs's novels when Victor's teeth go off on their own in her mind, grinning and snapping, to denote how she mistrusts him. (Think it's After Leaving Mr Mackenzie, but they all flow into each other in my mind, sorry.)

Cherys, I think m.trippen is unlikely to reply. His free month has expired and it’s doubtful he’ll renew after a thread had to be pulled due to his offensive comments.

Dee

Thanks Dee. Duh - just noticed this is an old thread. It came up on my screen as a recent post.

C