Creative Writer, Creative Literary Noir PART 2

Creative Writer, Creative Literary Noir PART 2

by Jacob Malewitz

I see some of my favorite writers as people who understand literary noir. I have read some John Udpike, too much Paul Auster, and far too much horror noir. I see these as lessons, lessons on what the creative mind can do. If anyone created literary noir, this thinking game where characters are obtuse and odd and mysterious, I might point toward the writer of “Frankenstein” or the author of “Don Coyote,” two classics which, with all their facets, are vastly cerebral works of prose.

It can all be boring. The point is rather simple, as far away as it seems. A creative writer, all creative writers, will toy with literary noir on some level. It’s not quite high art. In short, it’s entertaining readers while also showing them that the words on the page can dance too, that the words will dance with you on the odd days … and there are many odd days.