My novel has a party scene in it that's falling flat. It doesn't feel crowded or have the hustle and bustle I want it to have. Whenever I hit problems like this, Ilike to read how really great authors handle them, but I'm having trouble with this one.
What are the best, most vivid party scenes you've read?
The only one that comes to mind is the Christmas party in Less Than Zero
The Rules of Attraction has a lot of great party scenes. Don't think that it has to have a lot of hustle and bustle. It's possible to write a party scene without describing every little thing that is going on. Give enough information to get the idea of what the party is like and you will do fine. Think of it as Hemingway style. Enough details to describe how crazy of a party it is. Is there a lot of hustle and bustle going on or is a small party with someone shooting heroin in a bed room. That is my comparison of the party scenes in Less Than Zero and Rules of Attraction.
What the hell do I know though.
I love Nick Twisp's halloween party in Youth In Revolt because it is hardly a party at all but the tension and awkwardness is there so it doesn't require a lot of grand party description.
Damn you Jack, beaten me to the punch on Rules of Attraction. There wasn't much going on besides the drinking and socialzing. With Ellis' writing he did a damn good job with the little details, putting a bit of everything thats going on making a nice twist on each of the character's pov when they describe the spectacle in their own words. The hospital scene was pretty amusing along with the Rupert clash.
Yeah, I find myself drawn back to Ellis quite a bit on this. Only problem is it's hard not to find myself completely dominated by his voice. He manages those scenes so powerfully that after reading them, I find myself writing a D-rate knock off of him.
Yes I also find myself guilty of this.
@Jacks - Youth In Revolt books are so good. I'm not sure I've ever laughed that much outloud from a book before.
There's a few in Thomas Pynchon's V - sailor's on shore leave in a seaside bar during "suck hour"
- a spy who assumes seven different guises to spy on people during a cocktail party (among other things) - his perspective is filtered through the lens of his assumed identity -
You could check out Pirate Prentice's banana breakfast, which is kind of a party, in Gravity's Rainbow. The absurd abounds in these.
Ellis has been mentioned a lot. I'll mention him more. The Halloween party in Lunar park.
"Bright Lights, Big City" maybe?
"Bright Lights, Big City" maybe?
Is that a pretty good novel? I have yet to read it, or any of his work for that matter.
I'll join the bandwagon and reference Ellis as well...Glamorama has a bunch of different club scenes. Very different from the Halloween party in Lunar Park or the Christmas party in Rules of Attraction, but it's got the "hustle and bustle" style that you were looking for.
I read it mostly because I want to see how 2nd person point of view is woring in practice. Overall, not great or one of my favourites but I like that kind of stories so I enjoyed it.
On the Road has plenty of wild party scenes.
