Comments on: Beijing Duck Soup! (A true story)

By: Kate

Kate — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:02:57 +0000

Loved your story! Many details brought back my year in China. Great writing. At some point I could tell it was not a true story, despite the title…but that didn’t take away from it. Who doesn’t love fiction?

By: Travel: The province of Zhejiang | CHINAYOUREN

Travel: The province of Zhejiang | CHINAYOUREN — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:04:56 +0000

[...] The ducks [...]

By: Uln

Uln — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:05:41 +0000

yinbin, read the comments above… it is fiction.

It was however inspired by fact. All the first half really happened, up to the point where I find a feather in their luggage. From then on, it gets a bit hazy… I think I might have drunk too much champagne in the Air France lounge…

By: yinbin

yinbin — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 01:48:50 +0000

Are you sure all this actually happened?

By: Beholder

Beholder — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 15:58:45 +0000

Uln, a very enjoyable piece of writing! I look forward to your next….

By: Uln

Uln — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 10:18:28 +0000

Thanks all for the comments!

@Alice: I am not sure I am really in a position to give advice, but I would say it does make sense to start with shorter things. It is not necessarily easier to write short stories than long ones, but it takes less time, and this gives you the chance to experiment more, and to learn by trial and error. If you do experiments in a long story, chances are you will get stuck, and that can be very discouraging if you have put in a lot of work into it.

By: Alice Poon

Alice Poon — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:16:30 +0000

Oops, there’s no such word as “trepidated”. I should have used the word “trepidant”.

BTW, I totally agree with you that writing fiction is a lot more difficult than writing opinion articles.

Alice

By: siutung

siutung — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:22:53 +0000

great story! i really really like it!

i haven’t had such an enjoyable read for quite some time (blog or non-blog)!!!!

By: Alice Poon

Alice Poon — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:11:09 +0000

I really like the story, in particular your plotting style – the way you build up tension in the early part. Incidentally, I’m also trying my hand at fiction for the first time, but have been feeling trepidated about how it will turn out, or whether I can do it at all. I’m wondering if it’s too ambitious to do novel-length writing for a neophyte like me. Any advice?

Alice

By: oiasunset

oiasunset — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:30:57 +0000

Very good story.

The key for foreigners to live in China and with Chinese people is not to take things too seriously because it is a country full of surprises and contradictions.

China is a big mess, but somehow it works (rather well).

By: Uln

Uln — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 06:55:57 +0000

Thanks for your comments!

Some parts of the story are actually true, although I did get a bit creative towards the end

Seriously though, it is the first time I try to write fiction in many years. I really enjoy it, but it is much more difficult than doing opinion articles.

If anyone else has been patient enough to read all the way to here, please give me your feedback, that will be very useful for the next time. thanks!

By: Nicki

Nicki — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:38:44 +0000

Great story! Loved it.