The Invention of Hugo Cabret was a colossal breakout hit for the already refined author Brian Selznick back in 2007. Not only did he create an enchanting story, he also bordered on damn near birthing an entirely new genre! Now, some may argue that point with a misguided dismissal: “It’s an illustrated novel. How is that new?” To those I retort, just go read the book. Not only will you marvel at Hugo’s story, you will also get lost in Selznick’s gorgeous detailed sketches… a misnomer he made work.
But we aren’t here for Hugo today! Today, we are to be wonderstruck!
I finished reading this ten pound tome (slight exaggeration) a couple nights ago with some rough northeastern thunderstorms thrashing around outside my bedroom window. As lightning plays a big part in the book, I was, predictably, enchanted by the coincidence. Then again, it doesn’t take much of a chance encounter to enchant me. Bygones. Wonderstruck is a delight.
There are two stories here, folks. One is told in text, the other in the aforementioned, hypnotizing, pencilled-in style. The text takes place in 1977. The drawings, 1927. The words tell the story of Ben, a young boy who is struck by the recent loss of his mother. The art tells the story of Rose, a girl who is struck by the recent realization that her mother is somewhat of a loss. Though 50 years separates them, these two kids have much in common. As both of their stories progress, we learn that, among other things, they are both deaf. In an interview with Publisher’s Weekly, Selznick said, “I had met deaf people who told me the thing they liked most about Hugo was the silence. Even when you’re reading words, you hear those words in your head but telling a story through pictures, there’s a feeling of silence about that and they really liked that.”
You’d have to be quite an uncaring reader not to like that quote! Here’s another:
“One of the things I love most about writing and illustrating,” Selzinck says in the book trailer’s video (see below), “is simply telling a story about characters that you care about and having it unfold in a surprising, interesting, hopefully exciting way. I write about things I love.”
Selznick is able to write (and illustrate) such touching novels because he practices what he preaches. He writes what he loves and in this case he loves a very prominent setting in his book, the American Museum of Natural History. In Wonderstruck’s acknowledgements, he says as much. And he pays homage to AMNH (and all museums for that matter) in his writing but even more so in his explicitly researched, detailed illustrations.
The only negative thing I can say for this book is that, like Hugo, the pencil drawings do have a certain texture about them that make a dainty reader’s fingers feel yucky. That’s hardly anything to gripe about though and it’s a pitiful problem that can be solved by some simple, well-mannered hand-washing, you heathen! Two dirty thumbs up!
Oh, and one final thing, it’s not available on your Kindle. Boo. But honestly, I wouldn’t want to read Selznick’s novels on an e-reader. I can’t say that about many other authors. Selznick is truly a one-of-a-kind gem who is well worth your investment in an actual printed BOOK here in 2012.
Today’s writing tip:
Take it from Selznick—write what you love.
If you want to be in business for yourself as a freelancer, you’re going to have to get a grip on your most rational and clear-thinking self. That’s the You you want steering the boat. There is no room for self-doubt or wishy-washiness here. You see, contrary to popular belief, freelancing is not all about the writing. If it were, your multi-shaded personality might be just fine masked behind those carefully crafted, written words of yours. Unfortunately, the writing is only half of it. And in order to get to that half (the fun half), you must first make your connections, be pleasant, charming, sell yourself! Ahh, there You are again. Is your smile polished? Are you confident? Stutter-free? Ready and rarin’ to go? The client will smell self-doubt a mile away. Kick that Unsure You to the curb! Bring your A+ Game! If you misstep, so what? Brush it off and get back in there. Whichever You you’ve chosen, make it the best. Put your worries away for another day. In fact, stash them so far up in your brain’s attic that you can’t hardly even remember what they are! The point is that maybe “be yourself” isn’t the best advice you can implement when navigating the choppy waters of Freelancia. Perhaps a better way to approach things is to “be the best yourself there is.” In fact, that’s pretty good advice for all your life’s 
