tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post5191010224800379400..comments2023-08-27T04:22:55.468-07:00Comments on The Literary Lab: When Less Becomes MoreUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-73784240324593937252009-06-18T21:16:37.304-07:002009-06-18T21:16:37.304-07:00Love the post. The green shirt part really hit me....Love the post. The green shirt part really hit me...I'll need to go back through to make sure my character is noticing as much or as little as would be appropriate for her.Joyce Wolfleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09078785682731583178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-77679429411299384602009-06-18T20:34:14.307-07:002009-06-18T20:34:14.307-07:00Glass Dragon,
Perhaps so, but I think the "...Glass Dragon, <br /><br />Perhaps so, but I think the "less is more" policy works best with human characters; fantasy beasts and races are more difficult to visualize for the average person.Bowmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11031226145526664876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-40644140369604827082009-06-18T18:05:54.081-07:002009-06-18T18:05:54.081-07:00This topic has actually been on my mind lately. I&...This topic has actually been on my mind lately. I'm reading Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe. He opens the story by minutely describing two relatively minor characters. And by minutely, I mean down to the name of the hapless beast whose hide now composes their footwear. Okay, maybe not that minutely. But still! Jane Austen, on the other hand, hardly describes her characters physical appearance at all, and yet I had clear pictures of many of them, even before seeing any film adaptations. (I love Jennifer Ehle, but I still mentally picture Lizzy as a blonde!)<br /><br />Despite the ample descriptions Sir Walter Scott gives his characters, I find Austen's more memorable. If you let the reader paint their own picture, it will often be more vivid than one you painstakingly try to describe to them. In this case, less is definitely more!Glass Dragonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15671548214638835932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-83042594527012659952009-06-18T16:28:12.506-07:002009-06-18T16:28:12.506-07:00I admit that I have a hard time focusing. Fluff i...I admit that I have a hard time focusing. Fluff is so much fun!Mariah Irvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15181111151756005743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-57117739294944956512009-06-18T14:48:04.294-07:002009-06-18T14:48:04.294-07:00Things do get out of focus from time to time. My f...Things do get out of focus from time to time. My first draft tends to be sparing with details. The second draft always has too many. And somewhere about draft 5 I get the balance right and can then work on making sure the emphasis on certain things is right.<br /><br />It's hard for me because sometimes I need to underline a detail without actually hitting the reader over the head with it. A significant answer, foreshadowing, or a clue to the mystery that needs to be ephemeral but ever-present. <br /><br />And that's why I'm still editing, not published. It happens.Liana Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14587774916354749190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-26914837113584077042009-06-18T14:01:01.883-07:002009-06-18T14:01:01.883-07:00Give it back.Give it back.scott g.f.baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05726743149139510832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-52398172127673018412009-06-18T13:19:30.961-07:002009-06-18T13:19:30.961-07:00I take your meaning.I take your meaning.Bowmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11031226145526664876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-80055171872412198732009-06-18T11:49:09.625-07:002009-06-18T11:49:09.625-07:00Effective imagery! Yay, me! But good point, Davin,...Effective imagery! Yay, me! But good point, Davin, about not confusing style with fluff. We aren't obligated to reduce everything down to subject-verb-object sentences and scrub all the beauty and/or wildness from our prose.<br /><br />You have a very lean style that I like. It's clear, but not in any way bloodless. If you take my meaning.scott g.f.baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05726743149139510832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-7873643726783458692009-06-18T11:27:25.436-07:002009-06-18T11:27:25.436-07:00Excellent post! I will started editing my WIP soon...Excellent post! I will started editing my WIP soon and need to focus. Like Jody though, I think there is a fine line between saying too much and saying too little. It feels like walking on a balance beam.Sherrinda Ketchersidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07581676437345249386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-56204012551722459502009-06-18T11:24:42.092-07:002009-06-18T11:24:42.092-07:00What do you mean fluff isn't the same thing as...What do you mean fluff isn't the same thing as style? ;)<br /><br />Yeah, this is where I have to work hard to trim down to basics. My first drafts are always overwritten and gobbed with needless detail. But hey, that's what first drafts are for.Tere Kirklandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13562750950130316280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-52552530400198361522009-06-18T11:01:05.323-07:002009-06-18T11:01:05.323-07:00It is super hard to find the balance with showing ...It is super hard to find the balance with showing too much and too little. Knowing our scene goals can really help us focus.Jody Hedlundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12424307540530719614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-19842360354845385452009-06-18T10:33:38.354-07:002009-06-18T10:33:38.354-07:00Justus: If it's tense for you now, I think it&...<b>Justus:</b> If it's tense for you now, I think it'll probably work out!<br /><br /><b>Davin:</b> The thing to remember is what works for YOU and the STORY. If you like the way the story is focused and how it feels, don't add more just to please those who want more. When I first read your work, I had to get used to what you were doing - that didn't mean it was bad or too sparse; it's your style. However, if you get criticism that the story feels empty or that it doesn't make sense because you are missing certain details, then you might be running into a problem.<br /><br />A lot of times, I think the difference between rich and flowery is repetition. I do this too much - the extra gunk I'm always trying to get rid of.<br /><br />Yes, Scott's comment makes me feel the same way. Just don't give your story an acid bath, haha.Michelle D. Argylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09696465137285587646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-91999115736968443012009-06-18T10:30:06.398-07:002009-06-18T10:30:06.398-07:00Scott's comment makes me want to wash my manus...Scott's comment makes me want to wash my manuscript with soap and water.Davin Malasarnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09385823575081492949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-63408186762084193132009-06-18T10:24:43.153-07:002009-06-18T10:24:43.153-07:00For me, your last point is my biggest obstacle. Do...For me, your last point is my biggest obstacle. Don't confuse style with fluff. I tend to cut things down to the bare bones, and most often, the criticism I get is that my writing feels too rushed, perhaps to focused. My first writing teacher told me to create some room to breathe for the reader. I think it can be quite difficult to make decisions like this sometimes. We want the story to be rich, but not flowery.Davin Malasarnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09385823575081492949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-25168074724046595322009-06-18T10:18:53.015-07:002009-06-18T10:18:53.015-07:00I'm currently focusing on conflict, trying to ...I'm currently focusing on conflict, trying to increase the tension in every scene. It's a bit tense for me, as well as for the characters, but I think it'll work out in the end. If not, I can ride uncle's coattails to glory! Writing's a team sport!Bowmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11031226145526664876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-70001808550951438642009-06-18T10:14:37.280-07:002009-06-18T10:14:37.280-07:00Tess: You're welcome! I agree that this is eas...<b>Tess:</b> You're welcome! I agree that this is easier said than done. Believe me, I know all too well the pain from cutting a beautiful scene that doesn't add anything to the story. Most of the time, the scene contains one tiny grain of importance, and I try to put that in somewhere else.<br /><br /><b>Elana:</b> Haha, I knew you used lots of details like the color of T-shirts because I do the same thing! Oftentimes colors mean specific things in my story, so I have to be very carefuly about where I place those colors.<br /><br /><b>Scott:</b> Thank you. Yes, I do think it is tricky to find a comfortable balance. What I've found, however, is that even outlining a story to death still doesn't help me with this. I have to just write it all and then go back and cut. Do you find the same thing happening with your writing? Because I know you outline a lot!<br /><br />Funny how the actual writing process changes things.<br /><br /><b>Orange Cat:</b> Oh, I'm with you ALL the way! This is my third third novel, and I'm discovering that my first draft is usually an experiement - like a huge complicated outline. It works best to throw the thing out and write a second one from scratch. Why? Because that first draft was where I followed tangents and discovered amazing things! I'm not sure if every novel will be this way, but it's how things have worked so far.<br /><br /><b>Lois:</b> I think one of the keys to finding that balance is realizing the improtance of a well-placed word, phrase, sentence, scene, character... Oftentimes I feel like I have to drive a point home, when in reality, once I've said "blue" the reader will remember "blue" - I don't have to explain three more times in the next five pages. If that makes sense. :)Michelle D. Argylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09696465137285587646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-77342809477534165282009-06-18T10:11:16.113-07:002009-06-18T10:11:16.113-07:00This is a struggle for me as well. I keep wanting ...This is a struggle for me as well. I keep wanting to put more in, but I know that it's too much. Wordy me. It's funny. I never thought of myself as wordy until I started trying to write a novel. Now I know. The problem is finding the right balance. Like Scott said, "it's a constant struggle."lotusgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06663641163048764869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-89915560439163722322009-06-18T10:04:18.070-07:002009-06-18T10:04:18.070-07:00Pursue the tangents. Then edit.
You never know whe...Pursue the tangents. Then edit.<br />You never know where you might end up.Rohanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15788970854775804701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-26427747702467354182009-06-18T09:47:19.247-07:002009-06-18T09:47:19.247-07:00Michelle: Excellent post. I think a lot of times w...Michelle: Excellent post. I think a lot of times we clog up our stories and our prose with junk, and it's hard to see how to clean it up. In early drafts, I tend to overcomplicate things at the sentence level: "He wanted to be able to thank her for what she'd tried to do for him." That should be "He wanted to thank her." Similarly, the story gets gunked up with extra gobs of stuff, too. Multiple characters who all serve the same purpose, long and rambling scenes that can be condensed, that sort of thing.<br /><br />The danger is that you can go too far in this direction, and cut out too much, leaving nothing but a sketchy summary of the story. It's some tricky to find a comfortable balance. I fight an internal battle between clarity and dense, ornamented language. I don't know where my balance point is; it's a constant struggle.scott g.f.baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05726743149139510832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-28006973188617055882009-06-18T09:24:02.513-07:002009-06-18T09:24:02.513-07:00I do this all the time! The unfocusing bit, I mean...I do this all the time! The unfocusing bit, I mean. It's true that sometimes you just don't need a character, or else you need that character to DO something in the novel. I add a lot of details that aren't important, like the color of T-shirts. How did you know that?? Ha ha! I'm working on it. Always working on it.<br /><br />Good luck with your rewrites. :)Elana Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05877856005992028912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092805684169371138.post-19816084087411638752009-06-18T09:06:04.552-07:002009-06-18T09:06:04.552-07:00Well said! I think it is easier said than done, an...Well said! I think it is easier said than done, and it takes me a lot of review, stepping back, asking myself the 'too wordy' question to keep my work on the lean side.<br /><br />Great reminder today...thanks :DTesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10014195715998913268noreply@blogger.com