Monday, April 09, 2007
The Devil's In The Details. Or Is It?
While reading today, and rolling my eyes for the fiftieth time after yet another paragraph re-describing the minute details of scenery, I began to wonder something. When does a novel cross the line from being informative into eye-roll territory?
My own writing style is minimal on the details. I tend to lean toward short and tight descriptions instead of long, flowery diatribes about what things look like. At least, when it comes to the descriptions I do. When I'm describing characters, I want things to be a bit more juicy. ;)
Now I know this is different for everyone, but I think, give me the basics of the every day stuff, a little more detail on anything weird that a normal person wouldn't be able to clearly visualize, and then move on. Absolutely no repeats of the same thing, ever. What do you all think?
My own writing style is minimal on the details. I tend to lean toward short and tight descriptions instead of long, flowery diatribes about what things look like. At least, when it comes to the descriptions I do. When I'm describing characters, I want things to be a bit more juicy. ;)
Now I know this is different for everyone, but I think, give me the basics of the every day stuff, a little more detail on anything weird that a normal person wouldn't be able to clearly visualize, and then move on. Absolutely no repeats of the same thing, ever. What do you all think?
Labels: Mandi Monday
¶ posted at 9:59 AM by Amanda Young
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I can get behind a more descriptive style if it is consistent and well-phrased. These days I use far less description than I used to and wonder if I have gone too far.
The only thing that really bothers me is great lumps of description in the middle of an action scene so that I can barely keep track of what is going on.
The only thing that really bothers me is great lumps of description in the middle of an action scene so that I can barely keep track of what is going on.
I prefer "economical" writers. A good example is, Lee Child. His books convey a lot about the scene and the characters without describing every leaf on the tree or every building.
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