Comments on: Working at what isn’t free http://pcwrede.com/blog/working-at-what-isnt-free/ Wed, 8 Feb 2012 02:46:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: pcwrede http://pcwrede.com/blog/working-at-what-isnt-free/comment-page-1/#comment-1209 pcwrede Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:35:56 +0000 http://pcwrede.com/blog/?p=150#comment-1209 Alex - It sound like a process thing, to me. I know a couple of writers who start with talking heads and then layer on everything else - thoughts, actions, emotions, description - sometimes very mechanically, one thing at a time, sometimes pretty much all at once in a second pass. It can be part of the difference between underwriting and overwriting - but it's not really a problem as long as you're aware of it and can put in the missing bits in the second or third draft. It also depends on your viewpoit character. My latest book has a narrator who is very internally oriented, which is aggravated by the fact that she's writing a memoir. So she doesn't provide a lot of physical description, and some readers really dislike that. There isn't much I can do about it, though; not without totally changing who she is and how she speaks. Sometimes, you just have to live with that. Alex - It sound like a process thing, to me. I know a couple of writers who start with talking heads and then layer on everything else - thoughts, actions, emotions, description - sometimes very mechanically, one thing at a time, sometimes pretty much all at once in a second pass. It can be part of the difference between underwriting and overwriting - but it’s not really a problem as long as you’re aware of it and can put in the missing bits in the second or third draft.

It also depends on your viewpoit character. My latest book has a narrator who is very internally oriented, which is aggravated by the fact that she’s writing a memoir. So she doesn’t provide a lot of physical description, and some readers really dislike that. There isn’t much I can do about it, though; not without totally changing who she is and how she speaks. Sometimes, you just have to live with that.

]]> By: green_knight http://pcwrede.com/blog/working-at-what-isnt-free/comment-page-1/#comment-1091 green_knight Wed, 02 Sep 2009 22:10:41 +0000 http://pcwrede.com/blog/?p=150#comment-1091 Alex, one thing that has helped me is to think of items and settings to have agenda, to make sure they don't just exist, stand, or are passively manipulated. 'The mountains rose from the plain' beats 'there were big mountains' every day. Alex, one thing that has helped me is to think of items and settings to have agenda, to make sure they don’t just exist, stand, or are passively manipulated. ‘The mountains rose from the plain’ beats ‘there were big mountains’ every day.

]]> By: Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome http://pcwrede.com/blog/working-at-what-isnt-free/comment-page-1/#comment-1085 Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:01:15 +0000 http://pcwrede.com/blog/?p=150#comment-1085 It's that I don't read description when I read books, so when I write I focus on the story, but sometimes it almost comes out as a movie script. Or I spend a lot of time inside the MC's head with their thoughts and emotions, which is what really interests me so I pay no attention to the surroundings. Description tends to pull me out of the story as I write it, but when I focus on the description I'm able to integrate it well, so it's not a technique thing - it's more an inability to focus on the two things at the same time. ;) It’s that I don’t read description when I read books, so when I write I focus on the story, but sometimes it almost comes out as a movie script.

Or I spend a lot of time inside the MC’s head with their thoughts and emotions, which is what really interests me so I pay no attention to the surroundings.

Description tends to pull me out of the story as I write it, but when I focus on the description I’m able to integrate it well, so it’s not a technique thing - it’s more an inability to focus on the two things at the same time. ;)

]]> By: pcwrede http://pcwrede.com/blog/working-at-what-isnt-free/comment-page-1/#comment-1076 pcwrede Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:33:08 +0000 http://pcwrede.com/blog/?p=150#comment-1076 Alex - Is it a technique problem - how to write description (without slowing down the story) - or is it the more fundamental problem of what to describe? Also, if you're used to writing strongly plot-driven things, you may need to do a different <em>kind</em> of story in order to really get some practice in on description. Or perhaps a different sort of viewpoint character - one who really notices and thinks about his/her surroundings. It depends on what you are trying to do (as always). Alex - Is it a technique problem - how to write description (without slowing down the story) - or is it the more fundamental problem of what to describe? Also, if you’re used to writing strongly plot-driven things, you may need to do a different kind of story in order to really get some practice in on description. Or perhaps a different sort of viewpoint character - one who really notices and thinks about his/her surroundings. It depends on what you are trying to do (as always).

]]> By: Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome http://pcwrede.com/blog/working-at-what-isnt-free/comment-page-1/#comment-1064 Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:27:36 +0000 http://pcwrede.com/blog/?p=150#comment-1064 Of course when I say the "easy part" for the story that's relative, because as I said in my comment to the last post the first draft is hard in comparison to getting the outline done. Of course when I say the “easy part” for the story that’s relative, because as I said in my comment to the last post the first draft is hard in comparison to getting the outline done.

]]> By: Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome http://pcwrede.com/blog/working-at-what-isnt-free/comment-page-1/#comment-1063 Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:24:36 +0000 http://pcwrede.com/blog/?p=150#comment-1063 I entered my current novel with an idea to get descriptive. I battled for a while with telling the story while being the descriptive and in the first draft I've decided to just get the story down (the easy part) then work like a dog understanding good story-integrated description. I entered my current novel with an idea to get descriptive. I battled for a while with telling the story while being the descriptive and in the first draft I’ve decided to just get the story down (the easy part) then work like a dog understanding good story-integrated description.

]]> By: green_knight http://pcwrede.com/blog/working-at-what-isnt-free/comment-page-1/#comment-1044 green_knight Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:40:16 +0000 http://pcwrede.com/blog/?p=150#comment-1044 I've always admired your willingness to venture into unsafe territory. It's a good policy to adopt. It's not just frightening (what if I can't get this to work) but also annoying when you have to learn to write all over - my insticts are off, my process is broken, my writing speed is glacial, and very little of the tips and tricks I've picked up work anymore. AMong other things, this is a book where the setting is tremendously important. The land - or rather guardian spirits tied to particular places - *is* a character, and without description there is no story. I can't do the usual layering thing where I sketch out dialogue and stage directions in first draft. And because it's alternate history I keep having to run to the library to acquire the knowledge I then need to twist sideways to fit into my alt-20th Century-with-Faerie. But it's great fun whenever it is working. I’ve always admired your willingness to venture into unsafe territory. It’s a good policy to adopt. It’s not just frightening (what if I can’t get this to work) but also annoying when you have to learn to write all over - my insticts are off, my process is broken, my writing speed is glacial, and very little of the tips and tricks I’ve picked up work anymore.

AMong other things, this is a book where the setting is tremendously important. The land - or rather guardian spirits tied to particular places - *is* a character, and without description there is no story. I can’t do the usual layering thing where I sketch out dialogue and stage directions in first draft. And because it’s alternate history I keep having to run to the library to acquire the knowledge I then need to twist sideways to fit into my alt-20th Century-with-Faerie.

But it’s great fun whenever it is working.

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