https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com
January 6, 2021 – first question of the new year: Being a writer, when you’re reading someone else’s work, what stops you from finishing a book/throws you out of the story/frustrates you the most about other people’s books?
This is easy – too much description, disallowing me to see the characters and settings with my insights and discriminate eyes. A tweak of a shoulder, a facial tic, and out-of-synch action says more than endless, deathless floral descriptions that overwhelm, clutter, and obviate action.
Actions speak louder than words.
Dialogue, and its tags, allow me to hear the characters. I see characters through other character’s eyes and that is satisfying to me. It allows me to be a detective as I weave my way through a read.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGJQPkfwlAc
Skip the endless description for the love of writing and this reader. Just say no – stop!
Hi, PJ! I’m glad you mentioned dialogue and its tags. Something that does frustrate me is when a writer doesn’t add enough tags. I’ll get lost and confused by who is speaking if too few tags are missing. That doesn’t knock me out of the book, but I do waste time going back and writing in the initials of the characters speaking. LOL Anal, I know. I hope you have lots of fun reading and writing in 2021.
we learn as we go – writing is great that way. There’s always something to learn and always a means to replenish one’s spirits…
Louise (my middle name) reading and writing were salvation in 2020 – and continue to be in 2021, as we await a coronavirus vaccine.
Haha! I said the same thing about description. For me, give a brief setting so I know where the character is, then get on with it. No flowery purple prose needed. It’s all about the developed characters for me.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! What if… covid was over
Exactly! That is one of the two things I listed. Tolkien is good at that – pages and pages of description that I just end up skipping.
Hey, ho and Happy New Year. I found this comment to my Sept. 2, 2020 co-host post in a spam folder – covid ghosts??
Email: alexjcavanaugh@earthlink.net
URL: http://alexjcavanaugh.com/
Comment:
It’s out now? Congratulations!
Great that your mother was such an inspiration.
Thanks for co-hosting today.