Have you ever had a friend tell you a story that started something like this...?
"OMG, you won't believe what happened. Last Saturday, Luke and I went out- wait, was it last Saturday or last Sunday? I got my nails done on Saturday, oh yeah, so it must have been Sunday- and we ran into this old friend of his from California- wait, or was it Arizona? He seemed really tan, so it could have been either one, I guess..."
And all the while, you're thinking "GET TO THE POINT ALREADY!" while keeping your smile plastered firmly in place. You were sucked in with the enthusiastic "OMG!" and then the story was derailed with a bunch of detail that you didn't need or care about. So what if it was Sunday or he was from Arizona? Tell me what happened! That's what we really want to know.
And yet, when we sit down to write a story, we think it's all-important to set the scene, to give the reader insight into the character, to bog it down with back story. And that's just what happens.
The story- the OMG story- gets bogged down in all that muck.
I'm working on edits now and am going to keep this idea in the forefront of my mind, to help with pace and YA voice.
How would this thinking help you in your writing?
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Remember Mr. King's advice when editing: kill your darlings. Sometimes you have to.
ReplyDeleteI often tell people to give me the Reader's Digest condensed verion. Or I'm like Joe Friday from Dragnet - just the facts ma'am
ReplyDeleteThat's a great way of putting it, and an easy way to self-critique when you have those moments where you're so bogged down by the process that you can't always tell if you've gone slap-happy with the exposition or now. I like it. Take a step back and see if you're getting right to the OMG!
ReplyDeleteHa ha! Usually I have the opposite problem. I am so into dialogue, the moment and making it move that I forget about all the little details.:) Which is reason 23 of 101 reasons why self-editing sucks.
ReplyDeleteDon't we all know someone just like that? Haha!! Your post made me laugh. Great reminder to get to the point when we write! I'm the opposite. I write the story, and then I have to go back and add details and more description.
ReplyDeleteThis helps me SO SO much. I have this really bad habit of starting a project with all this backstory. I had like three or four paragraphs before anything was said in one of my WIPs, and I guess that would be okay but it's not that kind of book. I realized how BORING it would be because, yes, get to the point already!!
ReplyDeleteGreat comments, everyone! I love to see how people approach writing and to come together to share insights in our little blogging community. You rock!
ReplyDeleteOh, and Annie has chided me that I didn't actually provide an OMG story so now I have to go work on that... hahahaha
Cyndi
I Completely agree! Beginning details really bog down a story when they can easily be left out or sprinkled through the narrative. What I tend to do with rough drafts is excise the first two paragraphs, regardless of what's in them, and go editing from there.
ReplyDeleteThis is confirmation. I've been thinking a lot about this and trying to lessen my word count. Just this morning I wrote and then deleted a couple of paragraphs that did not push the story forward. Thanks for the reminder. I know I'm on the right track.
ReplyDeleteI am reading a book (by a famous author) with that exact problem. I am having to skim through the never-ending descriptions of the sunsets and weather, and everything else. I agree, let's get to the point already!
ReplyDeleteJust an opinion from a reader, not a writer :)
Yup. I gotta admit, that's my main beef with most popular fiction.
ReplyDelete"Joe threw a punch. And he missed. Then Ethan threw a punch and he hit Joe square in the face. Joe fell back, as he tried to throw another punch himself. He missed again. Ethan came at him. Joe braced himself. They both threw punches while Dara looked on..."
Goddammit. Just tell me that Joe and Ethan got into it over a girl and, before long, Ethan got the upper hand, even though Joe was in the right with said girl.
I know this totally goes against the "show don't tell rule" but, manalive, we need to get things moving here. What's the bloody bottom line to the scene?
Perfect example! I'm also trying to edit and make sure I stay with the OMG moment. It's hard because I've almost looked at it TOO many times. This is a great tip and I will be thinking about all through revisions! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteSometimes too much detail isn't a good thing!!
ReplyDeleteAgree! I get frustrated when there's too much detail getting in the way of the story.
ReplyDeleteI find it can be tricky, tho, to hit that delicate balance of 'just enough' info. It really is the editing that keeps it in check.
I like your phrase: 'Get to the point'. Going to keep that one in mind as I work today.
Thanks!
Julie Johnson
busywriting.net
Something to brighten your day; I have awarded you The One Lovely Blog award. You can check out and pick up the award at: http://afstewartblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/blog-award-has-been-bestowed.html
ReplyDeleteYour example made me smile, because I have a friend who talks superfulously. Her circular conversations have me wanting to cut in and have her wrap up the story. Self-editing is definitely not a strong point for me, but I am working in it! @andreager on Tw
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about getting to the story, but actually, loved the voice of the dialogue. I know a girl who talks like that, and I could listen to her talk for hours about nothing at all because she's so highly amusing.
ReplyDelete