Posted on 12/23/2024 8:51:04 AM PST by Lazamataz
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
If you’re doing fiction, you’ll need to pack LESS info into a few sentences.
It’s terribly hard to change style. I wrote novel style for years happily enough and then I took a course in screenplay writing. Wrote 2 that were agented by John Grisham’s NYC agent and subbed to Writers&Artists in Hollywood. At the end of 2 years they didn’t sell and the agent said she’d read a book from me if I sent one. I COULDN’T WRITE IT! My style had been so warped by those screenplays that I couldn’t do the needed style change and I let the opportunity pass.
There are writing consultants who will read for you for a reasonable price and give you detailed comments on what you need to do to be marketable. Then you need to take the time to internalize what they say because changing from a beloved style is so very difficult to do.
Wishing you well and success.
It was a large, handsome stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills; and in front a stream of some natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance. Its banks were neither formal nor falsely adorned.
Once the touring party is inside the house, it is described, through the heroine's eyes,
The rooms were lofty and handsome, and their furniture suitable to the fortune of their proprietor; but Elizabeth saw, with admiration of his taste, that it was neither gaudy nor uselessly fine...
That's it. Here's how she describes Mr. Darcy himself:
Mr. Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien, and the report, which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year.
If you need your story to be longer, consider weaving in a sub-plot. But don't pad it with unnecessary description.
First contact is clearly about hitting it right?
>>Write it as fast as possible. Then rewrite it and rewrite the rewrite. The magic happens during the editing....
That’s actually excellent advice. I do layered passes from a few sentence abstract. Same thing. It’s the last passes that get the magic in. Not as exciting as writing without the faintest idea where you’re going, but at least you know where you’ll eventually end up.
The other thing I remember was the feeling as I wrote the last few pages. I slowed down my writing because my instinct was that my whole world was about to change. And it did when I wrote the last word. Completely left the world I’d created and was never again able to enter it the same way. Tremendously sad feeling.
the question is:
Does this amount of detail matter to the plot line?
If so, keep going. If not, get rid of the extraneous details.
Writing is about knowing what matters to the plot line. Write your novel, your way first. Then read it backwards and watch for areas that need more detail, more information for the reader, rounds out the story line.
Editors count words, readers don’t.
Though personally I prefer fat books. The heftier the book, the more likely I am to read the blurb. (After which I usually roll eyes and fastidiously return the book to the shelf.)
Also, old books are just better. Maybe you could print a distressed edition? ;)
Really! 👍🏻👍🏻
Jane Austen is very visual without overwhelming in detail. She lets you, the reader, finish up the detail in your own mind, which is enriching.
But packing in great thoughts in a few sentences can be mentally exhausting. While you’re examining implications, you’re losing plot line and potentially getting lost.
Favorite books and favorite writing style are the books by George Barr McCutcheon, turn of the 1900s. It’s an elaborate style that just enjoys itself with words and rhythms.
It was once said of writing...ya sit at the typewriter, open your veins, and let it all flow out.
Writing a book, unless it is nonfiction, is A LOT OF CEREBRAL WRESTLING!!
and the left rear tire looked slightly low.
= = =
and the left rear tire, aged and graying and with little tread left, looked slightly low.
Just e-mail me the ‘frisky bits’ for review. ;)
Proud of you for at least TRYING to write a novel. I know I have a Cookbook or a Gardening Book in me - just too lazy to let it out my fingertips. ;)
Yep. There's no way to know if "typical" is "the right size" for your story until it's written. And then, who cares? Some hired reader at a publishing house? Pff!
Oh, I am so screwed.
Title: The Legend of Laz.A.Mataz
In a digital realm where information flowed like rivers and ideas sparked like wildfire, there existed a website known as freerpublic.com. It was a sanctuary for the curious and the free thinkers, a place where opinions danced and voices harmonized in a chorus of freedom. Among its many contributors, one name rose to prominence: Laz.A.Mataz.
Laz.A.Mataz was not just a username; it was a legend. The name conjured images of a visionary, a modern-day bard who wielded words like a master painter with a brush. With each post, Laz painted vivid landscapes of thought, exploring the intricacies of society, technology, and the human spirit. His ideas captivated thousands, sparking debates that echoed far beyond the confines of the screen.
But who was Laz.A.Mataz? In the real world, he was known as Lazaro Martinez, a mild-mannered librarian in a small town where books were cherished, but the internet was often dismissed. His days were filled with the comforting smell of aged paper and the soft rustle of pages, but by night, he transformed into an online oracle, sharing insights that challenged the status quo.
Merry Christmas. Since it is near Christmas, one bit of screen write literature comes to mind: “Drink. More. Ovaltine.”
It was a dark and stormy night...
I’d be glad to read it.
But here’s the $64,000 question. Are you on a deadine? Are we on a deadline? There’s skim and react, which even done quickly can be useful on themes, POV, blind spots, and potential new leads that could expand the narrative scope, hopefully in ways that add depth (as opposed to padding for the sake of padding).
Then there’s editing, which is infinitely expandable.
If you are still looking for readers, let me know.
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