cj Sez: My first drafts are crappy and sparse, mainly for
two reasons: First, I was once a corporate journalist/editor with limited line
space, and second, I got turned on to creative writing by a screenwriter. (I
won’t delve into my brain cramps and writer’s blocks.) I often get criticized
for my lack of details
I do incorporate some action descriptors, but I consider too many of them stage
direction. Some writers use them to “tell” their readers what to think or as a way
to add words to a short manuscript.
Action needs to have purpose. If describing an action
doesn't contribute to the reader's knowledge of the character, scene conflict, or
mood, then it’s stage direction. Because I write mostly suspense
and thrillers, I have a minimalist approach to action … using few words speeds up
the pace and heightens the tension. On the other hand, readers of cozy
mysteries or more narrative-based novels want (and expect) to know every detail.
It’s a good way to control the pace of your novel. Even in
suspense and thrillers, there are places where the reader needs a respite from
the action. These would be the spots where I add more detail…or beats. Places
where I can reveal more of the characters’ growth, i.e., transformation, as the plot progresses.
Hint: Adding detail words slows the pace; being stingy speeds
it up.
When action is needed to set some
mood for the scene, then yes, I detail the action. Sometimes I add details to
slow the action and increase the tension. If I want a character to give the
reader a sense of impending danger and fear, then I add more description to the
action. I tend to follow the lead of my favorite authors...Robert
Parker, Stephen King, James Lee Burke...their succinct style of writing is what I like to
read, and it is this reader who is my target market.
Hint: Write what you like to read...for your target market.
When I write, I take my cues from screenwriting, except I’m
the actor. Since internal dialogue doesn't convert easily to the movie screen, I tend to develop most of the characterizations within action. I
step through the scene in my mind and react to the events as my characters
would, physically and mentally. I can do that because I know their
personalities well enough to know what they would do in a given situation. I
want my readers to identify the character more by what s/he does and says
rather than what I might tell them (aka author intrusion).
Fiction, non-fiction, whatever the genre, each has a different set of “rules” because the readers have different expectations and
wants. The key is to write for your target market . . . and make that the genre you
read and analyze. Over time, the structure of the genre will become second nature, and your
writing will be even more successful.
If you have any questions or more info to add to this post,
please leave a comment. Lyrical Pens would love to hear from you.
Okay, that’s all folks. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and
I’ll try to do the same.
cj
cjpetterson@gmail.com
Good post! I try to write in detail on my first draft, but my writing always comes up short and I find plenty of stuff to add.
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