Perfect: "A book is working with the tide. A short story is catching a promising wave." Love it.
I can't tell you how many authors have a standard, rote paragraph every time a new character walks into a seen: Name, Age, Height, Fitness, Hair and "piercing blue eyes." Jesus. Like every third character has those eyes anymore. Seeing a lot of this reading for the BookLife Prize.
Character physical descriptions always feel flat to me, extensive ones, I mean. Saying "he wore his dark hair a little too long" works, because it hints at personality, but otherwise, yes, such a tired cliché, the old-timey romance trope.
I’m a big fan of books that reveal the main character’s background secrets slowly. As a writer, it’s hard to do. I’ve got this wonderful character, and I want to tell the reader everything! But what kind of movie would Citizen Kane have been if we’d learned the secret of Rosebud before the final scene?
It's tempting, isn't it? We have all that inside knowledge wanting to come out, and yet, we know that it would probably bore the hell out of the reader if we dumped it out all at once. Love needs mystery to blossom, right?
I'm a big believer in voice, attitude, style, whatever you want to call it. In the best novels voice is overwhelming, and dictates how info is released.
You’re right. Of course you’re right. Great advice but I feel like I need to review everything I’ve ever written and critique through a new lens. Thanks.
Perfect: "A book is working with the tide. A short story is catching a promising wave." Love it.
I can't tell you how many authors have a standard, rote paragraph every time a new character walks into a seen: Name, Age, Height, Fitness, Hair and "piercing blue eyes." Jesus. Like every third character has those eyes anymore. Seeing a lot of this reading for the BookLife Prize.
Character physical descriptions always feel flat to me, extensive ones, I mean. Saying "he wore his dark hair a little too long" works, because it hints at personality, but otherwise, yes, such a tired cliché, the old-timey romance trope.
Martine, enjoyed this smart and insightful piece. Good luck with the Smashwords promotion too. - Jim
Thank you, Jim!
I’m a big fan of books that reveal the main character’s background secrets slowly. As a writer, it’s hard to do. I’ve got this wonderful character, and I want to tell the reader everything! But what kind of movie would Citizen Kane have been if we’d learned the secret of Rosebud before the final scene?
It's tempting, isn't it? We have all that inside knowledge wanting to come out, and yet, we know that it would probably bore the hell out of the reader if we dumped it out all at once. Love needs mystery to blossom, right?
I'm a big believer in voice, attitude, style, whatever you want to call it. In the best novels voice is overwhelming, and dictates how info is released.
You’re right. Of course you’re right. Great advice but I feel like I need to review everything I’ve ever written and critique through a new lens. Thanks.