What not to write
I try to leave out the parts that people skip.
—Elmore Leonard
This has been one of my more treasured quotes, and very fitting. Writers tend to be indulgent creatures (especially during NaNo, where superfluous words are practically essential to writing). Sometimes I’ll spend three pages describing the city my story takes place in, because it’s so fascinating for me, as a writer, to work out all the details and explain miscellaneous things (like how the Starbucks the protagonist regularly visits has a chair in the corner permanently occupied by a cat).
However, no one who reads my story is really going to care; they’re more concerned with how often the protagonist goes to Starbucks, who she meets there, and how it’s relevant to the plot. Personally, if I were reading my stories, I’d just skip to the middle.
So as interesting as it is for me to get bogged down in minutiae, I’ve had to strike a compromise. These days, my rough drafts indulge in over-description. When I make my first editing pass, I strike out all the unnecessary passages.
I get to indulge myself and still write something that isn’t tedious to read. Bliss.
When you’re reading a story with great, personable, lively characters, you probably don’t stop to analyze every adjective the writer uses for them. However, you subconsciously register those words—and use them to figure out the personality of a character.
For example, take the sentence “Elinor snorted disbelievingly at his speech.” What does the verb ‘snorted’ mean to you? It probably gives a sense of someone pretty open and loud, not demure at all. ‘Disbelievingly’ may suggest a cynical character, suspicious of other people’s actions.
Now contrast your reaction to that sentence with what you understand from this one: “Elinor shook her head, looking unconvinced.” Much different, isn’t it? Elinor is a little more mild than the last one. These words suggest polite incredulity, not in-your-face disbelief.
However, both sentences say essentially the same thing. Elinor is skeptical. However, the traits the words used suggest give us two different personalities. Clearly, words can build a character.
“So where’s the writing tip?” you may be wondering. Here it is: when determining a character’s personality, make a list of verbs, adjectives, and adverbs that you feel describe the character well. For example, a curt, slightly rude advertisement executive might be assigned the verbs “stride”, to characterize his walking, and the adverb “brusquely”, to show how he talks to people. Such a sentence for this character might look like this: “Ben strode across the foyer, giving a brusque nod to a few of his colleagues as he passed by.”
This gives a much stronger impression than a simple “Ben walked across the foyer, acknowledging a few of his colleagues as he passed by.” And Ben’s personality shines through effortlessly.
Of course, you probably do this already. Why do you need to make a list of words you use for a character? Shouldn’t you know them well enough?
You should. However, the reader won’t. Maybe you’ve always imagined your hero is soft-spoken and shy around new people. Readers can’t imagine your hero’s voice like you can (and of course, you want to show his shyness, not tell it to the reader!) but you can get across a good impression. If he is ‘inaudible’ when speaking with unfamiliar people, or is ‘indistinct’ when he’s unwillingly making small talk, readers will draw the appropriate conclusion. Establishing words to use with a character, and using those words often, make a strong impression. Believe me: if you describe someone as talking with a drawl several times, I will remember.
Long story short: word choice matters. Get a character’s personality across effectively, and make a list of descriptive words to use with him or her.
I’m sure many people have wondered the same…
If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can’t it get us out?
—Will Rogers
It only seems logical…
Entering the blogging fray
It is a truth (almost) universally acknowledged, that a single writer in possession of a strong opinion must be in want of a blog.
I’m sure there are many theories about why certain people are compelled to write, but for me it’s very simple: they have something to say. I would know, being one of those people myself. The thing is, having something to say is not the same as actually saying it. You think about writing it down somewhere, and then it’s lunchtime. Afterwards, you do the laundry because you ran out of socks, but you get sidetracked by your favourite book from two years ago that just happens to be lying on the couch. And then for some unspecified reason you start organizing your sticky notes by date and it is all over, all over, for whatever you needed to say. Maybe you write it on a sticky note, but then the sticky note gets lost because your chronological order involves time travel.
DISCLAIMER: the tragic and lamentable story described above is not necessarily a tragic and lamentable story I myself have suffered. I admit to maybe doing this once or twice categorically deny I have ever gotten sidetracked by a favourite book. Except on rainy days.
However, all is not lost! Because the other thing about the Internet is: saying something is now just as easy as thinking it up in the first place. As a lifelong procrastinator, I decided I had no excuse to avoid publishing my opinions when it was so ridiculously, temptingly easy.
So here I am. And here you are, and I hope you’ll stay for my future posts, because if nothing else, they will be entertaining.
And that strong opinion? Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten it. It will be making regular appearances in my future posts, along with:
- witty, humorous, or painfully true quotes (on writing and life);
- detailed and well-researched…research, on writerly things;
- musings of an addicted mind on NaNoWriMo;
- and, of course, rants. About it’s/its mistakes, your/you’re mistakes…less common mistakes, too (‘effect’ v. ‘affect’) and how to avoid them.
However, all that is for another day. This morning, I noticed I was running short of socks.
