Working Past Wordiness For Fresher Writing
…description of “sun-ripened” mangoes and “sweet-smelling” air are not only longer, but lamer, than Roy’s. Unnecessary adjectives and adverbs. When it comes to description, sometimes less is more. My use…
…description of “sun-ripened” mangoes and “sweet-smelling” air are not only longer, but lamer, than Roy’s. Unnecessary adjectives and adverbs. When it comes to description, sometimes less is more. My use…
…the most important moments in dialogue is what isn’t said. What Isn’t Said: Subtext in Dialogue. Author Culture Try using an ambiguous ending to create a plot twist (often works…
…insight, a piece of striking dialogue—those are what I call “pow” moments. They sometimes defy description. They just are. But in any case, it’s sometimes these moments that transform a…
…chores around the house. You haven’t found the balance between art and craft. Writing is an art, but it also involves skills. Creativity can be innate, but skills are learned…
…too much in the character’s head during an action scene. It is not a time for internal dialogue unless that dialogue plays with the actions. Here’s an example: She trembled…
…Kya’s dialogue and those of the other southern characters, made this book unputdownable. I cannot recommend it highly enough, especially to anyone struggling with adding voice to their story. Here…
…We won’t know who’s speaking or why we should care. Excessive description. Some description is good, but not when it’s long winded. Skip the purple prose and opt for something…
…their struggles apart, we won’t want to cheer for them, and might not care enough to keep reading. Unrealistic dialogue. Overuse of speech tags like “she hissed,” “he snapped,” “she…
…teacher, the vast and icy distance between mother and daughter becomes unbridgeable. (Quoted from: Elizabeth Strout’s website) What I loved about it: From its description, you might think Amy and…