NOW FREE: There is a key moment in a writer's life when you stop writing in the style you consider novels should sound like, and start writing to entertain yourself.
More prescriptive ? Ignore him. Your questions or often one word responses to my writing made me spend hours considering what you meant - making me think for myself. Your supervision made me a better writer and helped me get a distinction in my MA - my book may not be published…yet… but it is definitely better for your encouraging approach and sharing of knowledge and experience - it didn’t feel overtly like teaching and was all the better for it.
Oh Hanif! You're not only a great writer, but a gifted teacher, your words sharp, succinct and widening the lens, and now a mantra pasted on my computer: "Take any descriptive sentence in your draft and ask: Is it placing the reader, embodying action, situating character, carrying evidence, revealing a relationship or tracking thought?" If not, rewrite. Yes! Thanks! I will 🙏
There comes a time "when you stop writing in the style you consider novels should sound like, and start writing to entertain yourself.
Maybe I'm naive but I couldn't consider trying to write in any other way than to (try) and entertain myself, perhaps under the illusion that if it entertains me then it might entertain others?
I agree with Charmi writing about descriptive sentences. His sentence says more than of the pages I have read from companies aiming to help publish a novel
Really enjoyed this piece. I do think description can also used for pacing, but even then, it must be intentional and not just a moment of listening to one's words.
I enjoyed your nuanced approaches to description here; the appreciation of how one writer may integrate complex, imaginative description to build tension or mood, while for another a pared down approach works better. I understand from this that verbal decoration for the sake of showing a few deft skills with words, or just to add detail on detail, is often superfluous and a lot to wade through!
"When you’re revising descriptive passages in prose, read them as if you were operating a camera." -- super useful. Related to this, I'm taking away from this that a good prose writer does the work of sets, costume, lighting, and other departments. A mediocre screenwriter tries to do the same.
I read Cat's Eye by Atwood when I was young and I remember wondering why she describes everything in such painful detail. Your McCarthy example brought her to mind. I think Hilary Mantel had mentioned somewhere that description in itself doesn't mean anything unless it is from the pov of the character. And that sits good with what you say here.
What a gift you are giving us here. 'The American, with his clean socks and unopened textbooks' sits as well as McCarthy's clear colour-drenched prose. One gives us clues to character and national naivety, the other the atmosphere in which the characters exist.
More prescriptive ? Ignore him. Your questions or often one word responses to my writing made me spend hours considering what you meant - making me think for myself. Your supervision made me a better writer and helped me get a distinction in my MA - my book may not be published…yet… but it is definitely better for your encouraging approach and sharing of knowledge and experience - it didn’t feel overtly like teaching and was all the better for it.
Oh Hanif! You're not only a great writer, but a gifted teacher, your words sharp, succinct and widening the lens, and now a mantra pasted on my computer: "Take any descriptive sentence in your draft and ask: Is it placing the reader, embodying action, situating character, carrying evidence, revealing a relationship or tracking thought?" If not, rewrite. Yes! Thanks! I will 🙏
There comes a time "when you stop writing in the style you consider novels should sound like, and start writing to entertain yourself.
Maybe I'm naive but I couldn't consider trying to write in any other way than to (try) and entertain myself, perhaps under the illusion that if it entertains me then it might entertain others?
Exactly cant stand the unecessary bits and just ignore them meaning ı dont even read them😅
This is great. Thanks 🍎
Thank you, your single sentence about descriptive sentences says more than pages I have read by companies aiming to help publish my work
I agree with Charmi writing about descriptive sentences. His sentence says more than of the pages I have read from companies aiming to help publish a novel
Really enjoyed this piece. I do think description can also used for pacing, but even then, it must be intentional and not just a moment of listening to one's words.
Working on my first, I appreciate all the knowledge I can get. Enjoyed your memoir Shattered.
I enjoyed your nuanced approaches to description here; the appreciation of how one writer may integrate complex, imaginative description to build tension or mood, while for another a pared down approach works better. I understand from this that verbal decoration for the sake of showing a few deft skills with words, or just to add detail on detail, is often superfluous and a lot to wade through!
"When you’re revising descriptive passages in prose, read them as if you were operating a camera." -- super useful. Related to this, I'm taking away from this that a good prose writer does the work of sets, costume, lighting, and other departments. A mediocre screenwriter tries to do the same.
I read Cat's Eye by Atwood when I was young and I remember wondering why she describes everything in such painful detail. Your McCarthy example brought her to mind. I think Hilary Mantel had mentioned somewhere that description in itself doesn't mean anything unless it is from the pov of the character. And that sits good with what you say here.
Thank you for this piece!
I enjoyed reading this. Lot’s to take in. I do tend to ramble on about things in detail. Thank you for laying it out. :)
What a gift you are giving us here. 'The American, with his clean socks and unopened textbooks' sits as well as McCarthy's clear colour-drenched prose. One gives us clues to character and national naivety, the other the atmosphere in which the characters exist.
How true! I was reminded of the parrot in "Un coeur simple"., in a story otherwise rather spare when it comes to descriptions. :)
What a brilliant description of writing description. Thank you.