Highlights from the Superstars Writing Conference we attended in early February. But non-writers never fear - we include real-life lessons from the conference and pictures of the Chaos Critters!
I'd say Ray Porter's advice about giving important details up front. I hate info dumps, especially the multi-page ones, with a passion. 😠
Conversely, this causes me to go light on description. I have to apportion description through the manuscript, which means choosing which aspects to focus on from the beginning.
Getting the description-action balance is definitely a good thing to look at. Although, you have to admire the authors who can make you enjoy pages of description.
If they're that good, they should be sainted, IMHO. Because dropping multi-page info dumps on me, is a sure way for me to drop the book and author. Let my imagination fill in the blanks. 🙂
Yes, but, it is a balance. You have to give enough to have some pictures of the person. Going through 120 pages and not having it clear that your character was from a different country with a different accent and has a complete different background... Means the basics aren't there.
You can do anything by not everything. Having a roadmap speeds things up, so set expectations and follow through, while planning for adversity and remember that grand people are everywhere.
Oh, my gosh, yes! Time is the dream killer...If I couldn't have the super power of cloning myself multiple times, Stopping or stretching time would be the next.
Thanks for sharing, Anna, Tod. 🙇♂️
I'd say Ray Porter's advice about giving important details up front. I hate info dumps, especially the multi-page ones, with a passion. 😠
Conversely, this causes me to go light on description. I have to apportion description through the manuscript, which means choosing which aspects to focus on from the beginning.
Getting the description-action balance is definitely a good thing to look at. Although, you have to admire the authors who can make you enjoy pages of description.
If they're that good, they should be sainted, IMHO. Because dropping multi-page info dumps on me, is a sure way for me to drop the book and author. Let my imagination fill in the blanks. 🙂
Yes, but, it is a balance. You have to give enough to have some pictures of the person. Going through 120 pages and not having it clear that your character was from a different country with a different accent and has a complete different background... Means the basics aren't there.
Point. My tastes and biases were formed from reading Roger Zelazny, so I like tight, almost strait-jacket, description.
Tight can be good. It just is a matter of clarity.
You can do anything by not everything. Having a roadmap speeds things up, so set expectations and follow through, while planning for adversity and remember that grand people are everywhere.
Yes! I totally feel like so much of it applied to my every day life and not just my writing.
And I think the hardest to remember is the first one " you can do anything, but not everything."
It is because of that pesky thing called time...
Oh, my gosh, yes! Time is the dream killer...If I couldn't have the super power of cloning myself multiple times, Stopping or stretching time would be the next.