Response to: Reading Like A Writer, Pages 193-207
I found this chapter about details really interesting and relevant to how I write. Far too often I throw in details to get myself started writing or to create a setting. Whether it is helpful to get started, and I should just cut out the unnecessary parts when editing, or I should just try and keep it simple from the beginning, I now better understand I need to create simpler stories. This is explained more eloquently in one of the last paragraphs on page 201, in Chekov’s letters:
You understand it at once when I say, “The man sat on the grass.” You understand it because it is clear and makes no demands on the attention . . . it is not easily understood if I write, “A tall, narrow-chested, middle-sized man, with a red beard, sat on the green grass, already trampled by pedestrians, sat silently, shyly, and timidly looked about him.” That is not immediately grasped by the mind, whereas good writing should be grasped at once - in a second.
Another part of this chapter confused me however. When talking about how her son could only remember the details of a certain story and not the events or title, Prose said “One mark of the highly skilled and competent but less than first-rate writer is that we may vividly remember one detail from a novel but not the rest of the book, or even its title.” (Page 204) Why does this make a “less than first-rate writer”? I do think that it is important to remember the title and events of the story, but I can’t help but feel I am missing something. What exactly is Prose saying we, as writers, should grasp from what we read?
-Beth Bauler
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This chapter helped me out as well!! Often times I will find myself adding detail where it isn't at all necessary. This chapter reminded me of what my creative writing instructor told our class about using word economy. She used this example of what not to do: "She looked out the clear window and saw the green grass beneath the clear blue sky." We all know that a window is clear. That is the definition of a window. We all know the grass is green and that the sky is blue. Unless of course it is stormy out, in which case you wouldn't use the word "clear" to describe the sky. That lesson really opened my eyes to how much too much detail can take away from a story, and this chapter just reinforced what my instructor taught us.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting the way the author tried to explain that we can know something is true by the details. I always have a hard time knowing how much detail to include in my stories. For example, When I re-read my work, it always seems like I've included too much detail.
ReplyDeleteI tend to add detail where it isn't need as well.
ReplyDeleteEven a lie can be thought of as truth with enough support....
ReplyDeleteor details...
ReplyDeleteYeah, I don't get that whole bit about the distinction between good and great writers that she makes, and it seems to be a pretty broad generalization. And yes, Chekov makes a good point. A too-often sign of talented but untrained writers is a reliance on lengthy, florid description, which often comes off as, at best, filler, and at worst, narcissism.
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