Skip to main content

Being All Powerful--NOT

Image
By
Good Morning,

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend. Mine was pretty good. Not real eventful (other than the fact my husband got annoyed with football, but since I don't really follow football that much, I didn't have as emotional reaction to the Miami Hurricanes losing or the Texans losing). Sports aren't my forte...well, I do like baseball. That's pretty cool...although my team didn't do so well this season *insert puckered lower lip here*.

However, I'm not going to talk about the strengths and weaknesses of a particular team, I'm going to bring it closer to home:

A writer's weaknesses.
Of course, none of us want to think about them. We'd rather overcome them. Which, is exactly what a writer should do to improve one's writing. However, before you overcome them, you have to recognize them. Admit to yourself what points are your strongest and what points aren't.
For me, I tend to go heavy on the dialogue and not so much on description. I know books need a balance of the two, but I find myself wanting to focus more on what the characters are thinking and doing rather than the descriptions of things.
However, writers need to "anchor" their readers. Unless it's one of those books where "floating around in the dark" is important, a reader needs to know where the character is and have some idea of what the surroundings look like (or are, for that matter).
It's not that I don't like describing things, it's just that I don't want to go overboard. I want to make sure that I have a balance. Make sure my characters and readers are anchored in the scene, but also without going to extremes.
Writers have to make sure they place the character and reader firmly in the scene. Sometimes surroundings are important to influencing the action or even the dialogue. So we need descriptions. Which is why I have to remind myself to use description as well as action and dialogue. Make the story, the characters real.
So, what's your weakness? What is it that you have to remind yourself to do?
Have A Melodious Monday!
Labels:

Comments

Laura Martone said…
Hi, Bethany! I found your blog through JJ's (at least, I think I did) - so I thought I'd say hello!

As for my writing weaknesses, oh, I imagine they're too numerous to list here. But the biggest is the opposite of yours - too much description, not enough action and dialogue. I take the literary fiction genre a little too seriously, if'n you know what I mean.

At least that's what my beta readers have told me. ;-)
Monday, 28 September, 2009
Ciara Gold said…
I share your weakness, Bethany. I love writing the dialogue more than the other, so I have to force myself to go back during edits and add the internal dialogue and descriptions. But I think the reason I do this is because that's how I read. I tend to "skim" the description and internal just to read the dialogue. Well written dialogue can actually give you a sense of the other. So - hence another weakness unveiled, albeit a reading one and not a writing one. LOL
Tuesday, 29 September, 2009
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

It's Worth A Fortune

By
Happy Tuesday Everyone, Does anyone remember the song If I Had A Million Dollars by Barenaked Ladies ? I can't remember when or how I was first introduced to this song, but it's a fun song. So, how about if you had a million dollars? What would you do with it? Of course there's the responsible things to do with a million dollars--pay off debts, and such like that. Then there's the question of whether or not you give to charities, and how much. But, suppose you answered all those questions and you still had quite a lot left; what would you do with it? Maybe I'd go to Disney World. I've wanted to go, and I've never been able to. Or, perhaps I'd go to Germany and England, and Belgium (three of the countries my ancestors are from). Travel around seeing family and friends I don't see often. There's all kinds of possibilities. So, what about you? What would you do with a million dollars? Have A Tremendous Tuesday!
5 comments
Read more

Spotlight On Author: Loretta Wheeler

By
Happy Tuesday Everyone, There's a gem of an author I've had the privilege of coming across...I'm talking about my friend, Loretta Wheeler. She's a sweetheart and very talented author. I enjoyed her YA Paranormal novella, The Pan Man immensely. And, she also writes Romance. So without further ado, come into my parlor and meet Loretta Wheeler: Me:  In your YA novelette, The Pan Man , you mention Pan's looking for his long lost soul mate. What made you choose Pan out of all the Greek/Roman gods and goddesses? Loretta:  I chose the Greek god Pan, because of the connection with the music. I found later on in the story, (my stories take over and write themselves usually) it applied even more than I realized because of the band's name. I won't mention the name of the band in here, because it's part of the surprise ending. Me:  You're mostly known for your Romance stories. How would you describe your writing style? Hot, suspenseful, sensual, sw...
58 comments
Read more

Myths About Writers

By
Afternoon Folks, I thought we'd do a post to dispel some of the myths people seem to have about writers. I'll put the ones that first come to mind then y'all can chime in. Myth: Writing is a great way to make a lot of money. I'm not sure exactly how this one matriculated. Probably in the wake of some of the big best sellers (i.e. Stephen King, Anne Rice, Stephenie Meyer, JK Rowling, and the like) but most of the time writers put in more money for their writing than they do get out of it. Generally a writer doesn't make a ton of money unless somehow his/her book is a blockbuster hit and blasts through what the author owes in the advance (which is paid back to publishers through royalties). Most writers I've met and talked to are not millionaires. I'm not saying it can't happen, I'm saying it's not one of those things that's automatic. Myth: Writing Is Easy Anybody Can Do It. Okay, granted this isn't entirely a myth, but it's not ent...
4 comments
Read more