1. colorthemap

    colorthemap New Member

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    Too brief

    Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by colorthemap, Jul 14, 2011.

    I have found in my writing, that I am not writing too horribly, +1 to confidence.

    But I rush way too much, for example a scene I made to show the relationship between two siblings well, around 300 words.

    WTF are you doing brain?
     
  2. Venusian31

    Venusian31 New Member

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    I tend to write that way in first drafts, too. Many of my scenes are sparse and rushed because I'm trying to get everything in my head down as quickly as I can. When I go back to rewrite, that's when I fill everything out and add all the details that give the scenes more life. Early drafts are usually just a skeleton of what the final work will be.
     
  3. SWriter

    SWriter New Member

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    I often think that about my writing but I submitted something that I felt was a good example of being too brief for it to win first prize in a competition. Maybe youre being too critical of your own work? Others my find it snappy and fast paced rather than brief
     
  4. colorthemap

    colorthemap New Member

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    I dunno, I have massive plans for this novel(it is well my sort of star idea. so it will not be the first one, if I get any, published)

    So I worry about posting parts of it.

    I wonder how do people fill in the space.
     
  5. EdFromNY

    EdFromNY Hope to improve with age Supporter Contributor

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    A "scene" in a novel can be an entire chapter or it can be a single paragraph. But if your description of a relationship is only 300 words, perhaps your mistake is in describing it when you should be portraying it. Describing the relationship is telling, while portraying it is showing. Telling is fine if the nature of the relationship only impacts the action of your story tangentially, but if the relationship is central to the story, then showing will serve you far better.
     
  6. colorthemap

    colorthemap New Member

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    it is crucial to the first part of the story. But not as much later on I just fear this will be all of my scenes.
     
  7. andeee

    andeee New Member

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    Are you just unhappy with the word count? If the piece gets across the idea and does it quickly, that might not be a bad thing.

    It's hard for us to make suggestions without reading the piece, but I understand why you don't want to post it. You have to find out what you're lacking. You could have a friend read through it and get some feedback. Then, if your friend misses a particular point, you'll know where to focus when you revise it.

    It never hurts to read a bit and see how professional writers handle a scene...might spark the old lightbulb.
     
  8. whitefairy24601

    whitefairy24601 New Member

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    This happens often when I write. However, once I get myself to buckle down and edit, I find myself adding huge chunks of words to my stories! And anyways, you are the author. Look at some of the scenes in Holes, they are super short, but they work!
     
  9. colorthemap

    colorthemap New Member

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    I guess I just have to ramble through the first draft and fix it all later.
     
  10. EdFromNY

    EdFromNY Hope to improve with age Supporter Contributor

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    That's really the best way. We learn by doing.
     
  11. pyrosama

    pyrosama Member

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    If you really want the scene to go longer, instead of trying to "get the scene down on paper" you should put yourself in the scene.

    Imagine your character wants to break up with a girl. If you were actually in that situation, would it just happen? Nope.

    Put yourself there, let all the thoughts unfold, the palms sweating, the breaking away to read a text message that wasn't really there. Make it realistic. You don't have to make it happen so fast, you just have to make it believable.
     
  12. colorthemap

    colorthemap New Member

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    Thanks everyone for answering glad I gave you the post count as well.
     

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