tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post4680860084329244335..comments2023-12-09T00:33:24.572-08:00Comments on Novel Matters: Tip of the Iceberg Bonnie Grovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11377519561074174038noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-49220613104704624882013-04-04T17:16:04.304-07:002013-04-04T17:16:04.304-07:00Katherine, I agree. I enjoy Anita Shreve's boo...Katherine, I agree. I enjoy Anita Shreve's books. Great example!Debbie Fuller Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09174333267329587740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-6368474532217376192013-04-04T14:07:25.311-07:002013-04-04T14:07:25.311-07:00A timely post. I was just today considering how to...A timely post. I was just today considering how to achieve this balance you speak of. As I mature as a writer, I'm learning less is more. I think of Anita Shreve as a minimalist writer who uses spare (but lovely) prose and trusts her readers. Katherine Scott Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17238551440136890859noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-46860640722022643812013-04-03T19:29:55.026-07:002013-04-03T19:29:55.026-07:00Latayne, I have enjoyed some of his books and put ...Latayne, I have enjoyed some of his books and put down others when I couldn't figure out what was going on. I could tell something was implied, but what?<br />Marian, good point. It does make us feel smart like we're on the same page as the author. And I'm so glad you enjoyed reading Susie's book!<br />Megan, I lean to the minimalist side when I write, also. I don't know which would be worse - having to add words to achieve a certain word count or having to cut it.<br />Patti, your 'controlled burn' has just the right effect. :-)Debbie Fuller Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09174333267329587740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-83430282958099987442013-04-03T12:09:44.264-07:002013-04-03T12:09:44.264-07:00This is golden, Debbie. I slash and burn my way th...This is golden, Debbie. I slash and burn my way through revision, hoping to get to the place where my reader will know how smart they are. It's work to achieve the clarity without burying the reader in details. Thanks for the reminder.Patti Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01210807015376289703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-2405956647079762382013-04-03T11:29:57.846-07:002013-04-03T11:29:57.846-07:00Now that's a fascinating observation Debbie, I...Now that's a fascinating observation Debbie, I've learned a lot from that one. There's a recently-deceased and much-admired Australian author who wrote tomes so thick you could build a small fence with them, and much as people love him, his work dribes me batty. This, I think, is the reason why. He describes everything! In contrast, mine is pretty minimalist. <br />I'm reading a novel at the moment that I love and can't put down, but again I'm skipping huge chunks just because I don't care about all those details, just tell me what happened next!Megan Sayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15410068162701570057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-72502298931406073542013-04-03T09:18:11.675-07:002013-04-03T09:18:11.675-07:00I love it when the author puts in just enough to m...I love it when the author puts in just enough to make me feel smart because I get what's happening underneath the waterline. By the way, that's one of the reasons I enjoyed reading Paint Chips by Susie Finkbeiner.Marianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12990101542996298555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-82515463759984236352013-04-03T08:49:08.137-07:002013-04-03T08:49:08.137-07:00As much as I don't enjoy Hemingway, as I'v...As much as I don't enjoy Hemingway, as I've aged I am beginning to really appreciate how he communicated with simple (and few) words. <br /><br />I recently read The Snows of Kilmanjaro (actually I listened to it on tape) and was startled by the power of such sparse words.Latayne C Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01989916355805237811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-88207257923573993702013-04-03T07:42:40.642-07:002013-04-03T07:42:40.642-07:00Thanks, Susie. I think it's an art to keep the...Thanks, Susie. I think it's an art to keep the tip of the iceberg above the waterline just far enough to engage the reader and keep them engaged.Debbie Fuller Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09174333267329587740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-56409243963366325632013-04-03T07:07:48.036-07:002013-04-03T07:07:48.036-07:00This is a great post, Debbie. Thank you!
I am a b...This is a great post, Debbie. Thank you!<br /><br />I am a bit on the minimalist side of writing. Years of writing 2,000 word short stories has done that to me. I'd much rather spend my words on the story than on describing cheekbones or a chair. Unless those details really add to the story. <br /><br />For me, reading a story that gives me every inch of detail is just too much work. I don't enjoy it. I skip it to get to the meat of the story. Susie Finkbeinerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02134090068018561836noreply@blogger.com