Necessary vs. Unnecessary Details
First off, the reason I have a white on black theme for my blog is simple, it doesn't hurt my eyes as much when I have to go and check it. I suffer from light sensitivity, so much so that there are times I have to wear sunglasses while inside... Anyway, on to today's post.
Recently I've been unsatisfied with the progress of my oldest work-in-progress. Something about it just didn't feel right. I've restarted it a number of times by now, trying to refine the story, the characters and the setting. To put this in to perspective, I started working on this project in 2004. It is completely unrelated to Hero Unit. It's an epic fantasy series.
This has lead me to researching other fantasy series. I'm a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson, especially the Stormlight Archive (which I highly recommend). However, the very first truly epic series I ever read was Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time. Yes I am aware that some people hate on this series, please don't. I am also aware that there are people that all but worship it, please don't. Just like any series it has its good points and its flaws. If you are unable to recognize both of these facts, maybe take a step back for a moment and breath.
Anyway, back to my point. I realized one of the things I struggle with is when to put details, description and explanations. I tend to front load information on my readers. It is obvious in Hero Unit volume 1. Instead of letting the reader sit for a little bit and try to figure things out, I drop blocks of information on them.
Now when it comes to my fantasy writing, it's even worse. I lay down descriptive paragraphs and don't let the reader try and see things, I tell them, not show them. It has taken me longer than I care to admit to realize this. The reason I mentioned the Wheel of Time is because I opened up volume one, The Eye of the World, yesterday and read through the prologue and the first two chapters. I compared the image I had in my head from the details that were given. Not only did I have a good picture, but I could also feel the cold, the despair that the characters were feeling. And despite what some people say, in those first pages there isn't a lot of front loading, especially compared to what I've been doing.
So what did I do? Well I read back through my intro to Dusk and Might and found places where even my mind started to wander. Then I asked myself, is this necessary? If not I cut it. If I felt it was I tried to make sure I wasn't telling my readers. This was no mean task for me. I was never really taught the difference, so I've had to have others point it out to me. I give a lot of credit to my writers group members and my dear wife who is willing to be critical of my writing, even though she would really just rather read it.
One of the major lessons I've learned is when to give the details. I said unnecessary previously, but the better way of putting it would be, is this necessary right now, or can it wait? That is what I've had to figure out. Brandon Sanderson and Robert Jordan both excel at this. The details will come, but not right when a thing is mentioned. For example the magic systems of their worlds. They mention them early, but don't explain them until later, much later in some cases. And even when they do talk about them, we get bits and pieces here and there, with occasionally longer sections here and there, but there isn't one huge chapter dedicated to the ins and outs of the whole process.
And that is where I am, learning necessary vs unnecessary at the moment.
Recently I've been unsatisfied with the progress of my oldest work-in-progress. Something about it just didn't feel right. I've restarted it a number of times by now, trying to refine the story, the characters and the setting. To put this in to perspective, I started working on this project in 2004. It is completely unrelated to Hero Unit. It's an epic fantasy series.
This has lead me to researching other fantasy series. I'm a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson, especially the Stormlight Archive (which I highly recommend). However, the very first truly epic series I ever read was Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time. Yes I am aware that some people hate on this series, please don't. I am also aware that there are people that all but worship it, please don't. Just like any series it has its good points and its flaws. If you are unable to recognize both of these facts, maybe take a step back for a moment and breath.
Anyway, back to my point. I realized one of the things I struggle with is when to put details, description and explanations. I tend to front load information on my readers. It is obvious in Hero Unit volume 1. Instead of letting the reader sit for a little bit and try to figure things out, I drop blocks of information on them.
Now when it comes to my fantasy writing, it's even worse. I lay down descriptive paragraphs and don't let the reader try and see things, I tell them, not show them. It has taken me longer than I care to admit to realize this. The reason I mentioned the Wheel of Time is because I opened up volume one, The Eye of the World, yesterday and read through the prologue and the first two chapters. I compared the image I had in my head from the details that were given. Not only did I have a good picture, but I could also feel the cold, the despair that the characters were feeling. And despite what some people say, in those first pages there isn't a lot of front loading, especially compared to what I've been doing.
So what did I do? Well I read back through my intro to Dusk and Might and found places where even my mind started to wander. Then I asked myself, is this necessary? If not I cut it. If I felt it was I tried to make sure I wasn't telling my readers. This was no mean task for me. I was never really taught the difference, so I've had to have others point it out to me. I give a lot of credit to my writers group members and my dear wife who is willing to be critical of my writing, even though she would really just rather read it.
One of the major lessons I've learned is when to give the details. I said unnecessary previously, but the better way of putting it would be, is this necessary right now, or can it wait? That is what I've had to figure out. Brandon Sanderson and Robert Jordan both excel at this. The details will come, but not right when a thing is mentioned. For example the magic systems of their worlds. They mention them early, but don't explain them until later, much later in some cases. And even when they do talk about them, we get bits and pieces here and there, with occasionally longer sections here and there, but there isn't one huge chapter dedicated to the ins and outs of the whole process.
And that is where I am, learning necessary vs unnecessary at the moment.
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