Here is a link of Brandon Sanderson discussing it in a video.
We can always trust Writers Digest to come up with some excellent points.
Finally, a fun forum discussing it.
I personally enjoy writing in third person. I don't have a particular reason why. Maybe I detest having to somehow introduce the main character's name awkwardly at the beginning of the book so the reader isn't halfway through before they stumble across someone saying the name "Tom" and wonder who that character is (when it's really the main character's). Or that, in fantasy, I find so many authors using third person that I just emulate what they do. Whatever the reason it makes me feel more comfortable so I write it that way.
Whatever point of view is chosen, all authors have to follow the same rule. The narration should reflect the main character's personality. (This doesn't include omniscient where it is supposed to be a higher being or the narrator's voice coming through.) No matter what the character is experiencing, their perspective or bias on the world is meant to come through. So while a rich person would see a moldy piece of bread and toss it aside, a beggar might think it to be the best food he has had in days.
This is easier said than done and I suck at it. I am constantly trying to give my main characters their own perspectives but somehow my loud mouthed commentary always seems to come through on the page instead. Also, since my book is a fantasy based in a more medieval world, I have to make sure that I don't use modern slang as well. Everything must sound posh and elegant. Instead of "Jim thought it was the greatest idea" it's "Jim believed it to be a remarkable idea". Or something along those lines.
The worst part about it is that it has to be so subtle that no one ever comments on it. When it's done well it passes unnoticed but when it doesn't work suddenly it is staring right out at you like a sore thumb. So if no one ever notices it then you know you've done a good job.
Over the years I have gone back and forth over how much description I should write compared to dialogue and internal thoughts by the main character. When I was younger I enjoyed description much more but over the years I have developed more of a liking towards dialogue. Whenever I do my first draft of a scene, at first it is mostly dialogue with an action thrown in their every now and then if it's important. It is only when I go over it later that I decide what the description and action should be.
We can always trust Writers Digest to come up with some excellent points.
Finally, a fun forum discussing it.
I personally enjoy writing in third person. I don't have a particular reason why. Maybe I detest having to somehow introduce the main character's name awkwardly at the beginning of the book so the reader isn't halfway through before they stumble across someone saying the name "Tom" and wonder who that character is (when it's really the main character's). Or that, in fantasy, I find so many authors using third person that I just emulate what they do. Whatever the reason it makes me feel more comfortable so I write it that way.
Whatever point of view is chosen, all authors have to follow the same rule. The narration should reflect the main character's personality. (This doesn't include omniscient where it is supposed to be a higher being or the narrator's voice coming through.) No matter what the character is experiencing, their perspective or bias on the world is meant to come through. So while a rich person would see a moldy piece of bread and toss it aside, a beggar might think it to be the best food he has had in days.
This is easier said than done and I suck at it. I am constantly trying to give my main characters their own perspectives but somehow my loud mouthed commentary always seems to come through on the page instead. Also, since my book is a fantasy based in a more medieval world, I have to make sure that I don't use modern slang as well. Everything must sound posh and elegant. Instead of "Jim thought it was the greatest idea" it's "Jim believed it to be a remarkable idea". Or something along those lines.
The worst part about it is that it has to be so subtle that no one ever comments on it. When it's done well it passes unnoticed but when it doesn't work suddenly it is staring right out at you like a sore thumb. So if no one ever notices it then you know you've done a good job.
Over the years I have gone back and forth over how much description I should write compared to dialogue and internal thoughts by the main character. When I was younger I enjoyed description much more but over the years I have developed more of a liking towards dialogue. Whenever I do my first draft of a scene, at first it is mostly dialogue with an action thrown in their every now and then if it's important. It is only when I go over it later that I decide what the description and action should be.
There are no limitations as to what is the proper amount of description or dialogue per page, but it depends entirely on the writer and the genre that it is in. Every reader has a different opinion so for one person there might be way too much description, while for another there might not be enough. There are so many expectations that you should write what you feel is best at that moment then find time later to go through it and see how long it needs to be. If something requires a couple pages of description as it is vital for the story to make sense then you should never be worried about doing it. As long as it is interesting and there is a reason behind in, then do it.
If that didn't help at all, grab a book in the genre that you are writing. See how other authors do it and make up your own mind. Chances are that if you want those readers to enjoy your book then you might want to make your own book similar in terms of description and dialogue percentage as the popular books of your genre. For example, a fantasy book will have more descriptive detail of landscape then a romance book which will focus on emotional descriptions as well as physical. Each genre is different so you have to tailor it to your own.
No comments:
Post a Comment