Too much description

The first draft is for writing that comes straight from the heart. Don't try to censor yourself. It's far easier to cut, in my opinion, than it is to add in a later draft.

I like Rice, too, but I still tend to start skipping her more lengthy descriptive passages. In the edit, pay atteniton to it and trim. For now, just write and have fun.

I prefer to let the reader imagine their own scenery and characters unless there is a factor I must include for the sake of the plot. I don't like the descriptive writers. When you write, ask if the reader has ownership in the story or they are reading your story as an outsider?

Just an idea.

I agree - in the first draft anything goes. Let your muse run wild!

Oh and

Hello there! If you need the amount of description you have then it must stay. You will know when you are done which is info dump and can go. I just write. I do not worry word count - although I prolly should. I have OCD and I write too much for my "habits" have me ruminating. I get too wordy (verbose) and then end up cutting a ton. Usually what I cut is description that is really just nothing more than giving away everything coming up. My first work I ended with 208,000 and had to cut over 100,000. I had no problem doing so without taking from the story. If you do not mind doing such - just write and do that. If you really wish to just hit a goal word count - or close to it, set that up and write your story (if you can) inside that parameter. There are people that do it here all the time. I can only surmise that doing so allows them to make their word choices mean more and apply better without EVERYTHING tossed it. If I could do that, I would. The removing stuff, while not painful, is time consuming.

Good luck!

Christine

Pepper Jay said:

Should I just let everything out and forget about being concerned with word count?
It’s really stressing my flow.

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Word count is something to concern yourself with AFTER your first draft is written. Very few writers are happy with their first draft and leave everything as it is with no revision work. My only advice would be to put your work aside for a few weeks or even months once you've completed your first draft. When you go back to it with a fresh eye you'll see where it needs trimming. Until then, don't stress about word count.

Interesting input. I just finished a Kellerman novel....RAGE.
His info dump stuff drives me nuts. Two guys talking all the time and the info comes running out...over the top and down the sides. I got to where I tried to skim but ended up losing the train of plot when I did, so I had to read all that junk. Sigh. His plot had so many twists that I found it a real put off.

As you see, I don't like lots of fluff in this type of novel, a who done it. He had so many people involved that after awhile I began to lose track of the names and what they had done.

I know many love his work and love this kind of story telling. I mean, he is a multi-novel seller and has a huge following. I found that his attempt of throwing in a couple of sex things to also be jarring. They were so out of place and had nothing to do with the plot.

I guess you have to go with your style and what you enjoy. I have found I have to go back and add to my stuff after I am pretty well done. If you enjoy reading that type...and do it well, then by all means write that way. There are buyers that love it. If you are not into it...then don't, as there are readers that like less also.

This is just my two cents.

Mumut said:

I prefer to let the reader imagine their own scenery and characters unless there is a factor I must include for the sake of the plot. I don't like the descriptive writers. When you write, ask if the reader has ownership in the story or they are reading your story as an outsider?

Just an idea.

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Mumut, I absolutely agree. Especially in regard to a character's hair color/eye color/height--the general criminal roster.

It usually depends on the writer. Robert Heinlein, for instance, doesn't pay much attention to setting unless it's integral to his story. Then you have guys like William Gibson... wow. This guy describes everything in vivid detail, right down to the reflection of neon lights on characters' faces. It's understandable, since he was dealing with subjects so new and amazing at the time, that people just couldn't get it unless he described it that way. He made his descriptions interesting though, and it's like Cyberpunk poetry in a sense.

"It was a fast read" or "I couldn't put the book down" are phrases most of us would like to hear about our novels. I don't believe you'll hear those kinds of remarks if your readers are forced to wander off into lengthy descriptions.

I give my characters enough description to fit their role in the story. I describe the environment with enough detail to tell the reader what he needs to know, nothing more. If two characters are sitting in a kitchen, talking, I don't stop to describe the kitchen or the table and chairs. You and every reader have been in a kitchen before. You know what they look like. If the kitchen is in a $1,000,000 house you can imagine it is very large and well appointed. If it is in a two bedroom apartment, It is probably a galley kitchen and the characters wouldn't be sitting in there at all.

Someone in another thread explained that, with the advent of TV and more recently, the internet, it isn't necessary to provide detailed description of anything. Your reader has seen everything from kangaroos to komodo dragons. and has also visited every place from Antarctica to the Great Pyramid of Giza. All I need to do is mention the item and the reader can visualize it.

In answer to your question, Pepper Jay, "yes". Let it out. All of it.

Every couple of years I read an Anne Rice book...because of the subject matter and also that I am writing a similar gothic style re: werewolves in the bayous. That said, I can't abide her style. It infuriates me. I can't ever seem to find the plot. I have read entire books by her and when finished have no idea what I just read. But I can tell you about the delicate pattern of the hand sewn lace curtains in Lestat's bedroom.

Lengthy descriptions of characters, what they are wearing, the room they are sitting in etc do my head in. I wanna know what they're doing, saying and why. Just give me enough background and tell me a story.

But, in answer to the question, doing the description thing may help you to see and understand the characters and the settings. Then you can confidently remove the surplus stuff which may hold up the story.

Are you trying to copy Anne Rice and go on-and-on for paragraphs simply because you like her style?

What is stressing your flow - trying to write long paragraphs when you can't? Or seeing your word count rocket without your story developing?

Remember - you are not Anne Rice.

Clarity and quality are preferable to quantity.

Pepper Jay said:

Hello everyone! I'm a newbie to this forum and to writing.

I love Anne Rice's writing style.
She paints beautiful scenes about how her characters look or the intensity of a feeling.
However her descriptions seem to go on for paragraphs.

Should I just let everything out and forget about being concerned with word count?
It’s really stressing my flow.

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