Subtlety

[rosewood]

I once read a biography on Jane Austin, and in it the author described how Austin was hung up on subtlety. This is a technique that I admire, and have tried to put this into my own writing, but I wonder at what point does subtlety cross over into just plain boring or to the point where the reader overlooks your action entirely? Also, in this day and age of explosive charged action adventures is there any room for this? Any current examples?

[CalicoBean]

Oh, I think Jane Austen has aged well and still has many, many fans. One fairly recent bestseller influenced by Austen's style is Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. Here's an interesting interview with Ms. Clarke:

http://www.jonathanstrange.com/copy.asp?id=4

[Mistook]

I think the problem with being subtle is, if readers don't know to look for it, then it goes right over their heads.

I've been struggling with this problem in my own writing for over a year. I can't tell if it's the beta readers who arent' sharp enough to catch what's really going on, or if it's my fault for not making things more obvious.

I have something up in the SYW, under Mystery, right now. To my mind, I'm all but screaming that my MC is being sent by the ghost of her dead friend to a fateful encounter that will affect her destiny. But readers (off and on this board) just aren't seeing it.

[maestrowork]

I like subtlety. But "subtlety" doesn't mean "obscure." It shouldn't take a PhD to realize the subtle things going on. And as long as you don't base your entire plot on subtlety alone. To me, subtlety is like extra flavors. The hint of mint or chocolate or lemon or thyme or basil in an otherwise full, rich dish...

[ted_curtis]

I'm never sure if I'm using subtlety or being obscure. So that's where my beta readers come in. If most of them say "Huh?" about a certain thing, it's way too obscure. If more than half get it, I'm okay.

Personally, I'd rather half my readers miss a point than I use a nail gun to hammer it into their heads. Not that I have any readers yet, but...

Ted

[Mistook]

I'm never sure if I'm using subtlety or being obscure. So that's where my beta readers come in. If most of them say "Huh?" about a certain thing, it's way too obscure. If more than half get it, I'm okay.

Personally, I'd rather half my readers miss a point than I use a nail gun to hammer it into their heads. Not that I have any readers yet, but...

Ted


Well, I think there may be something to be said for marketing... or at least "public image" in this respect. If a few respected opinions come out on public radio or whatever, and tell the world that your work is "rich in subtleties" then everybody will read it that way and catch your meaning.

If, on the other hand, nobody knows you from Jack Sprat, they'll expect a shallow, predictable story. And when things don't add up on that level, they'll assume it's because you suck.

It can be a regular tightrope act, balancing between "obvious" and "obscure". And I don't think theres any silver-bullet approach to solving the issue. Questions of genre and audience certainly come in at this level.

And seeing as the agents are the gatekeepers to publication, that query letter, and that synopsis - not to mention any creds you can cite - all have a bearing on the way your MS will be read.

Of course that's assuming that the writing itself is at that level where it has technical merit... that level where deeper questions can reasonably be asked.

[katdad]

If you have to TRY to be subtle, you'll probably miss the target. Just try to write well and don't intentionally tweak your prose in a particular direction. The subtle stuff will follow along nicely on its own.

[Old Hack]

Isn't being subtle just another way to show, not tell?

[SLake]

Basic archaic meaning of 'subtle' is 'crafty' and 'cunning.'
Why those definers, which JaneA would have known?
The aim of any writing is usually to inspire rather than bore the target audience.
How is inspiration done except by craft and cunning?
'Allusion' for me is another exciting aim of writing. That with 'subtle' are approaches I enjoy.
'I'll be back' has been said by most people at least once in their lives -- usually by those who speak English. It's a basic and subtle allusion which most of us recall from the lips of just one actor. When it's alluded to in our daily routine it often brings a smile, because that simple phrase has become a landmark, love it or hate it.
It was a cunning understatement, so from the JaneA perspective it was a subtle device.
The example of 'I'll be back' is probably not an example people would expect or even like. They would probably prefer an example of 'gradual realization of plot.' That is, from many subtle clues the 'awful truth' of the character/story dawns, which I thought was too darned obvious and most people would already have thought of that.
So to me, 'subtle' is subtle -- often it's hardly noticed. Done well it transforms the ordinary into the spectacular.
That's what writers do.
Yeah, and some actors good with writers' lines.

[Julie Worth]

I salt subtle things here and there, but I don’t depend on them. If the reader doesn’t catch them, fine, she will still understand. But if she does, some of it, or even all of it, she’ll be convinced that there’s more, super subtle stuff that’s over her head, and by God, she’ll work and find it. Even though I didn’t put it there.

[JayEss]

Isn't being subtle just another way to show, not tell?

Said perfectly I think! I agree...