For conversation's sake, I'm interested in how other writers approach the balance between action and reflection in fiction.
It seems like young writers are always told to focus on action- I've even heard the advice that it's poor writing to ever use the past tense of to be because it's not active enough. As we grow older and gain experience, however, writers learn to balance action with reflection, introspection, or general philosophizing within the story. Nobel laureate Patrick Modiano wrote novellas almost entirely in thoughts and feelings with barely a trace of plot.
Personally, I find myself writing almost entirely "in the moment" on the first draft and only add in these more subtle layers in later versions. I always feel rushed to jot down the scene as rapidly as possible when I first think of it or I'm afraid that I'll lose the idea.
How do you handle this? Is it something you do consciously, or does finding this balance come to you intuitively? Do you find yourself leaning one way or the other?
It seems like young writers are always told to focus on action- I've even heard the advice that it's poor writing to ever use the past tense of to be because it's not active enough. As we grow older and gain experience, however, writers learn to balance action with reflection, introspection, or general philosophizing within the story. Nobel laureate Patrick Modiano wrote novellas almost entirely in thoughts and feelings with barely a trace of plot.
Personally, I find myself writing almost entirely "in the moment" on the first draft and only add in these more subtle layers in later versions. I always feel rushed to jot down the scene as rapidly as possible when I first think of it or I'm afraid that I'll lose the idea.
How do you handle this? Is it something you do consciously, or does finding this balance come to you intuitively? Do you find yourself leaning one way or the other?