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Sunday, October 24, 2010
Balanced Tension
The trickiest part about sewing is having the right tension on the project you’re working on.
Don’t get me wrong, there are lots of tricky parts: finicky materials that unravel at the slightest provocation, picky patterns, and obscure directions about how to assemble the whole thing. But I’ve managed (some more successfully than others) all these things, and really if you look for the heart of the problems I have, it always comes back to the %#(*(!@*#( tension.
When you’re sewing, there is a top and bottom thread; the bottom comes from a bobbin, and the top comes from the spool that’s been threaded through the top of the machine. The needle pushed the top thread through and catches the bottom thread and pulls it up. And somehow it weaves and holds the material together. (That part is always quite magical, so that’s the best I can tell you.)
When I’m sewing, it’s always, always the tension that makes me want to thrash around on the floor in rage. My threads are always getting tangled; and the bottom threads always look like a tangled mess. Sometimes I don’t mind so much because if the threads on top are what people will be looking at, I’ll leave it go and let the underside look like crap and move on. However, right now I’ve been sewing things on the backside of the material and the threads that will be showing are the ones beneath—the tangled, gnarly ones. I was ready to set the thing on fire. I’ll just go as a homicidal maniac for Halloween; it’s fine. (Except I pretty much go to work daily as a homicidal maniac and I’d prefer to dress up for Halloween.)
So I dug out my sewing book. There was something that was nagging me. Something about the underside threads being gnarled, then it was your topside tension you needed to fix. I found it; and I was right. So after a few minutes of trying to figure out where the topside tension button was located, I reset it to something else and gave it a test drive. The stitches were as neat on the underside as they were topside. The tension was finally balanced.
I rather wish I had a tension button to push in my manuscript actually. Wouldn’t it be neat if it were that easy? If sexual tension was the topside tension; and the bobbin provided the plot/goal tension (will hero/ine achieve their goals?), it does seem there is a fine balance between showing the reader these two are destined for each other and desperately want each other, while also accomplishing their goals (while making the reader wonder how they will do so). But if you focus the tension too much on one side or the other, it’s going to get tangled, knotted, and nothing you’d ever want to show anyone. And you might not end up with anything to show everyone on Halloween (deadline) if you don’t fix the problem and the machine breaks entirely (or you get frustrated and quit).
You can always see where plot and sexual tension collide badly. Because you notice it and it seems out of place. Like in action/adventure movies, where the hero and heroine are getting to the climax of the show, they’re in the MOST DANGER, and suddenly the hero—who hasn’t shown much sexual interest in the heroine before now—turns and kisses the heroine like he’s trying to floss her teeth with his tongue. Right there, while the bad guy is holding a gun. Really? Is that the time?
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, we’ve been waiting for 7 books for Ron and Hermione to get together. There have been some very close calls where you think they will never be together. And then, right as Voldemort is breathing down their necks, they’re trying to find the last horcux, and they’ve only got a few more minutes before the war begins, Ron says something about freeing the house elves from Hogwarts because he didn’t want another Dobby. Hermione launches herself at him and starts kissing him. He drops everything and kisses her back. Harry rolls his eyes and says loudly, “Is now the time?”
That one works for me—but Rowling spent a lot of time setting up tension between Ron and Hermione. And also the bad guy isn’t in the same room with them at the time, holding a gun (or his wand).
Granted, novels have the benefit of internal monologue that movies don’t get to have, but there have been movies that have had both and it works fine. I don’t know…it’s magic, maybe, being able to make something that should be a cliché and make it seem new and natural.
How do you balance the sexual tension and plot suspense in your novel? Do you tend to have better tension one area over the other? Is this one of those things that works better in the revision phase?
Don’t get me wrong, there are lots of tricky parts: finicky materials that unravel at the slightest provocation, picky patterns, and obscure directions about how to assemble the whole thing. But I’ve managed (some more successfully than others) all these things, and really if you look for the heart of the problems I have, it always comes back to the %#(*(!@*#( tension.
When you’re sewing, there is a top and bottom thread; the bottom comes from a bobbin, and the top comes from the spool that’s been threaded through the top of the machine. The needle pushed the top thread through and catches the bottom thread and pulls it up. And somehow it weaves and holds the material together. (That part is always quite magical, so that’s the best I can tell you.)
When I’m sewing, it’s always, always the tension that makes me want to thrash around on the floor in rage. My threads are always getting tangled; and the bottom threads always look like a tangled mess. Sometimes I don’t mind so much because if the threads on top are what people will be looking at, I’ll leave it go and let the underside look like crap and move on. However, right now I’ve been sewing things on the backside of the material and the threads that will be showing are the ones beneath—the tangled, gnarly ones. I was ready to set the thing on fire. I’ll just go as a homicidal maniac for Halloween; it’s fine. (Except I pretty much go to work daily as a homicidal maniac and I’d prefer to dress up for Halloween.)
So I dug out my sewing book. There was something that was nagging me. Something about the underside threads being gnarled, then it was your topside tension you needed to fix. I found it; and I was right. So after a few minutes of trying to figure out where the topside tension button was located, I reset it to something else and gave it a test drive. The stitches were as neat on the underside as they were topside. The tension was finally balanced.
I rather wish I had a tension button to push in my manuscript actually. Wouldn’t it be neat if it were that easy? If sexual tension was the topside tension; and the bobbin provided the plot/goal tension (will hero/ine achieve their goals?), it does seem there is a fine balance between showing the reader these two are destined for each other and desperately want each other, while also accomplishing their goals (while making the reader wonder how they will do so). But if you focus the tension too much on one side or the other, it’s going to get tangled, knotted, and nothing you’d ever want to show anyone. And you might not end up with anything to show everyone on Halloween (deadline) if you don’t fix the problem and the machine breaks entirely (or you get frustrated and quit).
You can always see where plot and sexual tension collide badly. Because you notice it and it seems out of place. Like in action/adventure movies, where the hero and heroine are getting to the climax of the show, they’re in the MOST DANGER, and suddenly the hero—who hasn’t shown much sexual interest in the heroine before now—turns and kisses the heroine like he’s trying to floss her teeth with his tongue. Right there, while the bad guy is holding a gun. Really? Is that the time?
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, we’ve been waiting for 7 books for Ron and Hermione to get together. There have been some very close calls where you think they will never be together. And then, right as Voldemort is breathing down their necks, they’re trying to find the last horcux, and they’ve only got a few more minutes before the war begins, Ron says something about freeing the house elves from Hogwarts because he didn’t want another Dobby. Hermione launches herself at him and starts kissing him. He drops everything and kisses her back. Harry rolls his eyes and says loudly, “Is now the time?”
That one works for me—but Rowling spent a lot of time setting up tension between Ron and Hermione. And also the bad guy isn’t in the same room with them at the time, holding a gun (or his wand).
Granted, novels have the benefit of internal monologue that movies don’t get to have, but there have been movies that have had both and it works fine. I don’t know…it’s magic, maybe, being able to make something that should be a cliché and make it seem new and natural.
How do you balance the sexual tension and plot suspense in your novel? Do you tend to have better tension one area over the other? Is this one of those things that works better in the revision phase?
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61 comments:
Magic. I do it with magic.
*giggle
I do know how things are supposed to work, the actual paying attention to what you're doing and planning it all... Sigh. I wish I knew how I did it. I know when it isn't working and I'll fiddle with it and work on fixing it...
But I don't have the 'sewing' book to talk to me about how to fix it! And, lord above, I know the tangle of threads thing! Though I think my machine needs to be serviced...then I'll start playing with the rest. No Halloween costume for me...planning a trip to the mall to watch the kiddies though!
What ya goin' as, Cap'n?
And everyone, do pop over to Donna's blog today, she's interviewing an upcoming author! MEEEEE! ;-)
Nice blog, Hellie. And yes, what IS your Halloween costume? And where do you get to wear it?
I feel like my characters have sexual tension from the get-go, and the couple of times they haven't, I had to fire one of the characters. LOL So far it's been the heroines I've had to change, because they didn't spark with the hero, but once I figured her out, it was fixed. (Is she the bobbin then? LOL)
As for suspense tension, I think that might be something that is tweaked during revisions -- when you know where you're going with the story, and you can see where the pacing needs to be picked up.
I judged some contest entries recently that were all very nice and well written, but there wasn't a lot of that "Oh crap! What's next?" aspect. And I don't mean explosions or sex scenes or any of that -- even the nibbling on the fingernails thing where you worry or wonder is good. :)
How do you balance the sexual tension and plot suspense in your novel?
Um... badly?
LOL!
I'm still working on this. Especially because I love writing suspense into my stories. So trying to keep the story going while getting them closer and closer.... Well, I'm still working on it.
Great blog, Hells. How's your outfit coming?
You really can tie any two things together. Huh.
I've no idea how I create, or rather IF I create sexual tension between my H/H. And I have the opposite problem from Marn, I don't usually have suspense in my stories. Which is why I struggle to find any kind of external conflict.
If I have these levels of tension - which obviously I need - it's completely by accident. Maybe I should go with "it happens organically." Yeah, that's what I'm going with. It's organic.
But to answer the other question, this is one thing I think you need to work on in the first draft. That's where these characters come to life, figure out who they are, and figure out how to bounce off each other. If you haven't established some level of tension between them in the first draft, I think you'll have a much harder time trying to find it in revisions.
This is all guessing on my part, but I believe it.
I agree with Bo'sun; I think this is important for first draft. The tension is tied to the plot. I think the sooner it happens, the better.
2nd: magic is an excellent source. And don't think I read that sewing book from cover to cover, or even one whole chapter. It's really more a security blanket if I run into trouble and then I can check the index and skim. I've had that book a decade and the only thing I ever use it for is about tension! Incidentally I have a lot of books on writing in which I use them the same way!
I loved your interview--though you girls are heavy drinkers!
Donna: my Halloween costume (*fingers crossed*) is Robin Hood. A lady robin hood, obviously. Mostly I'm constructing it because I'll get a bow and arrow; and really, Halloween is all about the weaponry set more than the outfit. I was a pirate for three years running because I got to pack around a sword all day. And a fake gun. And a whip.
I too tend to have the sexual spark with my characters from the get-go. It's always the suspense of "will they attain their goals? How will they deal with it?" that seems to fizzle out more. I'm never good with plot.
And I wouldn't say your heroine was the bobbin. The bobbin is usually not the problem and you don't want to mess with it. :)
How’s your outfit coming?
Hi Marn! And I don't believe you handle it badly. *LOL* Your stuff is always marvelous.
I was sewing like a house elf yesterday--so it's coming. Actually a house elf would have finished this project back in June; however, my procrastinator self is really feeling some pressure and is like, "Okay, you need shoes, you need tights, a belt would be nice, and you better put that #*(%&#*$&)#@ zipper into that vest or you're not going to have anything to wear. Don't forget the feather for your hat. Oh, crap, what about arrow?"
Details, baby, details. And for what I ask you? To dress up for work on Friday.
Bo'sun, I definitely agree the sparkle of sexual tension is something that's found in a first draft. I mean, you can tweak stuff--I've tweaked stuff and made it better; but you can't put the whole thing in there.
But I do think you can use revisions to straighten out plot tension, of will they or won't they? You can read through the whole draft and figure out the beats...figure out where you gave too much away or not enough. Amp up tension.
But this is speculation. My revision experience is pretty minimal.
I would agree on the plot tension being easier to manage in revisions. But that's my problem, I never think of the plot tension. LOL! Well, I do, but not as much as the romance part. I sort of have all these places I want to visit with my two characters, but I never manage to find the road or the vehicle to move them from place to place. That's one of the hardest things for me.
I need a manual for my books. LOL! One that puts things in very simple, easy-to-follow terms so even I can understand.
Another great analogy, Hellie! You really do have a gift for seeing comparisons to writing in the most unexpected places. I'm glad my writing is better than my sewing, or else I'd have to give up completely.
With my first ms., I sometimes felt as if there were no thread in the bobbin at all. With the current WIP, the balance between the two kinds of tension is skewed in the opposite direction. I don't have much faith in the craft books to help with this problem. Instead of reading craft instructions, I've been rereading relevant sections of some books and studying the execution of certain skills in the work of the best practioners. Maybe they are the equivalent of a video of sewing instructions; the experts show me how to do it rather than telling me what to do.
Bo'sun, usually manuals are created after all the bugs are worked out--and by the time you've worked out all the bugs, you've published it and you no longer need the manual for that particular WIP. A manual is only good for that particular WIP (or car model). Each WIP brings its own set of problems that no manual will be able to address. Sorry!
I'm finding I'm doing the plot tension in the first draft much better than I am the sexual tension. I haven't quite gotten the right attitude for the characters about each other and their past right yet. I feel like their interactions with each other are missing a spark, and yet the suspense plot is firing on all cylinders right now. Sigh.
Love this blog post :)
Janga, I empathize with the no thread in the bobbin feeling! In fact, I get really annoyed when I'm whipping down the fabric and realize belatedly that the bobbin thread is now gone! Ack!
I prefer your method of learning from the masters by reading their works (rather than a how-to book). It's like learning by osmosis, isn't it? You suddenly realize you know how to do it and you don't really know when it got there.
Being shown how to do something is sometimes a lot easier to grasp a concept than being told. (My art teacher can attest. She'd TELL me how to shadow my painting, but I sucked; and so she had to come over and show me... Of course, it still sucked. I'm no Van Gogh or anything, but it was better. I did catch on better.)
I'm having one of those days where I was ambushed walking in the building and it hasn't slowed down since, and now I have to go give a test to 75 kids who hate me right now :)
But, I would like to say, that I adore this analogy, Hells. I can't explain how many times I've ran into the tension problem with sewing (partly because my machine was bought by my grandmother in the 70's and doesn't have any nifty tension buttons at all). I find it fascinating that when the problem shows up on the underside, it's because the tension on the topside was wrong. This is fascinating, because so often that happens with writing. You spot the problem because the plot isn't working, but the real issue (the one that needs to be solved) is the sexual tension or character motivation or something else entirely. You can't just solve the problem you're looking at (the tangled threads). That's the effect, not the cause.
Okay - I'm going to go think about this while I sit and wait for them to take their tests :)
Scapegoat, the one thing I found constant with the information about tension in my sewing books--it's that "If you fiddle with it long enough, you'll eventually get it sorted out." I realize that's not very precise, but it is very true. As frustrating as it is to read and reread one's work and know something is missing, eventually (if you've hung in long enough) you'll get it figured out.
Not everyone sparks right away. Hell, if my dating life is anything to go by, my first boyfriend didn't remember meeting me; and the guy I'm currently dating--if you were to base our future on how we met--we'd never be matched up. I'm pretty sure my first impression of him was, "What an ass." And I don't mean I was checking out his backside admiringly.
You spot the problem because the plot isn’t working, but the real issue (the one that needs to be solved) is the sexual tension or character motivation or something else entirely. You can’t just solve the problem you’re looking at (the tangled threads). That’s the effect, not the cause.
That's so true! The problem--or perhaps even the solution--is so much more subtle than just adjusting one thing or another. Adjusting character motivation or sexual tension is a subtle thing; you have to show it without it being obvious that it's being shown. Character motivation has to be clear, but so much of it is not shared with a reader, it ends up being something only the writer knows--yet, if it's not clear to the writer, it shows up in the manuscript and is a problem for everyone.
And I'm so glad I don't have to take a test this morning. Ugh.
I'm with you on having to be shown thing to actually learn them. But at the same time, I can't read an awesome writer and "see" how they did it. I don't have that kind of analytical mind. I can recognize what they've done as I read, but I don't know how to apply it to my own work.
But at the same time, I can’t read an awesome writer and “see” how they did it.
I usually just pause at something that moves me and re-read it a few times. I don't think I identify what it is about it that is so great. I mean, I can identify if it's a bit of description or dialogue or even action, but I can't necessarily tell you what specifically about it makes it great. It's just the language, how the words were arranged. I might notice "irony"--if I'm laughing a lot, it's usually because the author does a great use of irony in her writing.
I don't know if identifying what it is you admire actually is the key. I still think it's something more magical, really like picking up through osmosis. You read enough of a particular author and you pick up bits and pieces of how they write.
I hope this osmosis thing is true. I know I get things like how I want to write and what I can write from my favorites. Like one of my favs doesn't really add a ton of detailed description, but you get the scene all the same. When I figured out I could write my stories without having to give every grain of detail, it's like I could relax and have fun with it.
I sure wish I had an answer. Is it from reading good stuff? And recognizing it? Reading bad stuff and recognizing it? How do we develop the instinct to know when we wove that magic pen and it was right?
And I think my bobbin screws things up a lot. As I said, my machine needs servicing!
Helli,I have never ever used a sewing machine and have no idea what this is all about!
Are you really saying that learning to sew would enable me to balance the conflicts that arise in my stories?
Now pull the other one! :lol:
Do you have some way of measuring balance in a novel or can something be balanced for one person and totally lopsided for another?
Seems to me that emotional balance in a novel is a very personal thing whereas I assume that sewing tension can be precisely and objectively measured.
If you can measure it then you can easily balance it.
If you did advanced applied maths at school, the way to do it will be found in the 'statics' book. *grin*
Can't decide whether you're crackers or I'm missing something or its t'other way round. *grin*
Very thought provoking though.
And I bet you look great as Robin of Loxley! :D
It's always subjective, Q. But I think tension still has to be recognized as 'right' or 'wrong'... perhaps.
And if you want the tights to fit, definately right!
I think Q's has already had his after dinner scotch.
If only life were an extended math equation, but it's not. And neither is telling a compelling, engrossing, balanced story.
Well, Hellion likened it to sewing, which is, in the mechanical phase, very right or wrong...
Terri, I don't analyze when I read for story either, at least not consciously, but I do end with a sense of who is best at writing dialog, who writes description the way I want to, who captures the male voice best, who creates internal monologues that advance the story without seeming like info dump to the reader. Then I go back and reread pages and chapters, analyzing the HOW and making notes on what I need to do to translate what I've learned to my own writing.
To say true to Hellie's original analogy, I can look at a well-made garment and admire it and the skill that went into creating it. But I can also take a closer look--feeling the fabric, making sure patterns are alligned perfectly, checking the seams, looking to see if only a single line of stitches is visible, etc.
I think the osmosis thing is very true. I was re-reading a book last night I've read a million times, and got so caught up in it that hours had passed and I was bawling before I noticed I was still reading :)
But one thing that stuck out to me this particular time was the dialog. There was this awesome rhythm to the dialog, to the insertion of the snide comments in the character's thoughts (that they didn't say aloud). Do I know how she accomplished it? No. No idea. But I think that by reading enough good dialog, your ear gets attuned to that rhythm, and at the very least, helps you know if you've hit it or not in your own writing.
Of course, that brings up the question of "how do you know if it's good dialog?" which I think is totally subjective. Did it pull you in and keep you reading? Could you hear the conversation in your head? Then it was good. :)
Grant it, the tension has to be balanced just right, but it wouldn't be exactly the same regardless of what you're making. Just like the balance of tension would not be the same for every story. Or even every part of the same story.
Janga - Clearly this boils down to my utter distaste for doing anything that resembles homework. LOL! I read that and think, "I'd have to do all that?" Pure lazyness, I know. But I do recognize certain aspects of the writing and that's when I know there is still so much for me to learn.
And I too could admire how a garmet is constructed, but no amount of examination would help me figure out how to recreate the piece on my own. My brain just doesn't work that way.
Of course, that brings up the question of “how do you know if it’s good dialog?” which I think is totally subjective. Did it pull you in and keep you reading? Could you hear the conversation in your head? Then it was good.
I think this also applies to our OWN writing. If we get caught up in the story and forget that we're trying to FIX something. . .that means we're doing more stuff right than we realize. :)
I definitely believe in the osmosis thing, and I wish I could turn of my analytic brain more often when I'm reading -- it's like I'm a scout surveying the terrain for danger or something. It's hard not to do that. But when I do, even with my own stories, I think I'm analyzing on a subconscious level.
God I hope that made sense. It did when I was thinking it!
That's a good point, Hal. This is all subjective on some level. Even down to who we choose to "study" as our favorite authors. There's likely someone out there who hates how that person writes.
For dialogue, I go by how it sounds when I read it. Does it sound natural? Are there hidden meanings? Does it reveal anything without saying it directly? I guess I have to hear the tone in order to be sure I got it right. Of course, then how do I get the reader to "hear" the tone?
This crap ain't for sissies.
This crap ain’t for sissies.
No wonder I'm avoiding today. LOL
If we get caught up in the story and forget that we’re trying to FIX something. . .that means we’re doing more stuff right than we realize.
Donna - I love this. And so true.
Nope, definitely not for sissies. I keep thinking, "I wish I could quit this job and not have to worry about anything more stressful than sitting down and writing books." Then I remember how freaking hard it is to right a good book and stop whining (usually)
I believe in the osmosis thing too. I think we all learned basic writing skills such as how to craft lucid sentences and paragraphs long before we were aware of such things. Not all avid readers want to be writers, but I think most (by a large majority) avid readers are better writers than are those who read less. In this context, I'm speaking of writing in the general sense, not just writing creatively.
I agree with you, Janga. I admit to have experience with the online dating sites and the ones who say they don't really read are usually the profiles that are not well written. Some even come across as borderline illiterate!
But that's another story.
I hope this osmosis thing is true.
Of course, it's true. I said so, didn't I?
What a great slogan:
If Hellie said it, you know it's true.
:)
What was I thinking? (I would bow but my thighs are still killing me.)
Is it from reading good stuff? And recognizing it? Reading bad stuff and recognizing it?
You can, I suppose, but I would say that I learned most from writing I loved, from books or stories that were pure magic. Much like the best courses I took in college were with faculty who were passionate about their subject and were good at teaching it.
There are books I've read and I've thought, "I will NEVER do that" and that's for the best. There are some things you should never do in books, but it reminds of The Secret, where if you focus on the negative, you bring negative to you; but if you focus on the positive, you bring positive to you.
When you're focusing on the GOOD things in something you've read, I think it's easier to repeat them. If you get hung up on all the things you shouldn't be doing, it's probably going to unravel.
Q, my Deerhunter would agree with you: I am crackers. Bloody barking crackers.
But that doesn't necessarily mean I'm not right.
Yes, a sewing machine is a logical, rational (supposedly) machine and therefore the tension is the same regardless. Except that the tension does change depending on the project and/or fabric you're sewing with. So you fiddle with the tension and either have more or less if you're working with fragile fabric or heavy fabric--and that's the same in books. You wouldn't have heavy melodramatic tension in EVERY romance novel. Some are light and frothy; some are dark and heavy; some are a bit of both middle of the road. All were made by the same machine--that of Romance Writing.
I was bawling before I noticed I was still reading
How are those pregnancy hormones working for you?
To say true to Hellie’s original analogy, I can look at a well-made garment and admire it and the skill that went into creating it. But I can also take a closer look–feeling the fabric, making sure patterns are alligned perfectly, checking the seams, looking to see if only a single line of stitches is visible, etc.
When I do this, the first thing I do upon investigating a fine seam well-sewn, "A serger. MUST BE NICE TO BE THEM."
And I too could admire how a garmet is constructed, but no amount of examination would help me figure out how to recreate the piece on my own.
I've done this. My first Halloween when I realize that none of the patterns had a corset I wanted for the outfit I was making. I had to make my corset, I had to make my own pattern. Worked too.
Crazy sewing. Very instinctive. I almost miss sewing that way.
This is all subjective on some level. Even down to who we choose to “study” as our favorite authors. There’s likely someone out there who hates how that person writes.
This is very true. But in this case, we're not trying to win EVERYONE over. We're not going for world domination--we aren't are we? I mean we are more intelligent than The Brain, right and know that's impossible?--we're trying to find a group of people who have our similar bent sense of humor or way of looking at things. And we've bonded with certain authors and I think studying them assumes we'll at least win some of the followers of those authors. *LOL*
“I wish I could quit this job and not have to worry about anything more stressful than sitting down and writing books.”
This makes me laugh. If I only had to sit down everyday and write a book, I'm pretty sure I'd be begging to go back to my day job in about four hours. Don't get me wrong: I love writing when it works, but when it doesn't, I'd rather do most anything else.
If Hellie said it, you know it’s true.
I should get this on a t-shirt and wear it to work.
I should get this on a t-shirt and wear it to work.
Yeah, but add this to the front of it: Don't make me say this twice, beeyotch.
LOL
I know when I read some of the old fifties scifi, I found so much telling and not showing, that I finally get what the difference is. Not necessarily bad stuff...it wasn't considered bad when it was being published. Another thing to keep in mind, trends and what is considered good or bad change.
It is so much what you get lost in and I do think if you can lose yourself when reading your own book, you're on the right track. Not necessarily arrived, because you have the luxury of knowing the story that isn't on the page.
This is what trips me up more than often!
I love a well-made garment. And I can wander a fabric store with my Mom and recognize what is what and how it would work, etc. But I never actually got into the doing part of it.
Don’t make me say this twice, beeyotch.
THAT I couldn't wear to work. Plus there are some things I don't mind saying twice, like the F word. I mean there are situations where saying it twice is the only thing to say.
I would love to make up a snarky t-shirt about work and wear it--and it would have to do with faculty who don't know how to turn on their computers, literacy students who don't know how to read, and graduate students who make my procrastination skills look like the crap of amateurs. "I know the deadline was two weeks ago, but is it too late to turn it in?" Um, YES.
Another thing to keep in mind, trends and what is considered good or bad change.
That's certainly the truth. *LOL*
30 years ago, you'd have 450 page romances with tons of prose, and rapes were "okay" and perhaps even encouraged if Savage Surrender was anything to go on. And nowadays, prose has been trimmed considerably; you're lucky if you get 350 pages to tell your story; and if you have a rape in your story, you're not in the norm.
I think the show don't tell stuff has changed drastically over the years, not just the prose, rape and length. And if you're the right writer, wow...you can still get away with a ton of tell. Just read a well known author that about slayed me with the amount of tell that came before she finally began to show... Well, written prose...but it was interesting to observe what was okay for her but wouldn't be okay for me.
“I know the deadline was two weeks ago, but is it too late to turn it in?”
"Oh, sorry. I just gave the keys to the Delorean to the LAST student who came in. Maybe next time you guys can carpool back to the future and get it in on time."
Dear me
Did I really suggest that the skipper might be crackers?!!
Sorry Helli ..... had a tough day. And Bosun is right, the scotch was still tingling in my throat.
I think I see your analogy now, though don't the latest sewing/knitting machines have computer controls so you feed your pattern in, press a switch, and the garment rolls out like magic? 8)
If only one could write books like that, reducing it to programming, I reckon I could be a best selling author!
But of course you can't and never will.
The creative mind transcends any machine yet conceived.
Though I'm not sure that I would put money on it always being so! :wink:
...though don’t the latest sewing/knitting machines have computer controls so you feed your pattern in, press a switch, and the garment rolls out like magic?
They are called tailors, Q. Or in my case, my Mom!
Well, written prose…but it was interesting to observe what was okay for her but wouldn’t be okay for me.
I have a couple auto-buy authors who fall into this category. I notice if they head-hop--and I don't mean 2-3 times within a chapter or scene, but 2-3 times on the same page. I notice the telling stuff. But it's THEM so I usually let it go. Unless I didn't like the story at the end--then I have a problem. :)
“Oh, sorry. I just gave the keys to the Delorean to the LAST student who came in. Maybe next time you guys can carpool back to the future and get it in on time.”
That's hilarious! Except these students are getting young enough that if I said this, they'd say, "What's a Delorean?" And then I'd have to stab them.
I think I see your analogy now, though don’t the latest sewing/knitting machines have computer controls so you feed your pattern in, press a switch, and the garment rolls out like magic?
This is the same bit of fiction where people think all you have to do to write a romance novel is change the hair color and eye color of your previous novel. Oh, if only it were that easy...
This is the same bit of fiction where people think all you have to do to write a romance novel is change the hair color and eye color of your previous novel.
Except it's not entirely fiction. I can think of one very successful writer who has been doing that for years--with name changes, of course.
In Q's defense, this chick I knew had an embroidery machine that would do exactly what he says. You'd key in what you wanted into the little computer, put the fabric in the right way, hit a button and it did ALL the work. Janga has a quilt square or two made by that thing. LOL!
And Janga loves that quilt! It's one of the things I'd grab in a fire.
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