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Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Description

I don't know about you but I wrestle with how much description to use in a given passage. I want my readers to see what I'm trying to describe and in order to do that I have to use just the right amount of words in the right way. Too much and my readers will skip right over my words. To little and my tale will be vague and insubstantial. The trick is figuring out how much is just right, using words to their maximum advantage, and placement.
 
Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to send me 250 words or so of description you'd like critiqued. Maybe it's a description of your main character. Maybe it's a description of a fight. Or maybe it's the landscape your characters are in. Whatever it is I'd like to read it. Just let me know whether you want to be anonymous or not and send your submissions to: unicornbellsubmissions@gmail.com

And remember, if you don't send me anything I'll have to subject you to something of mine and I'd really rather read something of yours. Really.

4 comments:

Tara Tyler said...

i have the same problem! curious to see examples...

mshatch said...

care to submit something, Tara? You know we love submissions :)

Carol Riggs said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Carol Riggs said...

Great idea, for feedback! I totally agree about the delicate balance of not enough vs too much description. I find myself skipping passages in books. Usually if it's more than 2-3 sentences (depending on their length). I only read it if it's short, or if it's written so well I forget I'm reading description, or if there's a bit of action or thoughts interspersed.