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Thus far I would have to say that my biggest writing pet peeve is not knowing if I'm being too vague. I hate stating the obvious - or what I feel is stating the obvious - and wonder, sometimes, if in my attempt not to clutter a story up with what I feel is obvious just leaves readers confused. Or if what I'm doing does work but only if the reader is actually paying attention to what they read.
This is basically a universal ordeal for both my original fiction and fanfiction, but I'll use fanfiction as an example. More specifically, my Doctor Who story (10th Doctor). It's a "five things" story, where the "five things" are organized by season and companion, starting with Rose, then Martha, then Sarah Jane (as a cameo appearance between seasons), then Donna, then the TARDIS.
I had my sister read the story. She was confused by number five, wanting to know why the Doctor was alone and who the companion was supposed to be. I had thought that, by going in order, she would have realized that it was the end of Journey's End. I even make mention of certain incidents from the finale. Enough, I thought, to let the reader know that number five takes place directly after that episode.
So was I not clear enough? Was my sister not paying close enough attention (she does multi-task like crazy on the computer)? I'm not sure. I didn't want to actually have to rehash the episode as it always annoys me when other stories do that: write entire paragraphs dedicated to the retelling of the episode, amounting to what could be considered a synopsis or major spoiler.
I think I sometimes rely too much on my readers to think logically and realize something based on "what makes sense." It's hard to know when it's a pit fall and when it isn't, because some readers are good at catching the understatments and some seem to want everything spelled out for them (I empahsize "seem").
I need to find me some trustworthy readers to get a more majority opinion on things for my original stuff.
This is basically a universal ordeal for both my original fiction and fanfiction, but I'll use fanfiction as an example. More specifically, my Doctor Who story (10th Doctor). It's a "five things" story, where the "five things" are organized by season and companion, starting with Rose, then Martha, then Sarah Jane (as a cameo appearance between seasons), then Donna, then the TARDIS.
I had my sister read the story. She was confused by number five, wanting to know why the Doctor was alone and who the companion was supposed to be. I had thought that, by going in order, she would have realized that it was the end of Journey's End. I even make mention of certain incidents from the finale. Enough, I thought, to let the reader know that number five takes place directly after that episode.
So was I not clear enough? Was my sister not paying close enough attention (she does multi-task like crazy on the computer)? I'm not sure. I didn't want to actually have to rehash the episode as it always annoys me when other stories do that: write entire paragraphs dedicated to the retelling of the episode, amounting to what could be considered a synopsis or major spoiler.
I think I sometimes rely too much on my readers to think logically and realize something based on "what makes sense." It's hard to know when it's a pit fall and when it isn't, because some readers are good at catching the understatments and some seem to want everything spelled out for them (I empahsize "seem").
I need to find me some trustworthy readers to get a more majority opinion on things for my original stuff.
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no subject
Date: 2009-02-20 10:07 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-02-20 11:51 pm (UTC)From:I sometimes rely too much on my readers .........
Date: 2009-02-20 05:47 pm (UTC)From:or for that matter even watching a film.
Understatements are of more interest to me than feeling it
all over my face.
Re: I sometimes rely too much on my readers .........
Date: 2009-02-20 11:58 pm (UTC)From:Another example is when, in the story, someone tells a joke or quotes a movie, then the writer fills the story with useless paragraphs or character dialogue explaining that joke or movie. That's the kind of stuff that, to me, should never be spelled out. I've read plenty of stories with jokes and movie quotes that I didn't get or know, and I was okay with it because I knew what the author was doing. And there were still plenty of other jokes and quotes I did get, so neither did it dampen the humor.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 12:25 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 09:02 pm (UTC)From:I probably won't be writing much Who fic in the future. At least not until I can find some communities or sites where I could post them. I swear, it's like I scared people off when I posted this one :P But I suppose that's just the outcome when you start playing in other fandoms.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-22 03:34 am (UTC)From:I'll read your stuff if I like it, regardless of what fandom (unless I don't like the fandom eg: Supernatural).