tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post7573279811204842041..comments2023-10-30T05:46:59.343-04:00Comments on The Doubting Writer: I Need to KnowJeffOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07947660745120963286noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-14136835855596025072013-03-15T15:28:54.741-04:002013-03-15T15:28:54.741-04:00I must say I don't know.I must say I don't know. MysteryKnitterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18271259517378263976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-33591415358115963222012-01-17T07:23:57.215-05:002012-01-17T07:23:57.215-05:00I'm not sure I need to know, but I think you a...I'm not sure I need to know, but I think you as the writer might. Without it, I think it would be hard to keep the effects consistent and, like Steve points out, readers who ask you about it might be disappointed. Good luck!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-68579397226881593902012-01-17T06:14:46.401-05:002012-01-17T06:14:46.401-05:00-Lisa and Carrie: The way I'm envisioning it, ...-Lisa and Carrie: The way I'm envisioning it, the story is so narrowly-focused that the people at its heart probably wouldn't ever know what really happened, unless things got fixed, or someone 'in the know' wanders through town. And right now, I don't know if that will happen. The crystal ball is murky so far.<br /><br />-Steve: Yeah, I fit into the category of WANT to know. On the other hand, when I read 'The Road', as much as I wanted to know - to really know, that is - how they got to that point, I got so caught up in the story that I was not dissatisfied to never find out. It *can* be done; it's just a question of whether or not I can do it, heh heh.<br /><br />-Donna: I do agree, I like to have that information, too, and it's usually necessary for me to proceed with the story. I left a ton of stuff 'on the cutting room floor' with my other MS. It's funny to me, how hung up these two people were on the 'but what happened?' front. As I make progress, I'll definitely keep this in mind.<br /><br />I truly appreciate the comments. I'll keep playing with this and see where it takes me. Thanks!JeffOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07947660745120963286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-37163897474323266212012-01-16T16:59:16.963-05:002012-01-16T16:59:16.963-05:00I should probably elaborate. I wouldn't need t...I should probably elaborate. I wouldn't need to know <i>in explicit detail</i>. By the end of the book, I'd want a sense of what happened, but I wouldn't need a play-by-play. If you're concentrating on the characters and their journeys, you should be fine. :)Carrie Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01540590799406170410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-4470187785555560432012-01-16T16:54:47.937-05:002012-01-16T16:54:47.937-05:00I wouldn't need to know.
So many things shape...I wouldn't need to know.<br /><br /><i>So many things</i> shaped our country into what it is today. Do the majority of us know, or even care, about the wars and movements that got us from point A to point B? In a general sense, yes, but we don't dwell on them. We worry about the here and now. We worry about the future. Your scenario would be on a much grander scale, I'm sure, but would it really be that much different? Just something to think about. :)<br /><br />Good luck with the WIP!Carrie Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01540590799406170410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-75913488129463266982012-01-16T14:56:46.950-05:002012-01-16T14:56:46.950-05:00For me personally, I like to know the why. If your...For me personally, I like to know the why. If your early betas (or are they alphas?) are wanting to know, will it bug your readers if you can't answer these questions?<br /><br />I do a lot of research for my books, even if that research isn't explained anywhere in the books. I need to have that information in my mind as I'm writing so I know if it would impact things that happen. Kind of like the rules for a magic system or the laws of physics.Donna K. Weaverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15763832177263927311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-80294037063075745252012-01-16T10:27:54.455-05:002012-01-16T10:27:54.455-05:00I love Tom Petty.
As for your question - It'...I love Tom Petty. <br /><br />As for your question - It's tough to answer without reading the book. I think you'll know if you need to explain more when your done. Personally, I don't necessarily NEED to know, but part of me thinks most readers want to know there is a reason that they COULD discover if they could just talk to you. As such, you might need to know. <br /><br />Personal anecdote: I wanted to write a story about the life of three paranormal beings. I kept getting comments from my submissions that said, "why are they the way they are?" "What made them that way?" and I thought, does it matter? The story is about their interaction. It's a glimpse into a month of their life. They're not going to explain it to everyone they meet, and they're not going to discuss it in detail. <br /><br />Alas, I had to compromise and add SOME history before it was picked up, but I really didn't want to. <br /><br />Good luck with the writing - 12K in a week is brilliant!Steven Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12041214219959162443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-6405178356416304362012-01-16T09:16:47.330-05:002012-01-16T09:16:47.330-05:00First, I heart Tom Petty. Second, for me, I would...First, I heart Tom Petty. Second, for me, I wouldn't need to know. I like it better that way. I mean if a lot of communication technology was wiped out, chances are the characters wouldn't really know either so having the readers at the same level as the characters in that sense would make it even better. That's just me. But you could handle the whole question by simply addressing it in the book. Maybe a child asks a parent what happened and the parent can explain how they don't really know (and why they don't know, i.e. technology was wiped out to a large extent) and that at that point it doesn't even matter whether they find out or not, it only matters that they survive. It would only take a very short scene and there you'd have your kind of explanation to the reader as to why the story is about this family living in the aftermath and not about the event itself. It sounds great by the way and I'm sure that with your writing talent, it will be very amazing.Lisa Reganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12899014095250160853noreply@blogger.com