It’s all in the details.
by marjoriemliu on Aug.15, 2010, under Uncategorized
I’ve spent the whole day writing and re-writing a single page in my book. This is not because I’m stumped. It’s just that this page is critical. There’s some information that the reader needs, information that the heroine needs, and it all has to be written with a certain degree of delicacy and verve.
Every page in a book is important. But some pages are more important than others. Some pages hold fundamental, vital parts of the story — and thus, hold a great deal of power over the reader’s understanding of the story.
For example, in A WILD LIGHT there’s a scene near the middle of the book where Maxine learns something pretty awful about herself. It took forever to write, because it had to be just right. A revelation that big, and its aftermath, is hard to craft.
I’ve got to run back to the book, but keep that in mind, at times, as you work. Every page requires your devotion, but some command more than others.
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August 16th, 2010 on 1:32 pm
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