tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post116330077932600273..comments2023-10-11T09:22:33.136-04:00Comments on Paperback Writer: ExcessettingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163463912694666082006-11-13T19:25:00.000-05:002006-11-13T19:25:00.000-05:00Hahahaha! I love it!Hahahaha! I love it!Tracy Sharp - Author of the Leah Ryan Serieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12239533451929739327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163406147148620222006-11-13T03:22:00.000-05:002006-11-13T03:22:00.000-05:00I;ve never had the patience for much more than bar...I;ve never had the patience for much more than bare bones description but I do love dialog and action.<BR/><BR/>At casa Nico, the running joke is KSR's Mars Trilogy and the endless pages of decription of red rocks, red dust, red mud, red boulders....<BR/><BR/>Unless it's active to a scene, I tend to give stuff a pretty basic flyby, because if I wanted to read of the lavish descriptions of the carpet the hero's pacing on, i'd get a carpet catalog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163392646047356662006-11-12T23:37:00.000-05:002006-11-12T23:37:00.000-05:00Bwahahahahaha, I just luv this, PBW! What a great ...Bwahahahahaha, I just luv this, PBW! What a great way to show how too much description can make one...glaze over and start to skim (no matter HOW beautiful the prose). In today's "must be satisfied NOW" society, the sooner we get on with the story the better! :) Thanks for the fun reminder.Patrice Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12061901112336162568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163363381064310462006-11-12T15:29:00.000-05:002006-11-12T15:29:00.000-05:00Oh John.. look into my sapphire eyes and sing my p...Oh John.. look into my sapphire eyes and sing my praises...<BR/><BR/>Ooops... gosh dang so what was the point???? I have been looking at some of my drivel and I have cut, cut, and cut some more... I really liked those orwellian phrases and complex sentences.<BR/><BR/>:-)Cyn Bagleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08404416186783891402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163362129660157562006-11-12T15:08:00.000-05:002006-11-12T15:08:00.000-05:00Heh. Heh heh.I think I'll save a link to this, and...Heh. <BR/><BR/>Heh heh.<BR/><BR/>I think I'll save a link to this, and when someone wants to know why to avoid excessive adverbiage, I'll just point them here. It's a mini-lesson, a literary 2x4 alongside the head.Deanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10023986850397045322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163361514135535862006-11-12T14:58:00.000-05:002006-11-12T14:58:00.000-05:00er, no disrespect to Mr Koontz, whose preponderanc...er, no disrespect to Mr Koontz, whose preponderance of creativity, abundance of literary craftsmanship, and inexhaustible vocabulary has left me fatigued in all previous attempts to read for any extended length, the lyrical, flourishing, emotional, metaphorical, textual, touching, chilling, moving, exquisite, prose that is the result of such amazing, gifts.<BR/><BR/><I>ps. Sorry, Amie. heh</I>vanessa jayehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11059178422559443067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163360217676975852006-11-12T14:36:00.000-05:002006-11-12T14:36:00.000-05:00OMG, PBW, you're channelling Dean Koontz!!::snort:...OMG, PBW, you're channelling Dean Koontz!!<BR/>::snort::vanessa jayehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11059178422559443067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163358382033829712006-11-12T14:06:00.000-05:002006-11-12T14:06:00.000-05:00Ok, if you're tired of sunsets, how about a nice b...Ok, if you're tired of sunsets, how about a nice bit of rain? And mud. *grin*<BR/><BR/>"Curse the German rain," Varus muttered and drew his <I>sagum</I> closer. The path was slippery with mud, and an icy north-west wind drove the rain into the faces of the men plodding along with their heads bowed. A creak and curses told Varus that one of the mule carts had got stuck again. He considered sending the pioneers ahead to build a log road, but it would slow them down even more. <BR/><BR/>"How long did Arminius say this difficult part of the way was?" Lucius Eggius rode up to the general. "Decurion Adgandes sends word the train is no longer in contact with the main column. Those ox wagons get stuck even worse than the mule carts. And his cavalry can't flank the train any longer, with the Hunta river flooding the meadows; he says he keeps his squadron to the rear of the wagons."<BR/><BR/>"He is that far back? That won't do," Varus said. He and his staff had passed the area in early morning when the rain was but a drizzle and the grass no worse than lying heavy with wetness. Now it was less than two hours to dusk and the sky low and leaden, with clouds bursting in windswept torrents. "Gnaeus Numerius," he called over his shoulder, "get your men back and help the train along. Cut some of those damn trees and cover the worst of the mud holes."<BR/><BR/>The chief engineer saluted and turned his horse. Further back in the column was a commotion as another rider pressed through. Varus recognised Cassius Chaerea. What was the matter now?<BR/><BR/>"Publius Quinctilius, my general," Cassius called, "the Nineteenth is under attack!"<BR/><BR/>"What do you mean - under attack?" Varus lifted his arm, commanding a halt.<BR/><BR/>"The Bructeri shoot arrows and javelins from out of the trees. Several men have fallen, among them the <I>primus pilus</I> Titus Ulpius; and the tribune Mamercus Aemilius Lepidus is wounded."Gabriele Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17205770868139083575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163356454086874592006-11-12T13:34:00.000-05:002006-11-12T13:34:00.000-05:00Just, um--snarf?Just, um--snarf?Valerie Comerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06674882711125123089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163353288295277212006-11-12T12:41:00.000-05:002006-11-12T12:41:00.000-05:00Have you been reading Faulkner again? *snarf*Have you been reading Faulkner again? <BR/><BR/>*snarf*Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163352594878139502006-11-12T12:29:00.000-05:002006-11-12T12:29:00.000-05:00There are reasons my editors swig Mylanta before t...There are reasons my editors swig Mylanta before they ask me to add in a little more setting to my stuff. :)<BR/><BR/>Bernita, you are truly description-gifted. Don't you dare delete that post.<BR/><BR/>Gabriele, I had no particular book in mind when I wrote this. I think it's that I've been smothered in setting so often in every genre that it's become a permanent writer tick of mine. Especially descriptions of sunsets. Every time I see one in a story, it gives my left eye an uncontrollable twitch.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163352046053958642006-11-12T12:20:00.000-05:002006-11-12T12:20:00.000-05:00I started reading this and thought, "What the hell...I started reading this and thought, "What the hell..." But I kept on reading. It was hideously fascinating, like a train wreck.<BR/><BR/>What's really terrifying is that there are some published books like this. Annie Dilliard's "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek," anyone?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15058219643912780497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163351278648419062006-11-12T12:07:00.000-05:002006-11-12T12:07:00.000-05:00"The readers are already in a description coma fro..."The readers are already in a description coma from the setting sun stuff."<BR/><BR/>She's mistakenly assuming that we read it in the first place. =PAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163350886732383272006-11-12T12:01:00.000-05:002006-11-12T12:01:00.000-05:00Ouch, what book, probably thrown against a wall no...Ouch, what book, probably thrown against a wall not decorated with green wallpaper, at page two brought this one on? ;)Gabriele Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17205770868139083575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163350019599184142006-11-12T11:46:00.000-05:002006-11-12T11:46:00.000-05:00hee hee hee...hee hee hee...Shiloh Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07785046046157000126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163342840929831262006-11-12T09:47:00.000-05:002006-11-12T09:47:00.000-05:00Bwaaaaaaaa ha haaaaaaa I want to find out what com...Bwaaaaaaaa ha haaaaaaa I want to find out what comes after the duct tape! woohoooAmie Stuarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14145328243563702260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163335355206216772006-11-12T07:42:00.000-05:002006-11-12T07:42:00.000-05:00I can't stop laughing. And that Marcia is one heck...I can't stop laughing. <BR/><BR/>And that Marcia is one heck of a heroine!Mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06185883760690309984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163335124610244462006-11-12T07:38:00.000-05:002006-11-12T07:38:00.000-05:00You are, sans doubt, disgustingly brilliant.And I ...You are, sans doubt, disgustingly brilliant.<BR/>And I think I'll scratch the post I was going to do on description tomorrow...Bernitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05264585685253812090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163318357236165602006-11-12T02:59:00.000-05:002006-11-12T02:59:00.000-05:00Wow, that post sounds surprisingly like 2/3 of my ...Wow, that post sounds surprisingly like 2/3 of my NaNovel so far. Except, I don't think you used enought adjectives. Rather, I do not think (more word count from non contractions). Ah, the fun of November... ;)<BR/><BR/>p.s. I love John and Marcia. I really really do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163309889320900712006-11-12T00:38:00.000-05:002006-11-12T00:38:00.000-05:00That's a coincidence. The last thing I typed - jus...That's a coincidence. The last thing I typed - just seconds ago - was a post on Absolute Write telling someone the childhood book they were describing was Michener's 'Centennial'<BR/>Help, I cannot escape.Simon Hayneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02660767551431793439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1163308600462130182006-11-12T00:16:00.000-05:002006-11-12T00:16:00.000-05:00Not quite Michnerian, but with a little more work,...Not quite Michnerian, but with a little more work, you'll get there. I would have really appreciated capturing this scene from the moment the boiling gases coalesced to create the sun. I needed to see the rock formations press up from the formative shifting plates that were formed as the gases cooled from the center of the earth. And the amoebas drifting through the oceans before they evolved and slithered from the soup to crawl on land, eventually learning to walk upright to spawn the ancestors of John and Marcia. <BR/><BR/>Only then could I fully appreciate the frustration Marcia felt as John dawdled with the sunset one more moment. Of course, then the NaNo novel would be complete before completing the opening scene. <BR/><BR/>This method was much more concise. Thank heavens I wasn't drinking anything.<BR/><BR/>Cutting and running back to the drivel that comprises this year's NaNo.Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01805501348812702651noreply@blogger.com