Too Much Detail

Readers don’t always need specific descriptions.

by Andy Scheer

In my most recent fiction critique, I told the author he sometimes provided descriptions that were too detailed.

What was wrong with them? They provided information a reader could supply on her own.

Unlike films, books have the opportunity to enlist readers as an active participant. Authors offer enough to trigger a reader’s imagination, and she fills in the … Continue reading

Fun Lessons in Point of View

Some helps for mastering this fiction skill.

 by Andy Scheer

A new writer said she had trouble grasping the principles of point of view (POV).

“Just think of it,” I said, “as equaling which person’s senses through which you are experiencing a scene.” Continue reading

Historic Colors and Flavors

Looking for authentic 1950s details?IMG_9177 adj

by Andy Scheer

As someone who lived through the 1950s and ’60s, if I were writing a novel set in that era I could be tempted to trust my memory. But recent visits to a few websites reminded me how much I’d forgotten.

Like the … Continue reading