Details, Details, Details

They’re your key to 3-D writing.

by Andy Scheer

John Steinbeck applies the principle in the first paragraph of Travels With Charley, about his 1960 drive “in search of America,” with a pick-up camper and a standard poodle.

When I was very young and the urge to be someplace else was on me, I was assured by mature people that maturity would cure this itch. … Continue reading

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