The Best and Worst Advice
If you have spelling or grammar questions, please post them in the International Grammar section.
If you want feedback for poetry or short stories you have written, please post the poem or short story in either the Creative Original Works: Short Stories section or the Creative Original Works: Poetry section.
If you have a book that you want reviewed, click here to submit your book for review.
-
- Posts: 27
- Joined: 21 Feb 2018, 01:55
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 27
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-leanyathi.html
- Latest Review: The Warramunga's War by Greg Kater
The Best and Worst Advice
- Morgan Jones
- Posts: 453
- Joined: 16 Apr 2016, 12:24
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 138
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-morgan-jones.html
- Latest Review: Fate Won't Compromise by Catherine Blakely
Worst Advice: force yourself to write even when you don't feel like it.
- rave_2
- Posts: 683
- Joined: 24 Feb 2018, 16:04
- Currently Reading: A Word so Fitly Spoken
- Bookshelf Size: 149
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-rave-2.html
- Latest Review: Julu by Jan Anderegg
- PlanetHauth
- Posts: 208
- Joined: 31 Jan 2018, 12:06
- Currently Reading: Celebrity
- Bookshelf Size: 766
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-planethauth.html
- Latest Review: Heartaches 2 by H.M. Irwing
I was going to comment with this. I personally think it's the best AND the worst advice, because it never really comes with a warning (and it really should). Like you said, not everything needs to be show in great detail. There's a time and place for showing. However, it's also a necessary element for certain scenes. Unfortunately, some authors take this piece of advice and just run away with it, so we end up with books full of ridiculously long, and oftentimes awkward, descriptions where they don't belong.rave_2 wrote: ↑11 Jun 2018, 22:52 Not really sure about any good advice, but the worst advice I hear a lot is "show, don't tell." Yes, it's understandable that showing is important, but not everything should be shown is the reason why I hate this advice. A good story has its own mix of show and tell.
-Bilbo Baggins
- kleprich23
- Posts: 1
- Joined: 11 Jun 2018, 21:08
- Bookshelf Size: 0
As for worst advice... "Write only what you know." Why, when writing outside of your comfort zone could offer you a new perspective on things and challenge you as both a writer and person?
- rave_2
- Posts: 683
- Joined: 24 Feb 2018, 16:04
- Currently Reading: A Word so Fitly Spoken
- Bookshelf Size: 149
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-rave-2.html
- Latest Review: Julu by Jan Anderegg
Exactly!PlanetHauth wrote: ↑11 Jun 2018, 23:33I was going to comment with this. I personally think it's the best AND the worst advice, because it never really comes with a warning (and it really should). Like you said, not everything needs to be show in great detail. There's a time and place for showing. However, it's also a necessary element for certain scenes. Unfortunately, some authors take this piece of advice and just run away with it, so we end up with books full of ridiculously long, and oftentimes awkward, descriptions where they don't belong.rave_2 wrote: ↑11 Jun 2018, 22:52 Not really sure about any good advice, but the worst advice I hear a lot is "show, don't tell." Yes, it's understandable that showing is important, but not everything should be shown is the reason why I hate this advice. A good story has its own mix of show and tell.
And I agree that it should come with a warning. New authors need to learn to decide when to show and when to tell so that there are no unnecessary descriptions.
- PlanetHauth
- Posts: 208
- Joined: 31 Jan 2018, 12:06
- Currently Reading: Celebrity
- Bookshelf Size: 766
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-planethauth.html
- Latest Review: Heartaches 2 by H.M. Irwing
Yes! In all my research on writing (I'm that kind of person), I've only come across one article that explains showing is great for romantic scenes, for example, but we all know how to open a door, so there's no need to show that. It was a simple example, but it was enough to make me realize when show and tell are appropriate.rave_2 wrote: ↑12 Jun 2018, 13:37Exactly!PlanetHauth wrote: ↑11 Jun 2018, 23:33I was going to comment with this. I personally think it's the best AND the worst advice, because it never really comes with a warning (and it really should). Like you said, not everything needs to be show in great detail. There's a time and place for showing. However, it's also a necessary element for certain scenes. Unfortunately, some authors take this piece of advice and just run away with it, so we end up with books full of ridiculously long, and oftentimes awkward, descriptions where they don't belong.rave_2 wrote: ↑11 Jun 2018, 22:52 Not really sure about any good advice, but the worst advice I hear a lot is "show, don't tell." Yes, it's understandable that showing is important, but not everything should be shown is the reason why I hate this advice. A good story has its own mix of show and tell.
And I agree that it should come with a warning. New authors need to learn to decide when to show and when to tell so that there are no unnecessary descriptions.
-Bilbo Baggins
- DustinPBrown
- Posts: 178
- Joined: 10 Oct 2017, 15:58
- Currently Reading: My Family and Other Animals
- Bookshelf Size: 309
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-dustinpbrown.html
- Latest Review: It's Never Water Under the Bridge by Rianne Moss
Best advice: Read as much as you can, because as a writer, that's our research and how we improve our craft.