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Young Writers Society


Attention to Detail



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Mon Mar 19, 2007 1:56 am
Dream Deep says...



I once ended up watching a Military Channel documentary on the BUD/s training of United States Navy SEALs. And no, there wasn't much of a choice in the matter - with a brother and a father in control of the remote, I got to watch 'Hell Week' unfold on Coranado Island. But beyond all the hypothermia and ruthless Instructors that appeared to border on the sadistic, I picked up one very important SEAL commandment, and this is attention to detail.

On television, the two teams were each commanded to run a mile over the dunes. They each already carrying inflatable boats on top of their heads and off they tore, boats and all. To bring the rafts along was inferred - and by the end of the race they were reprimanded for it ( to put it lightly). The order had been: Run the mile to such-and-such a point, not Run the mile to such-and-such a point carrying the boats. It all comes back to attention to detail. Leave nothing up to inference, leave nothing up the chance.

Though the similarities between YWS and Navy SEAL training are admittedly slim, the lesson is one that can be easily applied to writing. Attention to detail and focus on detail are probably some of the most difficult aspects to of fine writing, but they're also among the most saliant. Take for granted that your readers have never been to your world before. Your job, one of the most important there is for a storyteller, is to tell them of everything you see. To borrow dear Gyr's story for a moment: two characters, two perfect strangers have just met in a cafe. One buys the other something to eat and they speak, but briefly. This is where the attention to detail comes in. What do they speak of? Do they observe the people that walk by? What does the table look like? The waiter? How are they dressed and how does this reflect their personalities? What are they carrying? As they talk, what do they do with their hands?

Observe everything. Report, to the reader, everything.

(There is a delicate balancing act between attention to detail and over-description, but with practice it is something that can be mastered. Though you wouldn't know it to look at the terribly Russian-esque Chair. ^_~)

At the same time, it also helps to stress the point that you do not want to waste any detail. Say what needs to be said and say it precisely - leave no room for inference. If you point something out, point it out in its entirety, and point it out for a reason. Don't just fill a page with flowery description for the sake of description - your page, lyrical and pretty as it might be, needs to have some meaning behind it, otherwise you're going to find yourself in the realm of those large blocks of print that readers tend to skip in books.

I believe it was Stephen King who said "If there's a gun on the mantel in Act I, it had better go off in Act II." Don't quote me on the source, but the point's there - attention to detail, and the aim to waste none of it.
  





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Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:24 am
Wiggy says...



Excellent advice, Dreamy! I always love your helps. I know sometimes I can do TOO much detail and other times I forget really important things. Ach, the plague of plot holes! :roll:

And Russian-esque is cool!

Wiggy ;)
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Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:42 am
Royboy says...



Ack! My friend does that. I told her not to use so much detail and put spaces between the paragraphs (or more paragraphs all together), but I didn't have a reason. Now I do!
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Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:02 am
Ego says...



Detail is key. Everything has a purpose. If it doesn't...make it.
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Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:14 am
Caligula's Launderette says...



:D Go for detail! Lovely tips Dreamy.

Ha ha, I live on Coronado. Mmm, watching the Navy guys run in the summer is fun stuff. Watching them on the dunes is fun too.
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Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:23 pm
Dream Deep says...



Sadistic Cal. ;)


And Dono, you sum it up very nicely - nicer than I did. That's the sort of quote that finds its way into signatures. I should make it my personal motto in order to escape my Russian-esque tendancies. (Though Wiggy has the right of it, Russian-esque is cooler. ^_^)
  





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Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:38 pm
Ego says...



Teehee, thanks. I try XD
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Lumi: He's the sweetest angel this side of hades.
  





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Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:42 pm
Lilyy03 says...



Great tip! Thanks for posting it. And --

Though the similarities between YWS and Navy SEAL training are admittedly slim

That made me laugh ^_^
  








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