It’s Not All in the Details

When Less is More

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

As a kid, in a big family, you learn to speak up and get your points across quickly, or be left unheard and ignored. This skill was honed even more while living in NYC. You summarize, speak, and act as fast as possible. This is also how I like to read. I don’t need unnecessary details to understand and enjoy a story. Get to the point is my stance as a writer, editor, and teacher. Some writers strive to use many adverbs, adjectives, and metaphors. Maybe it makes them feel like they have done their job, but they have only aggravated a reader like me.

If words do not 1) move the plot forward, 2) reveal more about a character that explains who they are, 3) provide elements of the setting that anchor how the characters live, or 4) contribute to the themes of the story, then they are merely slowing down the narrative and frustrating your audience.

It is a delicate balance between trusting that your reader has an imagination and assuming they are mind readers. For example, when you indicate that a character is middle-aged, we can visualize what they look like in our minds. There is no need to specify that their hair is gray. However, if a narrator encounters their college flame and is surprised by how much they have aged, it makes sense to focus on how their appearance has changed. You don’t have to describe every detail of a room, but if you want to convey that a character is depressed and unmotivated to clean up, it’s helpful to provide details about a disheveled environment.

We don’t read as observers; we read as collaborators. The best storytellers understand that it’s their job to engage their audience, not just feed them. This is why we have favorite writers: they are the ones who let us in and trust that we understand them. It’s similar to when a good friend shares a story. Pay attention to what they say and what they leave unsaid. They don’t provide extra, unnecessary information to help you follow along. Instead, you fill in many of those details on your own without even realizing it. This is how our amazing brains work.

The next time you’re about to add a detail to a story, ask yourself: Is this relevant for my reader to understand the story? For added enjoyment, consider whether your detail is entertaining. Will it make someone laugh, feel, or think more deeply about the subject or character? Additionally, don’t overlook how much heavy lifting dialogue can do for your story. We can reveal much more about a character through their speech and interactions with others. Scenes become more dynamic and immersive. Conversely, expository details can detract from the action.

When Stephen King said, “Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s,” I believe he was trying to say, less is more!

It’s akin to the Italian way of drinking coffee. Espresso gets the job done. It's short, powerful, and gets to the point quickly. Be the espresso writer, not the weak, watered-down coffee version.

Weekly Dog Photo

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Literary Citizen Share

This week I want to give thanks to all the creative writing that went into the protest signs. Here are a few of my favorites.

• If Melania doesn’t have to live with him, why do we?

• The Lying King (on the Lion King logo)

• Clean up on Aisle 47

• Alexa, Change the President

Next Week’s Show: The Half-Life of a Viral Essay

Attention Paid Subscribers: One Saturday a month you can ask a writing or publishing question that I will post answers to the following week. This month's Email Q&A is Saturday July 26th!