h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is very interesting. The more you read the more you know there's no one 'right' way of writing.

There's something to be said for choosing a book by an author you like (one of these might suit) and imitating the technique. As I've mentioned, on my creative writing course at Sussex Uni, we've chosen a book we like, by a writer we admire, to look at in detail. I've been doing Rose Tremain's 'Trespass'.

I found that, in the second chapter, Rose Tremain introduces her protagonist, Anthony Very, who's a London antique dealer. The chapter opens with a description of a tapestry in his shop. It becomes clear that this is Anthony's favourite thing, and that he's come to love furnishings more than people. There is a description of Anthony.

The next chapter, though, we meet Audrun Lunel, a French woman. She is walking in her wood, near the village of La Callune, where she has always lived. It becomes clear that this is Audrun's special place, and what matters most to her is the land and her place in it. I don't think there is a description of what Audrun looks like, though we do know that she's subject to 'episodes', when consciousness blurs.

Does it matter? We can still imagine her walking through her wood in her rubber boots. Perhaps what matters is the little detail: Audrun's boots, Anthony's 'abudant grey, crinkly hair.'

Better back to my story. I have got descriptions of my characters but choosing those telling details is difficult.

Yeah, like that. Very good point.

Sometimes, you only need that 'telling detail'.

A lot depends on you, your genre, your audience. Think about it: if you write a detective story, and all you say is that your detective has a 'square jaw', nobody minds.

Which is why Robert Mitchum, Humphrey Bogart, and Elliott Gould have ALL played Chandler's hero... (I think there's about a foot difference between Mitchum and Bogart, but they've both been Philip Marlowe.)

On the other hand, you try writing a Regency Romance without going into painstaking detail as to what all those characters are wearing while they're eating their ice cream at Almack's. Or attending Prinny's ball...

The readers will murder you.

Hi there Dmitri, thanks for this, just want so say I'm actually reading all of these installments of 'Writing Right' though I don't comment! Anyways, thanks again for this particular one. In my stories I briefly describe characters most of the time whenever the reader first encounter them, and then at times just make a reference to some specific features ... but in my case I do this more for 'lesser' characters than for the main characters. The idea I have is that I will illustrate my stories and then of course the reader will not really need descriptions all the time as there will be plenty of pictures of them!

Now, that's an option, Willem. Illustrate.

Of course, in the old days, a lot of writers (and readers) were annoyed by illustrators who hadn't read the book...at least, it used to bother me if the author said the character was dark-haired, and the illustrator put a blond on the cover.

What are your writing, Willem? Do you want to tell us?

Yeah I know about that. Many illustrators didn't read the books sort of on principle, and the cover illustrations often had very little to do with the contents. Anyways, I really hope I get to do it, and I really believe I could pull it off.

Oh sorry Minorvogonpoet, I was responding to Dmitri's post! I'm writing some science fiction/fantasy stories. I've an idea for a whole series; the first has been written but I'm not 100% satisfied with it yet; busy with the second now ... I'll try to do the third as well and then look at them all together, just to get an idea if it could work. If I can make the first three and I'm satisfied with them and they all fit together well, then I'll have hope for completing the series.

Good for you and