The Argument for Ambiguity in Your Story

To create a story that feels as if it could leave the page: That’s the dream of many writers. But to pull it off means leaving space for the reader. Celeste Ng, author of the newly released Everything I Never Told You, explains:

… you need to leave a few unmapped places so the characters can step beyond the boundaries you’ve sketched, a few strings untied so that the puppets can move freely without your hand. In other words, you need a little ambiguity: a space, however small, for the reader to fit into the piece. A story needs a little room for the reader to interpret, to bring in his or her own perceptions and conceptions.

But, you might ask, what is the difference between meaningful ambiguity and authorial indecision? Read Ng’s full essay at Glimmer Train to find out.

For more on writing craft & technique:

Smash the Blasted Scales by Julian Zabalbeascoa
One of Your Most Valuable Writing Tools by Sandra Hunter

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