Sparse vs Screenplay

[Phil]

Interested to hear people's views on this.

I like to write pretty sparsely, but I'm also conscious of overdoing it, so that my prose reads like, well, a screenplay.

"She opened the window. It was cold, so she closed it again."

OK, I'm massively exaggerating with that example to stress the point , but hopefully you get the drift. Do any of you worry about this? And if so, do you have any tips or rules for striking the right balance?

[Christina]

I tend to use simple words and leave the descriptions to only what is necessary to describe. If an alien has four arms, I probably won't say anything until I have reason to (the additional set of arms made carrying buckets of water easier for the Grox people), but I do try to have balance between simply stating actions and purple prose. With your example above,I'd probably go with:

She opened the window, stuck her head out, and immediately regretted the decision when a blast of icy air slapped her in the face.

But this, like most everything, is going to be a matter of personal taste. If your style works better with sparse wording, then so be it. Same with those who seem to have an unlimited supply of adjectives. Finding what works for you is best.

[Jane]

You can only write the way you write. May sound trite and unhelpful but it's a truth.

If you want to find out if your writing is really too sparse. Best suggestion is to write something small, maybe a short story, and get as many people as possible to give you their thoughts. That way you are much more likely to find out if the balance is right than you ever are looking at it yourself.

[G.G.]

Phil wrote: "OK, I'm massively exaggerating with that example to stress the point , but hopefully you get the drift...."

Not really. You closed the window too fast. :P

Ok, more seriously, some days I worry I am too sparse and I don't have enough descriptions and others I fear I am too verbose. I think it is an author's prerogative to do as he or she feels suits the story best (or part of the story).

Some stories call for more descriptions as for others, they'd suffer if there were more. So yeah, a balance between the two? Only your readers (and readers in your genre) can tell you.

Rules? I don't have any rules or suggestions. All I know is that if I read it a few days later and I am not satisfied I add or remove things until I am, which doesn't mean it's good either or that people will find it balanced, but if it's to my taste, at least I feel good about it.

Edit: I forgot to add that some genre such as epic fantasy and romance for example seem to automatically call for more descriptions. Others are more case by case.

[Jonathan]

I think you have to find your own style and take your readers along with you. Sure, an editor can suggest edits to eliminate repetition or make the story flow better. But ultimately your fans follow you because of the way 'you' write and the voice 'you' have. You want to be short and to the point - works for Lee Child. You want to be over descriptive - there's always room for another 'War and Peace'. Go with what suits you and the style of writer you want to be..

[W.]

I had always thought the film-worthiness of a book was the visual appeal of each scene. Does each interaction have a reason for being, a beginning and end and does it move the story forward.
My writing style is writing several threads, which might be read separately without difficulty, and then weaving them together after composition. i have been assured this is cinema like.

[Emily]

Phil wrote: "Interested to hear people's views on this.

I like to write pretty sparsely, but I'm also conscious of overdoing it, so that my prose reads like, well, a screenplay.

"She opened the window. It w..."


Like others have mentioned I think, I find screenwriting really helps with my visual storytelling - it tends make me forget having a strong voice/monologue though. So it really comes down to the usual battle of showing vs telling for your personal style/preference :)

[Dwayne, Head of Lettuce]

To be honest, I'm not sure I understand the question. I don't write sparsely, I know that. I also don't believe I write "screenplays", but maybe I'm not sure what you mean by that.

[Steve]

I've written screenplays and think I know what you mean, if you are talking about your fiction writing style being 'visual,' brief and punchy. Lee Child writes his Jack Reacher novels in this way and it can be very effective.

I try to do the same, seeing my stories in my head like a movie and writing down what I 'see.'

I don't think it's anything to worry about. Everyone has their own unique style and if you succeed in conveying what you mean to convey to readers, it doesn't matter whether it takes a sentence, a paragraph or a page.

[Scott]

I come from a screenwriting background, and what I used to hear was my shorts & novels were too verbose. A case of overindulging in adjectives and flowery description one must avoid in scripts.

Find a voice that works for you. Concise isn't necessarily a bad thing. If you do it well, it can really drive a story quickly. Just make sure to add detail and flourish where it serves the story well.

Keep at it!

[Dwayne, Head of Lettuce]

There doesn't seem to be much difference, then, between sparse and screenplay. So, in the battle of "sparse vs. screenplay", I have to go with neither. Descriptions of settings, objects and characters are highly important in my work. The way a character dresses, where they live, etc. can say a great deal about the character. I know some don't care for my style and probably get impatient for things to happen, but some really get into it.

Everyone has their style, of course. I enjoy stories that are light on description, sometimes.

[Phil]

G.G. wrote: "

Not really. You closed the window too fast. :P"

He opened the window again!

[Phil]

Tom wrote: "I suspect he's referring to the speculative (spec) screenplay format..."

Tom summarised this much better than I could :)

[Zoltán]

First of all, as many have already stated, its about YOUR style. Some prefer to leave as much as possible to the immagination of the reader. Some use in depth and verbose descriptions.

I think this is one possible tool an author has. By using different styles, you can also convey a lot about the personality and feelings/state of your character.

Your example can, for example show someone tense. Goes to open the window, realises it's not a good idea and closes it again. Because he/she is tense and opening the window was just the result of the need to do something.

A slower, more elaborate description would show a relaxed character, or one more controlled etc.

Again: No good vs. bad solutions here.

[Jordan]

Phil wrote: "Interested to hear people's views on this.

I like to write pretty sparsely, but I'm also conscious of overdoing it, so that my prose reads like, well, a screenplay.

"She opened the window. It w..."

I completely understand what you're getting at. As someone who predominantly started writing plays/screenplays, I've often encountered the same sort of problem. That being said, it all comes down to the writing style that you feel best suits you, and more
Importantly, the writing style that best serves the story. A lot of very successful authors write sparsely, so I definitely don't think it's necessarily a bad thing.