tag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-14:3071550 Writing Excuses Transcripts Writing Excuses Transcripts 2012-01-25T13:59:00Z tag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-14:3071550:55213 ext_88293 2012-01-25T13:59:00Z 2012-01-25T13:59:00Z flabby public 0 Posted by: <span lj:user='mbarker.livejournal.com' style='white-space: nowrap;' class='ljuser'><a href='https://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?userid=92151&amp;t=I'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png' alt='[identity profile] ' width='16' height='16' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='http://mbarker.livejournal.com/' rel='nofollow'><b>mbarker.livejournal.com</b></a></span><br /><br />Writing Excuses 7.4: Brevity<br /><br />From <a href="http://www.writingexcuses.com/2012/01/22/writing-excuses-7-4-brevity/">http://www.writingexcuses.com/2012/01/22/writing-excuses-7-4-brevity/</a><br /><br />Key Points: In late, out early. Start where things are happening, close to the change point, at the inciting incident. Minimize backstory. Remove extra characters and locations. Cut filler language, combine wording and ideas. Remove repetition. Use the right nouns and the right details. Use analogies for richness. Combine scenes -- have characters do something while they're talking. Don't proliferate viewpoints. Brevity doesn't just mean shorter, it also means packing more interesting material into what you keep. Trim the fat.<br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">(&nbsp;</b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://wetranscripts.dreamwidth.org/55213.html#cutid1">20% lean meat?</a></b><b class="cut-close">&nbsp;)</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br />[Brandon] Let's do a writing prompt. Howard?<br />[Howard] Okay. You have a group of characters in a spaceship...<br />[Brandon] 10 seconds.<br />[Howard] On a very, very long trip. Tell us why it's important. Tell us what the problem is, and solve the problem. In 150 words.<br />[Brandon] This has been Writing Excus...<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=wetranscripts&ditemid=55213" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> comments