Comments on: A Balance of Action and Information http://kidlit.com/2011/09/28/a-balance-of-action-and-information/ How to Write and Publish Children's Books Tue, 23 Apr 2013 03:11:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Kidlit · Using Flashbacks in Writing http://kidlit.com/2011/09/28/a-balance-of-action-and-information/comment-page-1/#comment-124929 Kidlit · Using Flashbacks in Writing Wed, 31 Oct 2012 17:47:07 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=2652#comment-124929 [...] most fiction is a balance of action and information. When you use flashback, you are taking us out of the present moment to introduce information. [...] [...] most fiction is a balance of action and information. When you use flashback, you are taking us out of the present moment to introduce information. [...]

]]> By: Rachna Chhabria http://kidlit.com/2011/09/28/a-balance-of-action-and-information/comment-page-1/#comment-112088 Rachna Chhabria Fri, 28 Sep 2012 06:02:12 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=2652#comment-112088 Hi Mary, I learn lots from your blog posts. This post in particular is fabulous. I often find myself struggling to balance action and information. At times I end up giving too much information, literally dumping it on the reader. At other times its all action spiked with little info. Thanks for this post. Hi Mary, I learn lots from your blog posts. This post in particular is fabulous. I often find myself struggling to balance action and information. At times I end up giving too much information, literally dumping it on the reader. At other times its all action spiked with little info.

Thanks for this post.

]]> By: Karen http://kidlit.com/2011/09/28/a-balance-of-action-and-information/comment-page-1/#comment-30293 Karen Mon, 03 Oct 2011 23:10:25 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=2652#comment-30293 Thanks for this useful information - now to put it into practice. Easier said than done. :) I wish there were a real scale we could use. Thanks for this useful information – now to put it into practice. Easier said than done. :) I wish there were a real scale we could use.

]]> By: arun http://kidlit.com/2011/09/28/a-balance-of-action-and-information/comment-page-1/#comment-30090 arun Sun, 02 Oct 2011 11:34:51 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=2652#comment-30090 big thanks for the post — I wish i read it a few years ago, before i started my first attempt at a manuscript which had a lot of action, but developed little sympathy for the characters (so a major 'who cares' factor). When i did learn this, my initial response was to try to balance action & information, by using a mix showing & telling. However what I really look for now are those wonderful writers who manage to provide information through the action. In this very visual age i really like syd field's classic screenwriting advice, amongst which he said "character is action." So rather than us being told the woman lost in a maze is a mother/ caring person/ suffered a hard life... how can that come through as she's running through the maze? Hard to pull off i know, but im really appreciating it when i read such examples and find it impacts on me much more. Having said that, i think one of the most useful posts on your blog for me has been the things you've written about 'good telling'... so big thanks again! big thanks for the post — I wish i read it a few years ago, before i started my first attempt at a manuscript which had a lot of action, but developed little sympathy for the characters (so a major ‘who cares’ factor).

When i did learn this, my initial response was to try to balance action & information, by using a mix showing & telling. However what I really look for now are those wonderful writers who manage to provide information through the action.

In this very visual age i really like syd field’s classic screenwriting advice, amongst which he said “character is action.” So rather than us being told the woman lost in a maze is a mother/ caring person/ suffered a hard life… how can that come through as she’s running through the maze?

Hard to pull off i know, but im really appreciating it when i read such examples and find it impacts on me much more. Having said that, i think one of the most useful posts on your blog for me has been the things you’ve written about ‘good telling’… so big thanks again!

]]> By: S. J. Posey http://kidlit.com/2011/09/28/a-balance-of-action-and-information/comment-page-1/#comment-30010 S. J. Posey Sat, 01 Oct 2011 14:24:30 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=2652#comment-30010 Love this. I second what Mindy said. I'd like to add that if the action has nothing to do with the rest of the book, the readers feel cheated. Also, too much "this is what really happened" dialogue from Sage Old Wise Character X makes me nauseous. Those are info dumps too. <-- my opinion as a reader. Keep up the great work! This blog is invaluable! Love this. I second what Mindy said. I’d like to add that if the action has nothing to do with the rest of the book, the readers feel cheated. Also, too much “this is what really happened” dialogue from Sage Old Wise Character X makes me nauseous. Those are info dumps too. <– my opinion as a reader.

Keep up the great work! This blog is invaluable!

]]> By: Mindy http://kidlit.com/2011/09/28/a-balance-of-action-and-information/comment-page-1/#comment-29934 Mindy Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:42:25 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=2652#comment-29934 Great post, and very true. Another thing that bothers me about action is when we thrown into it immediately. If I don't have an emotional connection with your character, then I don't care if they are drowning / getting shot at. Action is good, craft is better. :) Great post, and very true. Another thing that bothers me about action is when we thrown into it immediately. If I don’t have an emotional connection with your character, then I don’t care if they are drowning / getting shot at.

Action is good, craft is better. :)

]]> By: Ilima http://kidlit.com/2011/09/28/a-balance-of-action-and-information/comment-page-1/#comment-29931 Ilima Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:07:33 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=2652#comment-29931 This helps me a ton. Thanks! This helps me a ton. Thanks!

]]> By: Diana http://kidlit.com/2011/09/28/a-balance-of-action-and-information/comment-page-1/#comment-29824 Diana Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:29:54 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=2652#comment-29824 It's posts like this that give fuel to the flames of revision. Thanks. It’s posts like this that give fuel to the flames of revision. Thanks.

]]> By: Melanie http://kidlit.com/2011/09/28/a-balance-of-action-and-information/comment-page-1/#comment-29771 Melanie Thu, 29 Sep 2011 01:56:21 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=2652#comment-29771 That was timely. After reading this, I hit the delete button on my whole first scene. The amazing thing? My book didn't even need that scene. All of the info in it can be implied in the rest of the chapter. Thanks! That was timely. After reading this, I hit the delete button on my whole first scene. The amazing thing? My book didn’t even need that scene. All of the info in it can be implied in the rest of the chapter. Thanks!

]]> By: Jade http://kidlit.com/2011/09/28/a-balance-of-action-and-information/comment-page-1/#comment-29754 Jade Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:50:21 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=2652#comment-29754 Yes! THIS. The bane of my writing life. Awesome post! Yes! THIS. The bane of my writing life. Awesome post!

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