tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post4998740940914706547..comments2024-03-28T14:33:26.011-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: Managing the white space...Jungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-51882777680787708722023-04-04T13:29:42.177-04:002023-04-04T13:29:42.177-04:00I don't advise trying that ("carrying thr...I don't advise trying that ("carrying through of an action in a book that switches points of view") Halliehttp://hallieephron.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-59576006298270145582023-04-04T13:27:09.844-04:002023-04-04T13:27:09.844-04:00Why? I confess I love it... hive mind is fascinati...Why? I confess I love it... hive mind is fascinating. But it is a time sink.Halliehttp://hallieephron.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-35914103673023429462023-04-03T21:40:18.845-04:002023-04-03T21:40:18.845-04:00Perfectly said, Gigi.Perfectly said, Gigi.Jenn McKinlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13589365995413467367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-49865942708436996322023-04-03T18:14:47.501-04:002023-04-03T18:14:47.501-04:00If I were still teaching, I'd find a way to sh...If I were still teaching, I'd find a way to share this with students, probably on the Smart Board. I did often talk about breaking up unwieldy sentences and paragraphs into manageable pieces, and confessed that it was one of my own challenges in writing. (I was never as complex as Faulkner, though, a relief to all of us).<br />One feature that always amazes me is the carrying through of an action in a book that switches points of view. Such crafting! Storyteller Maryhttps://storytellermary.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-50803099563472029842023-04-03T16:36:50.295-04:002023-04-03T16:36:50.295-04:00Gorgeous! Well said, Kathy.Gorgeous! Well said, Kathy.Halliehttp://hallieephron.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-62708157953509573432023-04-03T16:36:10.554-04:002023-04-03T16:36:10.554-04:00Instinct is a wonderful thing (if you're lucky...Instinct is a wonderful thing (if you're lucky enough to have it!)Halliehttp://hallieephron.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-8431059740301692342023-04-03T16:35:14.108-04:002023-04-03T16:35:14.108-04:00Perception matters!!Perception matters!!Halliehttp://hallieephron.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-63614897900028883172023-04-03T16:34:41.191-04:002023-04-03T16:34:41.191-04:00Guilty here, too, of the skip-over... and too ofte...Guilty here, too, of the skip-over... and too often it's prelude to putting the book down permanentlyHalliehttp://hallieephron.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-90494171056304183342023-04-03T16:33:45.847-04:002023-04-03T16:33:45.847-04:00Good point... I think it gives the reader a moment...Good point... I think it gives the reader a moment to THINK about what the words are saying.Halliehttp://hallieephron.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-28681516810499606332023-04-03T16:33:03.424-04:002023-04-03T16:33:03.424-04:00It's why I'm sometimes up waaaaay to late....It's why I'm sometimes up waaaaay to late...Halliehttp://hallieephron.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-20397389519852709822023-04-03T16:31:07.047-04:002023-04-03T16:31:07.047-04:00Perfect example. AND any of the wonderful HAIKU ou...Perfect example. AND any of the wonderful HAIKU out there, too.Halliehttp://hallieephron.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-86868459476976323262023-04-03T16:30:18.691-04:002023-04-03T16:30:18.691-04:00Right, giving the reader time to take a breath. (a...Right, giving the reader time to take a breath. (akin to what writing teachers talk about as scene and sequel)Halliehttp://hallieephron.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-87819724308988603342023-04-03T16:29:29.058-04:002023-04-03T16:29:29.058-04:00Triss, I agree it's all about stop and go and ...Triss, I agree it's all about stop and go and flow. Halliehttp://hallieephron.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-67848466537765567862023-04-03T16:28:19.093-04:002023-04-03T16:28:19.093-04:00Editing for me is often at least partly a process ...Editing for me is often at least partly a process of putting in and taking out white space... tuningHalliehttp://hallieephron.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-43052643443320324862023-04-03T16:27:34.424-04:002023-04-03T16:27:34.424-04:00... and for those of us who came from technical wr...... and for those of us who came from technical writing, the placement on the page can also cue the reader on what it's okay to skip!Halliehttp://hallieephron.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-20510969206757295742023-04-03T16:26:13.544-04:002023-04-03T16:26:13.544-04:00It's why I try to read passages aloud to mysel...It's why I try to read passages aloud to myself when I'm editing... to make sure the punctuation is putting across the phrasing.Halliehttp://hallieephron.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-71202716758774344522023-04-03T16:25:16.583-04:002023-04-03T16:25:16.583-04:00I agree completely, Gay.I agree completely, Gay.Halliehttp://hallieephron.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-25006012738630026142023-04-03T16:24:31.758-04:002023-04-03T16:24:31.758-04:00Excellent point about poetry! especially the moder...Excellent point about poetry! especially the modern poets, the placement of the words can be as important as the words themselvesHalliehttp://hallieephron.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-14836685932380924222023-04-03T16:23:13.301-04:002023-04-03T16:23:13.301-04:00I love Robert B. Parker (short punchy paragraphs) ...I love Robert B. Parker (short punchy paragraphs) AND P.D. James (lalalala on and on with the description) so I think it's a style issue. For what I write I want shorter punchier and forward moving. Halliehttp://hallieephron.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-43974524984946069482023-04-03T15:57:10.080-04:002023-04-03T15:57:10.080-04:00Hallie, I love the way you think. Your writing cl...Hallie, I love the way you think. Your writing classes must be amazing. I realize I think about the white space without thinking about white space. But, now I will think "white space," with its name, not just something needs a break or leaving more space between a quote and its bookend paragraphs. White space actually has a job, an integral part of your story or review or whatever you're writing. It's rather like "white noise." White noise doesn't have any words or lyrics, and it doesn't have a melody, but it has a purpose, that rest in-between the words and the music and the sounds of your life. Kathy Reelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17004247271452356577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-40461640304654059892023-04-03T15:44:25.228-04:002023-04-03T15:44:25.228-04:00Susan C Shea here: A class in miniature! I use ins...Susan C Shea here: A class in miniature! I use instinct to find the rhythm in writing, but appreciate being reminded of the white space issue. I do use the line breaks as Hallie does because I don't weant to make my reader work hard to figure out time and space!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-59072786305329269962023-04-03T13:42:37.201-04:002023-04-03T13:42:37.201-04:00I definitely notice the white space. When I see a...I definitely notice the white space. When I see a page full of lots of words with few breaks, it makes me think the page will be slow. Shorter paragraphs and lots of dialog make me think the page will be filled with lots of forward movement to the story. Is that always the case? Absolutely not. But it is the perception. Probably left over from high school where we had long pages of nothing much happening with very little white space.Mark Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11567392254011373198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-68694182532824531122023-04-03T12:52:12.776-04:002023-04-03T12:52:12.776-04:00Why do so many people waste productive, precious t...Why do so many people waste productive, precious time on social media?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-64084703928966482602023-04-03T12:35:04.187-04:002023-04-03T12:35:04.187-04:00Great topic, Hallie! I've never thought about ...Great topic, Hallie! I've never thought about white space, but yes, it is something I pay attention to, in my writing and in my reading. When I see a great blob of words on a page, I find I skim it rather than read it. <br /><br />I admit in my own writing I do strive for the hook and grab. Fun to do and fun to read.Kaithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07758348842858993203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-86467161427543543892023-04-03T12:26:23.023-04:002023-04-03T12:26:23.023-04:00As a reader I notice none of these page devices ex...As a reader I notice none of these page devices except the various obvious ones, such an end of chapter cliffhanger or sentences by themselves. In my case they likely affect me in the opposite way the author intended, I’m very likely to not read a book or continue reading if I feel the author is overtly manipulating the reader.Susan Nelson-Holmdahlnoreply@blogger.com