Hey Collaborist – today we go back to talking about how much description you need in your writing. We examine the idea using Ernest Hemingway’s novel, ‘A Farewell to Arms and Don Delillo’s novel White Noise! We, once again, examine the idea of why it’s important to know the rules before you break the rules.
How about you, Collaborist? How much description do you think you need in your writing?
ABOUT THE HOSTS:
Jason Buchholz’s acclaimed debut novel, A Paper Son, published by Tyrus Books in 2016, explores themes of migration, borderlands, heritage, and the sometimes hidden stories that bind us all together. He has ghostwritten books and book proposals for a variety of authors and as an editor he has fostered the development of dozens of manuscripts, both in fiction and nonfiction. He has also worked as a journalist and a travel writer. A current nonfiction project has him hiking and kayaking deep into the quiet landscapes of the many wilderness areas of Northern California, where he lives. When he’s not writing or reading he spends his time playing and traveling with his son and daughter. Jason graduated from UC Berkeley and holds an MFA from the University of San Francisco.
Ben LeRoy has long been fascinated by the power of words and story to connect and expand the world. He was the founder and publisher of the critically acclaimed publishing companies Bleak House Books (2000-2009) and Tyrus Books (2009-2017) until the latter was sold to Simon & Schuster. During his time in publishing, Ben was a frequent speaker at conferences and routinely interviewed for pieces about the industry. In 2014, after the suicide death of a friend, Ben did volunteer work in all 50 states as part of the Be Local Everywhere project.
RESOURCES & LINKS:
Need an Editor, Ghostwriter, or Coach? Hire a Collaborist! – https://collaborist.org/services/
Looking for a Writers’ Group? – https://collaborist.org/writers-groups/
Interested in a book mentioned during the podcast? – https://bookshop.org/shop/collaborist
More about Jason Buchholz – http://www.jasonbuchholz.com/
More about Ben LeRoy – http://www.thebenleroy.com
Collaborist on Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/Collaborist1
Collaborist on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thecollaborist
Collaborist on Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/collaborist
00:00 Introduction/Weather
02:07 Jason’s Book Store T-Shirt Quest Update
07:35 How Much Description Do You Need in Your Writing
4 Comments
Thank you for the big shout-out for Hyde Bros store in Fort Wayne and so glad you got your Indiana rep shirt already Jason! The store is on a busy street but it's not exactly downtown.
FYI As someone who spends a lot of time watching YouTube channels on writing, I’m here for the topic. We are four minutes in and still talking about the weather. You will be more successful if you are much more concise and on topic. Good luck. I am really interested in the topic.
Hey Collaborist – as a reader, do you like a lot of description? Little description? As a writer, do you feel the same way?
Thanks, guys. I learned a lot from this one and appreciated the music analogies 👍