Comments on: Combining Setting with Action

By: Cindi Hoppes

Cindi Hoppes — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 03:16:14 +0000

Hi, I am not a writer, but have always like to write papers for my classes and usually have done very well. I like the writing of Mitch Albom, I can’t put his books down until I finish them. Also, I read the book, “Pay It Forward” long before the movie came out. I loved it. Cindi

By: Eliza Knight

Eliza Knight — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 00:18:51 +0000

Excellent post Erica! I often find myself struggling with this too. I get so involved in what the characters are saying, and trying not to add so many tags, that I forget to add in the action.

I recently took a workshop on making scenes more erotic, not in sex, but with dialogue, kind of a bad title, I would say it was more on making the interactions between the hero and heroine more romantic, but in any case it made me much more aware of the way characters are reacting to each other and their surroundings while in dialogue…

Anyways, excellent advice and I’ll have to check out Peggy’s article.

By: Erica Ridley

Erica Ridley — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 19:14:56 +0000

Vicki: Yay! Glad it helped!

Gillian: That scene sounds awesome. A perfect example of giving characters relevant, evocative tasks.

Lace: Bwa. And thanks! =)

By: Lacey

Lacey — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 19:08:57 +0000

Is THAT how you make those fabulous scenes in this wip? I loooooove your ms. I can feel everything. My guess is, that one scene was a throwback to the first version. Back when you were a fuzzy little writer just out of the egg. Thanks for the tips!

By: Gillian

Gillian — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 12:35:49 +0000

Excellent post.

I read a scene where the characters we talking while building a campfire. I swear, you could smell the smoke, feel the cold at your back and the heat on your face. It was really well done.

By: vicki

vicki — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 11:24:41 +0000

This is such a great post and something I needed.

Normally description is not a problem for me, however, now that I’m in the last part of the book I’ve become dialogue driven. My cp pointed it out yesterday. In her words, she wanted to know where are they, why are they there and what are they doing besides talking.

Now I think I’ll be able to go back and flesh it out thanks to your post.

By: Erica Ridley

Erica Ridley — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 03:06:55 +0000

LOL. That’s pretty much how I reacted in some ways. I know some of my scenes could definitely use another peek. =)

By: Emily

Emily — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 22:24:04 +0000

I can’t think of a particular scene or anything, so I think I’ve been lucky in that sense. But at the same time I’m very interested in characters – I’m the same with movies, tv-series and books; I look mainly at the characters – so it’s very possible that I wouldn’t have noticed *lol*

It does make me want to go back to my own MS and look at it though. I think at times I do have a lot of conversation without the characters doing much at the same time. Hmm.. it requires another look for sure