October 14, 2009
“This article was just too long to read” came my Uncle’s response to an email I sent him with the link to a magazine story.
It was a story on Jamie Oliver (the British food guru) and his attempts to bring healthier food to one American town.
Truth be told, it was too long for me to read as well. I had only skimmed it. And while my impression was that it seemed like a good article, I’ll probably never know for sure firsthand.
When printed out the story ran 10 pages. Practically a book! I have always been a slow reader (kind of an ironic shortcoming for a writer, I know). And while I love to read, sometimes, it can be torturous to get to the point of a story.
But that’s just the thing. Nobody will hear your brilliant message come to completion if you don’t keep them engaged. And seeing ten pages laid out before them on their computer screen will make many people feel it’s too long a road to plow to get to the end.
Regarding the story in question, the one on Jamie Oliver, I printed out a couple of copies. Gave a copy to my doormen to read. They enjoyed it – and read it in its entirety. But then they had about eight hours lain out before them with not a lot to distract or otherwise stimulate.
They had the time. They were receptive.
Not everyone is though.
When I was studying screenwriting, it was drummed into my head that every word matters. This focus is something I often fail to utilize in my day-to-day life but one I try really hard to remember whenever I’m writing professionally, sometime to better effect than other times.
Here are a few of the lessons I have learned about tight yet compelling storytelling -
1. Present your thesis early. This lets the audience invest in the story you are going to tell.
2. Beware of repeating yourself. Nothing will turn your audience off more quickly.
3. Be brutal with editing. Eliminate extraneous elements. (But keep anything that allures with amusing alliteration.)
4. Keep in mind that today’s readers often have a shorter attention span thanks to the Internet.
5. Use a lot of white space. This means using things like short paragraphs, quotations and numbered lists.
6. The last sentence of a paragraph should transition well to the first sentence of the following paragraph.
(In screenplays, the last bit in a scene should transition well to the first bit in the next scene.)
7. Practice. Experiment with just the right amount of details… Writing is a craft and we’re always learning. No matter how long it takes.
