A Story is only as good as the words that are in it.
I'll explain what I mean, and open the statement up for discussion.
The words an author chooses, to convey to the reader the information he or she has in mind, present a unique opportunity. Together, they form the author's unique 'voice'. Additionally, the combined choice of words either encourage readers to immerse themselves in the story or force the book to be closed and forgotten.
There are words that are full of information on their own, really weighty words that immediately create an image, or are the genesis of an emotion. On the other hand, some words need a whole bunch of other words around them to transmit the author's imaginings into the reader's mind.
I recently read a book by a well-known author who used more light-weight words than was necessary to fill some of his pages with what were mundane events. As I was reading the book it crossed my mind that the author might have had a contract to fulfill. The publisher may have said to, "Produce four books in three years," so the pages had to be filled with something.
In places the book was tightly written, the plot convincing and exciting. Elsewhere the words were bunched together and didn't convey much of a story, other than to show that the author's fund of ideas was drying up. The introduction of everyday events was re-hashed in a lacklustre demonstration of drabness.
Maybe all of we authors are prone to struggle for vitality at times in our writing. If we grab hold of those punchy little critters, the words that generate thoughts and feelings without too much support from other words, that would be a very good start toward vitality.
And then, why, the sky need not be the limit in the generation of our ideas because there's a universe full of ideas beyond the sky, particularly if we write science fiction.
Reading fiction, in whatever genre is favoured, is escapism. As a reader, we resonate with the unique product of an author's mind, and it lets us escape, for a little while, if it is a well-constructed story.
But then, it is a privilege to write, and for the benefit of our readers it is incumbent upon us to explore the limits of our imagination to create an escape for the weary mind, and in doing that, to use those beautiful and powerful words that are available to us.

Until next time,
Keep well,
JJ

posted by J.J. Overton on February, 09