Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-27708312-20170202163909/@comment-31166511-20170223162945

Ralphini wrote: http://archiveofourown.org/works/9407123/chapters/21295481

It's a series of one shots ser in the AU. The chapters aren't necessarily in chronologial order and are written in the order I come up with the idea for them, soe some of them will bet set in Gravity Falls, others in Piedmont. So far it mostly focuses on Mabel's interaction with Dipper, but I plan to include more characters in more chapters.

It really helps when you provide a little intro like the above. I appreciate that you let me comment on your work before it reaches its finall state. Not only does it let me see more of your creative process, especially the early stages, but it insures that I don't waste time critiquing the work for things you had no interest in pursuing.

If I ever give advice on one story, saying "Do more of this...", but you are purposfully NOT doing that in another story, because its part of a mystery or clue, let me know.

One of the most interesting challenges in writting is to delibrately break some style or plotting rule so the reader thinks:

"Ha! I caught the Author in a mistake! I'm so clever!"

But then, as the plot unfolds, it is revealed that the mistake was NOT a mistake, but some subtle clue that the reader totally missed because they were too busy patting themselves on the back.

It's a tricky plot element to handle. You can end up making a mistake with your "mistake" and accidentally do it right. Or you might alienate some readers who don't want to be challenged when reading.

I personally am a fairly speedy reader with good comprehension and rapid absorption of detail. But I have had my nose rubbed in the fact that people have a wide variety of reading skills. As an author, you should never take for granted that reading or writing is as effortless for your audience as it is for you.

There is a literacy group that advocates The Clear Language Movement. I have friends who are passionate members. They believe that a clear, straightforward writting style should be required for legal and governmental publications.

Their rule of thumb is that anything written for the widest possible audience, should be written using an 8th grader's vocabulary. You can easily find English class materials designated by class level.

I don't entirely agree with this rule, as I think challenging your reader is a good thing from time to time. And stylistically, it just wouldn't work if you were writing about some grand, epic event or person--in baby talk.

The best compromise is focus on a clear, clean, simple style for the parts of a story where its a normal day walking down the street, or if you are describing a complex, but critical distinction that will cause the plot to fail if the reader is confused or on the wrong track.

But then when the plot turns freaky and reality takes a leap out the window, THAT'S when you break out the unfamiliar and possibly intimidating vocabulary words.

It's never easy to scare a reader at home, sitting in an overstuffed armchair, yawning at your story of frighting monsters chasing your frightened protagonist.

But if you describe your monsters with big scary words, you are halfway there.

The environment around a frightened and confused character should be described using frightening and confusing words.

A reader who has to get up and find a dictionary will really relate to a frustrated character who just can't solve this baffling mystery.

But again, don't over do it.

I'm a huge fan of H.P. Lovecraft. I didn't mind looking up the otherworldly words he used to descibe his otherworldly creatures.

But other people have different opinions. Lovecraft is reguarded by a number of people to be an awful writer who deserves mockery for his overwrought prose (the fools!)

Balance is always critical.

Ok, enough blabbing. Time to read your latest.

Oh, and can you tell me if you can crack either of my journal codes?