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Wed, Nov 12, 2025

5:11am EST

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Writing Blog Number 2 (continued)

by S🤦‍♂️

Rated: 18+ · Book · Personal · #2348964

This is a continuation of my blogging here at WdC

This will be a blog for my writing, maybe with (too much) personal thrown in. I am hoping it will be a little more interactive, with me answering questions, helping out and whatnot. It follows on from the old one, which is now full.

An index of topics from old and new can be found here: "Writing Blog No.2 Index"

Feel free to comment and interact. And to suggest topics!

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

Dave Ryan

23 minutes ago
In response to "20251112 Hemingway's Iceberg"

There's an author I quite like for his sheer inventiveness - Neal Stephenson - who, apart from his occasional inability to land the ending, is obsessed with including a shit-ton of detail that can be an appalling slog to get through (Anathem being a prime example). I often think Stephenson's books would benefit from a harsh application of King's rule, with a 10% cut being on the conservative side - 20% would be more like it.

Kåre เลียม Enga

a day ago
In response to "20251110 Setting The Time"

Beloved Queen Sirikit just died. Thailand is officially in mourning. That doesn't even affect ex-pats. Yes, the party is dimmed a tad, but truly? She was in her 90s. Any Thai middle aged knew her well though. She was very active in the community. Still, lots of folks wearing black.

I watch Thai series... the historical ones have issues being correct. Of course, what would I know! Actors have commented on having to speak differently. Me? I loved hearing the music and seeing how people dressed and how they portrayed the change in class attitude.

Schnujo

Nov 6, 2025 at 3:24am
In response to "20251106 Books For Writers"

Oh, wow! #1 sounds awesome! I tried to find it on Audible, but it's not there. IDK if it's not really a book that would translate well to Audible or if it's just too old to be there, but it wasn't there. However, I don't do well with reading a lot. (Yeah, if you are wondering how I'm going to edit my books, me too. I think I will mostly have to edit as I go, then rely on others to help with the rest. lol) Maybe this is a book I can just read bits and pieces of as I need? IDK, but it sounds great!

Well, 2 for 2 -- #2 also isn't on Audible. Disappointing.

I didn't bother checking to see if the dictionaries were on Audible. lol But #6 wasn't. That's too bad.

I already have The Elements of Style, #7, though it is possibly the 3rd edition. IDK. And IDK where it is, so I guess it doesn't really count anyway. Hahaha!

I was pretty sure my thesaurus was Roget's, but also didn't think it was 1972. IDK. It's in a box, probably with The Elements of Style. lol When my apartment is only 220 sqft, there's no room for such luxuries, especially if one isn't actually writing. What do I need those for? lol

I do have and have listened to and even reworked my NaNo project, I think my very first one that I won with, based on advice from #10, On Writing. You're definitely right -- excellent book, for sure!

Thanks for this list! I'll have to check out that book in #1 at the library and see if it's something I want to buy. I dream of writing fantasy, but in reality, I know sweet romance is just easier. lol And I am told if you write fantasy, you should write romantasy, which would be great. I've got ideas. But if you write romantasy, you should write high heat. And I'm not willing to do that, so maybe I need to stick to my little sweet romance stuff and just be fine with it. Ugh.

Anyway, again, thanks!

Kåre เลียม Enga

Nov 5, 2025 at 12:28am
In response to "20251105 Character Jobs"

I think Anne McCaffrey's Pern explores that to an extent... including warriors without a war (bored dragon riders) that must be supported (and the resentment that creates).

In Real Life... solo explorers need support, clothes that can hide gold and diamonds, a skill that is universal (like a teacher or nurse). Nowadays, it's easy-peasy... kinda-sorta.

I'm no hero but I still need to have a place to stay. I still need to eat.

Kåre เลียม Enga

Nov 1, 2025 at 11:16am
In response to "20251101 Author Voice"

Yes, you have a voice. I say that after listening to you on the radio.

That said... your drabbles may not read like your novels and novelettes.

Jeffrey Meyer

Oct 31, 2025 at 10:50am
In response to "20251031 External Writerings October 2025"

Tank was really punk-y, like the DiAnno years with Maiden. Also really reminiscent of Lemmy & Co (who put on a good show, but were kind of 4$$holes). Hadn't heard Tank before, but I quite like it!

Jim

Oct 27, 2025 at 12:32pm
In response to "20251027 Conspiracy Theories"

I was working at a Firestone Tire Plant when that Firestone tire recall started in 2000. I'm not sure this qualifies as a Conspiracy Theory, but here's my take, and belief, on it.

I did not realize that it's the manufacturer who sets the tire pressure for a vehicle. The recall initially centered around the Ford Explorer. It had a rough, bumpy ride. Ford then lowered the manufacturer's recommended Tire Pressure. It wasn't enough, people still complained about the bumpiness of the ride. The tire pressure was lowered again.

Harvey Firestone and Henry Ford were close friends, and Firestone was the tire manufacturer for all Ford vehicles. When Ford lowered the tire pressure a second time, Firestone objected vigorously. After all, today's tire are just glued together until they are vulcanized (or baked) in a mold, it's called Curing it (that's where I worked as a maintenance technician before becoming a Supervisor). A tire running with low pressure will eventually explode. Why? The low pressure causes the tire to overheat, the tire cannot withstand the heat, and fails.

Initially Firestone agreed to replace any failed tire on a Ford Explorer. That idea expanded, and Firestone agreed to replace failed tires on any vehicle. The plant that made the majority of the tires was in the news, in a bad way. That plant was the plant I worked at in Decatur Illinois. Now you have to understand that the Union and Management did not get along at that plant. They were constantly butting heads over very minor issues, and some major issues.

My Conspiracy theory about all this is not proven, nor will it ever be,. I felt that Firestone sort of encouraged the tire recall. Other plants made the same tires, but they weren't in the news. Only the Decatur Illinois Firestone plant was. Firestone wanted that plant closed, but that would most likely mean that they would have to move any Union members who wanted to remain with Firestone to new plants. Closing it because of the recall solved that problem. For some reason, Union members wouldn't have to be moved. But, the tire recall exploded far more than they planned, costing the corporation a lot of money, and severing the tie between Firestone and Ford.

By the way, I still insist on having Firestone tires installed on any vehicle I own. I feel Firestone Tires are excellent, and are high quality tires. Our Campervan now runs on Firestone tires.

Turkey DrumStik

Oct 27, 2025 at 9:23am
In response to "20251027 Conspiracy Theories"

To answer your question, Kåre เลียม Enga

, I have not. Also, the phrasing "the antidote" suggests there is one true way to remedy conspiracy theory thinking when that's not the case. Likewise, even our understanding of conspiracy theories is shifting to some degree. Feeling special is still a part of the appeal, but there is a growing community element to it (see QAnon as an example: https://youtu.be/-3ol1aUN_Go?si=zG-kfUOD6bMpDbYi). The notion of being part of a "special group" is starting to more equally both words in that phrase.

1 Like

S🤦‍♂️

Oct 27, 2025 at 4:52am
In response to "20251027 Conspiracy Theories"

Kåre เลียม Enga - Belief Perseverance is a tough thing to overcome. The harder you try to tell someone their beliefs are wrong, the more they double down because they see it as a personal attack. This is why those who try to deprogramme cult members only have a low success rate. The only way to counter conspiracy theories is to allow the person to understand that the conspiracies are not correct for themselves, and this does involve some removal and some "nudging" in a direction that is seen as "better."

It is a tough nut to crack.

Kåre เลียม Enga

Oct 27, 2025 at 4:44am
In response to "20251027 Conspiracy Theories"

Have you written about the antidote to conspiracy theories? You, Robert Waltz or Turkey DrumStik may have. Anyone else?

November 12, 2025 at 1:58am

#1101459

20251112 Hemingway's Iceberg

Hemingway’s Iceberg

Now, I have brought this up before, but someone asked me about it recently, and so I thought I’d do a whole post about this: Hemingway’s Iceberg on Info-dumping!

So, basically, Hemingway reckoned you should do a heap of research or character development or world-building. An absolutele heap. And then you should not include seven-eighths of all that hard work. The tip, that top one-eighth, that is all you see of an iceberg in the ocean should be also all you see of your research. However, there is a catch. Most astute readers will work out if you do not actually know that other seven-eighths. They have a “feeling” that the writing lacks substance. To continue with the frozen water metaphor, instead of being an ice-berg, it’s just an ice floe travelling free and merry.
In fact, Hemingway called it the ‘Theory of Omission.’ He wrote that he believed he could tell the quality of a written piece by looking at the quality of what was omitted from the final work.

If a beta reader still gets the story completely without all the stuff you have omitted, then it was not necessary at all. Info-dumps can also slow the narrative down to a snail’s pace, breaking the reader’s enjoyment of a story. Of course, if there is no information, then the reader can be confused. One-eighth; that’s all you need.
Stephen King said that a second draft should be 10% shorter than the first, and a lot of the stuff deleted is the extraneous information that makes a writer feel clever but bores the pants off the reader. You just have to brave enough to cull what is not necessary.

Part of the problem is when a writer writes a 3-page character study of each MC and yet only a paragraph fits in. Or they write a 5k word essay on the land they have created, but five paragraphs spread through the book is all that is needed. Writers have done this work and – dagnabbit! – they are going to show the world how clever they are.
But remember seven-eighths hidden… and the fact readers will know if that unseen seven-eighths is not there.

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