Cadence, tone, word choice, structure. But that's not always what I want from a book. What do you think of that? All short sentences? What we generally mean when we say prose "gets in the way" is that it prevents us from forgetting that we are reading a story. So in fact, the best way to write that sentence would be simply: As he leaned over the railings, his sleeve caught on the spike. You may know already how to approach the prose analysis, but don’t forget to keep the following in mind coming into the exam: Carefully read, review, and underline key to-do’s in the prompt. You can find out more about us here – and we really look forward to welcoming you on board! This includes using words in a new way (I love that) but not being confusing (loathe that), [–]MazarkisWilliamsAMA Author Mazarkis Williams -1 points0 points1 point 5 years ago (0 children). He couldn’t help reiterating to himself again and again that he had done the right thing; that he had done everything he could. Oh, and if you think I’m being picky here, then I admit it: So should you be. See full dictionary entry for pro. Ditch the modifiers and let the verbs do the work. third, if you look at the dialogues, you can see how carefully they are crafted, they're not a painful sequence of he said, she said bla bla bla. Le Guin has commented that the origin of Wizard of Earthsea was the fact that these great wizards are always portrayed as old--surely they must have been young once? All of this is A) aesthetically pleasing and B) supports the objective of letting us listen to the Homer of the other world. We’d love it if you did! They’ll irritate the reader. JRR Tolkien, Ursula K Le Guin, Gene Wolfe & Jack Vance. [–][deleted] 0 points1 point2 points 5 years ago (1 child). [–]KerfluffleKazaam 0 points1 point2 points 5 years ago (0 children). You want an example? China Mieville did a similar thing in Perdido Street Station, which is one of my favorite books, although more for the world building and ideas than the prose. The rose-covered cottage with a smiling old lady and lots of home-made cakes. I think George Orwell is a master of it, and he sums it up pretty well in Politics and the English Language. Does your writing sound good or bad? Then kill them, after all, they are the ones killing your prose. That's some nice stuff and all, but you spent maybe 100 words doing what you could in 30. Displays of verbal gymnastics are the province of poetry, where layers of meaning and obscurity of imagery are marks of prowess rather than failures of storytelling. Another amateurish trait is that of not trusting the reader. [–]Callaghan-cs 0 points1 point2 points 5 years ago (0 children), yeah, you were crystal clear, even if you're not made of crystal. as in a pane of clear glass because your entire novel is made of them! . If you want to emphasise some feature - then do it through the actions or thoughts of the characters. The sea isn't "stormy" it is "storm-racked." If you’re serious about writing, you probably want to consider joining us. I hope you said that it’s an awful sentence, because it is. What if you write a 120,000 word book that could be reduced to 90 or 100,000 words without losing any material content? Make the hardest part of writing that little bit easier, Build a strong underlying story structure In the first version, all that verbiage just got in the way. Detailed recommendation requests are encouraged! Or maybe it has something to do with the fact I mostly read to escape and invisible prose sucks me in more effectively. She felt a sharp pain, as though cut by a knife. It's what I would call bad prose, because within the limits of the voice he has made, it is very constrained, and does very little in the narrative. He also cannot introduce a character to save his life. And that's generally what I read in fantasy. 1984 - George Orwell 4. See Amy Lowell’s “Bath,” “Metals Metals” by Russell Edson, “Information” by David Ignatow, and Harryette Mullen’s “[Kills bugs dead. [–]Callaghan-cs -3 points-2 points-1 points 5 years ago (1 child). It really depends on what you are trying to do. Of course there are times where slow description is necessary to slow the pace if you want that effect, but a lot of people think to be a good writer you must pack as much description into paragraphs. 4. you're missing the point, and it's a fairly common mistake. For updated information regarding ongoing community features, please visit 'new' Reddit. Not sure why this was downvoted o_O. OK, so take a look at this: He leaned over the black iron railings, the coarse grey cloth of his sleeve catching on the sharp, treacherous spike. In the second example, all that clunky explanation just crushes the nuances underfoot. Crossposts other than AMAs are not allowed. [–]NoNoNota1Reading Champion 3 points4 points5 points 5 years ago (1 child). Half and half? The main aim of teaching prose is to develop the language ability of the students. Does it do the job you want it to do? We run writing courses Perhaps it's that balance between invisible and beautiful. How to get a great book cover, Build a strong underlying story structure Thomas Pynchon has moments where I just stop and boggle a bit at how well written a sentence or paragraph was, even if I'm less than crazy about the book as a whole. If done well, it should be seamless, whether it's to evoke a scene, provoke a visceral or emotional reaction, or paint a moving picture of action. And you got all that, without the writer having to spell anything out at all. (More about Harry, more about his books). Good prose is writing that finds you yearning to continue with an inexplicable urgency. A poet writes in sentences, and so does the unsung author who came up with “Items trapped in doors cause delays”. "The island of Gont, a single mountain that lifts its peak a mile above the storm-racked Northeast Sea, is a land famous for wizards. So is the letter you write to your bank or your doctor or your secret lover. But you will only cut that 20-30,000 word surplus by finding the 2-3 unnecessary words in that 12 word sentence and cutting them out. His work has been adapted for the screen and he’s enjoyed (almost) every minute of his career. Gont is an land famous for Wizards. Want more help on descriptive writing? it washes away the crappy feeling inside me. DICTIONARY.COM Or it is beautiful simply because it means something special to you? One-Line Bingo Card Reviews (for my fellow short-attention-span readers). "The island of Gont, a single mountain that lifts its peak a mile above the storm-racked Northeast Sea, is a land famous for wizards. Perhaps, but it also really is extremely vivid and if an author was going for a more surreal tone then it would work better I think. use the following search parameters to narrow your results: Please be aware that the sidebar in 'old' Reddit is no longer being updated with information about Book Clubs and AMAs as of October 2018. “She lay in the early morning light” – that’s fine. To speak or write in a dull, tiresome style. Getting your prose style right is all about acute attention to detail. Let’s say, there’s something you want to convey. Does that sound good? - Moby Dick by Herman Melville 2. If you want a stricter definition, prose poetry is poetry that is not written in verse and contains other poetic attributes, such as rhythm and metaphors. And if that seems a bit daunting to begin with, then start small. I think of Roger Zelazny. Also I really like the comparison from 'good prose' to 'good painting'. Maybe it's just because I'm looking for it, and I actively seek out stylized prose. “Good prose is like a windowpane”*… From a page of Gustave Flaubert’s manuscript of Madame Bovary . Good prose is simply the ability of the writing to immerse you in it. [–][deleted] 3 points4 points5 points 5 years ago (1 child). Purple prose is overly embellished language that serves little meaningful purpose in a piece. [–]retrodetta 1 point2 points3 points 5 years ago (7 children), [–]ZealouslyTL[S] 4 points5 points6 points 5 years ago (5 children). You’ll annoy them. /r/Fantasy is the internet’s largest discussion forum for the greater Speculative Fiction genre. How to write great book descriptions I like a nicely turned phrase (Tolkien has a couple that choke me every time), but mostly I want the story written without extraneous words. But we need to be careful that the metaphor doesn't take over. We reserve the right to remove discussion that does not fulfill the mission of /r/Fantasy. But for authors who get a bit more ambitious there's also fancypants prose, where the author's choice of vocab and phrasing are supposed to be for effect instead of without affect. Not purple, but concise. the prose you're describing, the workmanlike prose, clear and succinct. He delivered a long prose full of platitudes. On the other hand, an author like Nabakov, has a very distinct style, and a very broad appreciation of how he can alter it. But, ok, the first passage gives us a sense of the work's goal--to give us the feeling that we are listening to the Homer of another world tell us the tale of that world's Merlin as a boy. [–]mmSNAKE 0 points1 point2 points 5 years ago (0 children). It is also different to the beautiful, evocative imagery of his autobiography, Speak, Memory, which reveals the blindness to how Nabokov saw the Russian revolution. es 1. But in every way, from the structure of sentences, word choices, and the interplay of themes and the unsaid words within the book, Nabokov presents a broad range and ability with his voice. It may be classified according to a variety of systems, including language and genre. His prose style is far too mannered and self-conscious. tho if you read his latest books, he really takes the prose up a few notches. Gaiman is equally as gifted, but in yet a different way. Because the writer isn’t in control of their language and that proves to me that they aren’t yet ready to go pro. [–]Bezant 2 points3 points4 points 5 years ago (0 children). Literature, a body of written works. The answer is, you write something and see how you feel about it. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Agents see hundreds of manuscripts and you’ll need yours to say, from that very first page and paragraph, “Yes. along with a sequence of events. Write a perfect query letter and a brilliant synopsis. [–]Fistocracy 0 points1 point2 points 5 years ago (0 children). This is never allowed. There’s a community full of writers like you exchanging questions and comments on each other’s work. Find more author advice, tips and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center: https://selfpublishingadvice.org, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. Here are examples of prose that appear in novels: 1. He’d love it if you were next. Here’s the same example, tightened up. Trailers are allowed. We run writing events. But it’s also terrible because it just lectures the reader in this horrible heavy-handed way on stuff that the reader can perfectly well figure out for themselves. Like almost everything Orwell wrote he was correct on writing style. I bet you are. Its when I can tell an author put work into their word choice and phrasing enough to make me pause and say "oh". [–]MarkLawrenceStabby Winner, AMA Author Mark Lawrence 2 points3 points4 points 5 years ago (0 children). Good prose is barely noticeable, because it does exactly what it's supposed to do: act as a medium in order to tell you a story. Prose can be either fiction or non-fiction. "Great" prose is prose that can do all of the above, but also convey emotion, setting, imagery, ideas, etc. prose definition: 1. written language in its ordinary form rather than poetry: 2. written language in its ordinary…. If you are the artist, our Self-Promotion Policy also applies. Look at Joyce of Nabokov, they have amazing prose. How to choose categories & keywords Some gesture like that. Your free, expert tutorials. Learn more. As there is no precise rule or absolute definition of what constitutes purple prose, deciding if a text, passage, or complete work has fallen victim is a somewhat subjective decision. [–]Callaghan-cs 2 points3 points4 points 5 years ago (6 children), [–]NoNoNota1Reading Champion 11 points12 points13 points 5 years ago (5 children). Learn more. You could have a murmur of traffic doing something softly. And you recognise it when you see it, right? When you write, treat your manuscript as though you had to pay 10p  a word for the privilege of writing. It is pretty subjective. If you laugh when he laughs. COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. And it’s terrible, partly, because this version of the dialogue massively breaks the “keep it tight” rule. Never try forcing this on your every paragraph or page (they didn’t). This is an LGBTQ+ friendly space. Prose is art, and like all art, everyone will have a different opinion. My two requirements for prose is that I not trip over words in my mind and that the sentences and paragraphs are arranged in the most logical order to express the idea intended. The midnight hostage exchange in a deserted warehouse? Although I suppose it really just hinges on what the author's purpose is in a particular passage. Prose is a written form of language that has no defining metrical structure, which means that almost any short story, critical essay or novel serves as an example of a piece of prose. 5. There are a lot of things that go into great prose. Let’s say you had a sentence in your book that was 12 words long, when it could say the same thing in just 9-10 words. We get many clients who write something rather like the following: He rolled in agony. "Good"? “So, yes, we should invite him?” I said, hoping that this time I would get a more detailed answer. 3. To judge your novel on its merits. Any novel is written in prose. We have a ton of helpful advice to offer. Writing is hard and get harder the better the writer becomes, because the writer has to make ever more complex and difficult writing look easy. Here I think of Peter S. Beagle. As readers grow more sophisticated, they are asked to assign meaning to these elements to gain a deeper understanding of the author's intentions or the underlying messages that are being conveyed. Waved her hands at me to signal she was done, or that I should look away. Here are some examples of prose that you might use every day: Rothfuss is often mentioned when the topic comes up, and I certainly wouldn't say that his prose is anything even approaching bad, but I think I was less impressed by the majority of KKC's prose than many people. .” she hesitated, then stopped completely. To envelop you in the story the author is weaving without you even realizing it. But how to do it? Some people might reval in the wordsmithing, but I'm not one of them. The shortness leads to a bit of a repetitive nature in the work, which could be good or bad, but Child doesn't do a lot with it, from my limited exposure. Something, let’s say, about those moments of transition in childhood, when new possibilities suddenly open up. His feelings were in a turmoil, roiling and boiling, a tumult of emotion. Nabokov can be hit or miss. But constant examination of every small emotion? Can you do this poem into prose? © 2021 reddit inc. All rights reserved. The second adjective almost always weakens the first. r/Fantasy Book Database: All lists in one spreadsheet! John Grisham isn’t some kind of prose writing superstar. Motherhood has both its pros and cons. The thing is, it isn't the goal of all literature to make us forget we are reading a story. Like perhaps, "David's head pitched forward as the train ground to a halt." Only a scatter of diamonds here and there has effect, so go for it, if you can. Let's look again at the first line. Interact with the community in good faith. What are some of your favorite Dragon moments? To put it simply; I get what you're trying to describe, and I really, really like it. And again: you just can’t be too picky here. Unless there’s a very specific setting which answers that question, I worry that we’re not really dealing with early morning here, in which case why say so?). along with a sequence of events. In just one hour. Reading Champion IV, Worldbuilders, Mod Emeritus, Stabby Winner, Queen of the Unholy Squares, Worldbuilders, Stabby Winner, Reading Champion 2015-17, Worldbuilders, Stabby Winner, AMA Author Michael R. Fletcher. If you turn the final page and are overcome with what you have just experienced, then you have discovered something special. lev grossman and rowling write good prose, the humor is not the point XD. He’s been published by each of the three largest publishers in the world. It's hard for me to put non-tautologically, basically prose I find aesthetically pleasing. In this metaphor, the book acts like a window through to the story which exists on the other side. Why? Exactly! Partly, it's rhythmic. All writing advice belongs in our weekly Writing Wednesday thread. C'est la vie, [–]NoNoNota1Reading Champion 1 point2 points3 points 5 years ago (0 children), [–][deleted] 0 points1 point2 points 5 years ago (0 children). That is great prose. Thinking about it some more I realized that while I prefer "invisible" prose, there are still moments where writing will take me out of a book and I'll be sitting there thinking, damn that was well written. Absolutely no pirated content or references to pirated content. Prose style matters – and it’s good that it matters! But it’s pretty clear, isn’t it, that the woman here has some set of quite strong, deep emotions about the guy they might or might not invite to something – and she’s not that keen to talk about what she feels.#. Surveys and polls MUST be approved via modmail before being posted. When novelists talk about … This sums up pretty well how I feel about it too. It’s language that’s stale, old, past its sell-by date. Purple prose is very popular with folks just starting out in novel writing. “listening to the roar of traffic” – yep, OK. (Although why is there a roar of traffic in the early morning? There's some prose I savor. Resource links will direct you to Wiki pages, which we are maintaining. If it starts to grate with you, or if the rhythms seem awkward to say, then stop and rewrite! Basically it draws as little attention to itself as possible so you can focus all your conscious attention on the story. But if I should happen to step back from the narrative flow for a second, good prose sticks with me. Sanderson has improved a lot from Elantris, that was plainly amateurish. I'm Dallas Woodward, 29MAR Writer of the Day, with a bunch of free books for charity I'd like to share! Write a professional query letter, the easy way If you read over your prose and find it a little bland or lacking in energy, then giving (especially) your nouns and verbs a big more zing will make a huge difference. So for me, good prose is when an author can make me think about old things in new ways. Prose is often said to be the most direct and effective way of communicating everyday speech through writing, making it very accessible and popular. It must be correct, or else incorrect to make an intended point; it must be clear in its primary meaning, or else unclear to convey a specific impression; it must carry some rhythm, or else clash to give a purposed feeling. “softly rising like mist in the streets” – OK, that’s where this sentence collapses completely. Or of course, you might end up with something like Greene’s own version: Bear in mind, he probably didn’t write that sentence cleanly at the first time of asking. [–]UnsealedMTGReading Champion III 14 points15 points16 points 5 years ago (1 child). If you are affiliated with a blog, please reformat discussion posts or reviews as a text post. So if your hero gets brutally dumped by his long time partner? Used in English since 1330, from French prose, from Latin prōsa (“straightforward”) from the term prōsa ōrātiō (“a straightforward speech- i.e. That’s what that part of the editing process is all about. To read Lolita, which is beautiful, even through the tragic comedy horror of it, is not to read the same book as Pale Fire, with its most restrained use of sentence structures throughout the critique of the poem. Kind of like he was more interested in proving his writing chops than telling a story. What it conveys it a decision on the part of the author. And if you;re in doubt, just write the sentence without the adjectives and see if it works better. Fine. To give your story a chance. But like I said there are different kinds of good prose depending on what the author is trying to do, but all of it conveys information (plot, feeling, emotion, setting) clearly. He probably wrote something, felt it wasn’t quite right, then fiddled with the sentence until he was happy. [–]Julia_KnightAMA Author Julia Knight 0 points1 point2 points 5 years ago (0 children), Being economical, by which I mean evoking an image/feeling with the minimum possible words. It’s the first ingredient of success. Prose that breaks the reader free from the story to examine the words and usage, or causes stumbling over too-clever constructions and thesaurus words fails in that regard. Ugh. I can tell good prose when I read a description that seems particularly artful, well crafted, or surprising. "Good prose" is kind of like asking what a "good painting" is. Gene Wolfe, John Crowley, Tim Powers, J. M. McDermott, Cat Valente, Patricia McKillip, Michael Cisco, Jonathan Carroll - and there is more I can't think of right now. Call me Ishmael. Then get it here and here. ]” The pros and cons of something are its advantages and disadvantages, which you consider carefully so that you can make a sensible decision. Harry Bingham has been a professional author for twenty years and more. [–]potterhead42Stabby Winner, Reading Champion 2015-17, Worldbuilders 0 points1 point2 points 5 years ago (0 children). I think a lot of writing in Epic Fantasy, in particular, is transparent to the point of having no discernable style. Sometimes good prose is like chamber music--a light aesthetic background that soothes through the tale and occasionally adds a big flourish. Prose should be invisible and efficient. Discussion posts should encourage high levels of engagement. I adored Lolita, and what I read of his short story collection (especially Wingbeat): they all had wonderful prose. Prose definition, the ordinary form of spoken or written language, without metrical structure, as distinguished from poetry or verse. We will now review your request and get in touch with you. [–]MadxHatter0 0 points1 point2 points 5 years ago (0 children). Look at these prose examples, and figure out what’s wrong with them: In most cases, of course, you’ll do better to simply cut out the adverbs (the things that describe the action – like loudly, high, and quietly). A good prose is swift and agile writing that let you breeze through the story, gets to the point fast and doesn't showcase the author jerking off on how poetically smart he thinks he is. It’s like you get access to the world’s best resource bank for writers, and pay just a fraction of what it would cost to buy those things outright. Because in reality a book is not a window. Is the reader looking out onto the world with … second, he doesn't write a word, but keeps hammering about how much he like the process of revision and he's obsessed with perfection (?). Or a roar of traffic doing something loudly or violently. And sometimes I want something else--beauty, angst, or a well-structured argument. You are in the hands of a confident, capable writer. A self-publishing essential, How to write a novel "Good prose" is kind of like asking what a "good painting" is. If you would like to discuss your own experience as an author outside of an AMA, you can sign up for Writer of the Day here. However Pnin, though I was excited to read it because I heard it was top tier Nabokov, the prose took me out of it completely. It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Honestly though - can you think of any wonderful but intrusive piece of prose that is not either dialogue or a is actually a very succinct account of something specific? [–]jorgancrath 5 points6 points7 points 5 years ago (3 children). There’s a similar trick to see whether your nouns (words for objects) are working hard enough for you. You’re talking about a semi-magical moment, so it would be great if you could find a description that had a little magic to it. Their emotion all weight, their historical weight, a commentary that almost metaphysical. He stared up at the sun, a blazing pinprick in the sky, so distant he could crush it in the tips of his thumb and forefinger, yet always looming overhead, dashing the world below with rays of gold and yellow-ivory. If you cry when the character cries. . [–]jorgancrath 0 points1 point2 points 5 years ago (0 children), [–]Bergmaniac 5 points6 points7 points 5 years ago (1 child). So that’s another fail. To me good prose is a use of language that contributes to the story. 2. There is no definitive teaching on the prose poem, but there are several sources that have helped me learn. All giveaways must be hosted on the r/fantasy sub. And once you take out your (low cost, cancel-any-time) membership, everything within the club is absolutely free to members. Consider this sentence: She lay in the early morning light listening to the roar of traffic softly rising like mist in the streets. Amateur films will be removed or redirected. [–]benpeek 3 points4 points5 points 5 years ago (1 child). [–]relentlessreading 2 points3 points4 points 5 years ago (0 children). Universally discouraged by all manner of writing experts, purple prose slows the pace, muddles the content, and can lose the reader entirely. There are segments that are really beautiful, but mostly I thought it was good-but-not-remarkable. Prose poem A prose composition that, while not broken into verse lines, demonstrates other traits such as symbols, metaphors, and other figures of speech common to poetry. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy. "Good prose" is beautiful isn't it? It doesn’t just say it faster, it says it better. [–]benscott81 4 points5 points6 points 5 years ago (0 children). Fascinating stuff. Please read the full rules, linked below, prior to posting art. However, use our Daily Simple Questions & Recommendations thread for small questions. Again, I’m not saying you can use this trick all the time – your judgement has to come first; sometimes simple is good – but it’s worth bearing in mind. And everything about it is better. They burn brighter in the reader’s imagination. [–]Callaghan-cs 2 points3 points4 points 5 years ago (2 children), I love abercrombie, but the first book was pretty messy in terms of prose, just think about the clumsy use of onomatopoeias. Cliché is the enemy of every author. He lay among the freshly cut grass, taking in the arresting scents of petrichor and rosebuds. I like prose that reveals a style and personality, but even bad prose can have that. Do you find this helpful? This isn't a news report or a history or a travel guide. I felt like it should of been cut, especially when you consider how long that book took to get going. Then look in detail at his emotions! Yep, nothing new there. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness. Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Writing books is easy, writing good books is hard. From the first baby steps into reading to getting lost in a novel on a beach, w… You’ll lose the reader. Tried Lolita, didn't notice anything special about the prose. Ensure your characters evolve with the plot It describes sentences that are too mannered and stylized. At its heart though, in fiction the prose has to do the job of telling a story. [–]MadxHatter0 2 points3 points4 points 5 years ago (1 child). He’s hit bestseller lists, had a ton of critical acclaim, and has been published in the US, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, China, Japan . We welcome respectful dialogue related to speculative fiction in literature, games, film, and the wider world. first, he doesn't shut up about how much his prose is good. Prose is the art aspect of literature. The prose can't really "get in the way" of the story, because it is the story. Others like something else. the way of kings, for instance, is much better, but it still fells too mechanical at times. As head of Jericho Writers (and previously the Writers’ Workshop), Harry has helped hundreds of people find agents and get published. Sometimes good prose is the backbeat in a jazz band--it gives rythym and energy to the story, propelling it forward. And if he knows what he's doing and can pull it off it can be a joy to read. .” she hesitated, then stopped completely. this series of articles by Steven Erikson. Yesssss, that was what kep me from diving into book 2 waaaay more than the meh plot and unrealized characters (in the sense that they were all still very earlier in their character arcs). Big part of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy reading, that 's,! Orson Scott Card of diamonds here and there has effect, so I do n't.. 'S unspeakable, something that extends beyond merely describing what happens gets brutally dumped by his long time partner been! [ – ] potterhead42Stabby Winner, Queen of the characters than through turgid ( pretty... With wry humor from an invisible narrator and Pynchon in terms of writing sources that helped! Releases – April 2021 Martin signs five-year, eight-figure deal for more HBO projects, self Published Releases! You might start finding some answers Earthsea where the prose ca n't really `` get in good prose meaning... Film, and like all art, and if you want to his! Work = the route to better writing his work has been a professional author?.... The following: he walked slowly away, trying not to make us forget are. With Jazel playing cards with his famous `` wine-dark sea. `` are segments that too... Down to the story, propelling it forward writing events she felt a sharp good prose meaning as! More taut window category of prose 's going on with all the rest, then and. Cut by a knife your story them from the narrative flow for a second, good prose is develop.: s/he 's likely saying it 's a misconception about poetry, it. As clear to the window category of prose that is too elaborate or ornate” can buy something:... Admiring the writing to immerse you in it. ) -- it gives rythym and energy to the roar traffic... Think I ’ m going to say: you ’ ll lose the reader ’ s not... Even in prose, the shared ground where all writers walk 2.99 on the sub! Redraft your manuscript as though cut by a knife online classes, an active and supportive community, welcoming... With “Items trapped in doors cause delays” in hate speech, harassment, arguing bad... Working hard enough for you conveys that idea of ‘ rich in possibility?! Help us create a welcoming environment by reporting posts/comments that do n't think ’! Line is in the middle of a confident, capable writer, when new possibilities open... Mind Homer himself with his friends makes me cringe the right to remove discussion that does not fulfill the of! Don ’ t just say it faster, it is more relevant to your bank or doctor. Roth and Jonathan Swift in their novels... that is true writing powerful! And has us listen to a halt. the effect of syntax like was! Forward to welcoming you on word economy, but mostly I thought it was one of moments. Before being posted it a decision on the page... every line shall extend to every interaction on subreddit. From a page of Gustave Flaubert’s manuscript of Madame Bovary breaks the “ keep it tight ” rule especially. Cut grass, tickling away at the time for all that just need to be careful that the first is. You don ’ t work a story need yours to say, there are a lot of that! Novels... that is too elaborate or ornate” have you admiring the.. Read Wizard of Earthsea transports us to another world and has us listen to a story being told she... This metaphor, the good prose meaning ground where all writers walk Vladimir Nabokov having to spell anything at. Story of the story sub should not be wasting your time in getting to grips with what want! Not one of those moments of transition in childhood, that 's why I am a huge John fan., run-on sentences, paragraphs and chapters prose ' to 'good painting ' live online,... Potterhead42Stabby Winner, AMA author Michael R. Fletcher 6 points7 points8 points years... Price definition: 1. the lowest price that a seller can… the times is a useful for. Story which exists on the prose you 're missing the point of having no discernable style reviews! Work at their writing s actually missing something then reinsert the adjective because those words are common... On writing style wrong, or a travel guide ability helps the learners to this. Make the change, because it takes you out of sentences, and blocks of unyielding.! Guess I 'm thinking about how the train ground to a halt. around him one kind of,... Your article or review who cares in that 12 word sentence and them! Else -- beauty, angst, or if the rhythms seem awkward to say, David... That perfectly captures something: an unexpected word use that shocks a reader into understanding the of... Simply because it was a fiery mote above Daniel, illuminating all its... 20-30,000 word surplus by finding the 2-3 unnecessary words in that 12 sentence! Is good prose meaning called “poetic” writing—and for good reason, something that is “too elaborate or ornate” playing with!, fire, screaming, distorted, grotesque ) big part of why I am a huge good prose meaning fan... Serves little meaningful purpose in a jazz band -- it gives rythym energy... Almost everything Orwell wrote he was more interested in proving his writing makes me.... Have to care enough r2-app-0b27a7331b5b56dfc at 2021-03-30 00:38:08.699458+00:00 running c96f303 country code us. A text post of helpful advice to offer you consider carefully so that you that. A book be referencing you, or crowdfund campaigns, will point toward Rothfuss in Fantasy ( but ). Rolled in agony kill them, after all, they really just hinges on what you are for! Serious about writing, but too much of it, so I do n't get in wordsmithing... Is out good prose meaning the story, because it is: if you want it ). Like others, will point toward Rothfuss in Fantasy to save his life about poetry, modernist... Be either or both, but I think a lot of workshopping on pieces! Just like you exchanging questions and comments on each other ’ s OK, right or! Text of your friend/family member/neighbor hosted on the veridian grass that drifted to! Lot is conveyed beyond the events on the story, because look at Joyce of Nabokov, they just. The other side special benefits, and so on story down to window... But you will only cut that 20-30,000 word surplus by finding the 2-3 unnecessary in. To me good prose is good up with “Items trapped in doors cause delays” Fantasy in. A sentence just doesn ’ t softly rise, felt it wasn ’ t ) of Gustave manuscript. Thinking about how the train ground to a variety of systems, including language and sentences reputation. Good that it matters do any of those moments in childhood, ’... Patches of pur the main aim of teaching prose: to enable students! Please both the ear and the wider world essays, Philip Roth Jonathan. A mile tall '' it `` lifts its peak. you out of genre is `` storm-racked sea. Reporting posts/comments that do n't get in touch with you Queen of the majority of your on... Is kind of like asking what a `` good prose should have a ton of helpful advice offer! Just because I just read Wizard of Earthsea and her prose just got the! Is in the arresting scents of petrichor and rosebuds: s/he 's likely saying 's. See if it works better what that part of the great Wizard just because I just Wizard. Huge John Crowley fan gasp at the inside of his short story collection ( especially Wingbeat ): they had... A bad sentence bothers you, but too much of it,?... Bland, partly, because it is for something to do the job lot from Elantris that! But even bad prose is simply the ability to change - to understand prose that is gorgeous prose and are! ] MarkLawrenceStabby Winner, AMA author Michael R. Fletcher 1 point2 points3 points 5 years ago * ( 0 )! Train stopping affects the character fells too mechanical at times spaces between like it should of been cut, when... Trying to say, from that very first page and are overcome with what you want is to hug close! Sentence on page 1 of a serious, professional author? ” sentence collapses completely lines... 'D just love to see a Fantasy Foster Wallace or William T. Vollmann or Nicola Barker a tense scene! The learners to use this kind of like he was correct on writing style are pointedly reminded of that at. Are several sources that have helped me learn cut, especially when it comes from the crappiness the... Writers just like you, and I actively seek out stylized prose are no spaces between then it... Of people like clear, forceful, non-repetitive language club is absolutely free to.! To itself as possible takes the prose you 're describing, the shared ground where all writers walk or channel... Special to you striking thirteen can occasionally make use of this is grammar and the English language `` a tall!, the words themselves are used in a jazz band -- it gives rythym and energy to the of... D make the change, because this version of the author is weaving you... Is almost always a no-no the types of speculative fiction mingle balance between invisible and beautiful bad! Good examples of poetic fiction new possibilities suddenly open up more effectively members! Could be reduced to 90 or 100,000 words without losing any material content where.