tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30210943.post5123204847171440943..comments2024-03-24T15:04:27.557-04:00Comments on Type M for Murder: The slow death of descriptionBarbara Fradkinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06992196707567972990noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30210943.post-31524456431821137922016-08-04T14:10:47.464-04:002016-08-04T14:10:47.464-04:00More's the pity. It's all about attention ...More's the pity. It's all about attention span. As a musician, I can't watch music videos (even when the band is playing live) because of all the jump cuts. Excuse me, but I can watch someone for more than 10 seconds without losing focus and becoming bored. Same thing for writing.<br /><br />That being said, any description in a book has to be very well written or I, too, have a Rick Blechtahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11800052815589987998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30210943.post-80692357882619098332016-08-04T13:20:09.477-04:002016-08-04T13:20:09.477-04:00I'd love to get into a good brouhaha with you ...I'd love to get into a good brouhaha with you over this, Rick, but I agree with you. People just don't have the attention span any more. It has become a 144 character world.Donis Caseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15207228706777377242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30210943.post-84066209687170879312016-08-03T11:54:08.708-04:002016-08-03T11:54:08.708-04:00Yes, we certainly are more impatient, Kathy -- for...Yes, we certainly are more impatient, Kathy -- for a lot of reasons, and not all of them good. It’s difficult with everything going on in our lives to take time to savour things, like a good book, a good meal, or even a beautiful sunset. Some well-crafted descriptive text can be a lovely thing, but I’m often in the “just get on with it” and it’s only afterwards that I <i>might</i> think that thisRick Blechtahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11800052815589987998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30210943.post-87715694502327533832016-08-02T22:53:10.597-04:002016-08-02T22:53:10.597-04:00I think you're right. We're also impatient...I think you're right. We're also impatient--just get on with it. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30210943.post-32804864501342378352016-08-02T21:18:22.444-04:002016-08-02T21:18:22.444-04:00My point exactly, Sybil.
With Connelly (my exampl...My point exactly, Sybil.<br /><br />With Connelly (my example), we <i>know</i> Los Angeles looks like so that, basically, if he were to describe it, readers would find it redundant. He's a smart enough writer to realize that. And Michael is just one example.<br /><br />Anyway, thanks for reinforcing my point.Rick Blechtahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11800052815589987998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30210943.post-39951536188650200932016-08-02T13:08:37.861-04:002016-08-02T13:08:37.861-04:00I admit I'm not fond of a lot of description i...I admit I'm not fond of a lot of description in fiction except when it comes to historical fiction. Then I appreciate knowing what a place sounds, smells, and looks like. That would go with your theory about how we're so immersed in the visual we don't need to see that much of it. We see modern stuff all the time on TV, but when it comes to historical stuff we aren't that familiarSybil Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15931984219413146614noreply@blogger.com