Help! All talented writers, your attention, please.

[icarus]

I am currently avoiding my homework reading an SG-1 story.

A letter to the author:

I realize that realism is important. Naturally, in real life we don't know where our 'stories' are headed. There is no foreshadowing, no order, no meaningful sequence of events. We are often sidetracked by frivolous detail, and yes, there are redundancies, people doing, saying, and thinking the same thing over and over again.

But when writing a story like this, there is no tension. The reader is lost in your lovely prose wondering why are they reading this. Imagination, beautiful characterisation and a glimpse of originality is not enough to keep the reader wandering through this vague mess. *regretfully hits the Back button*

Comments

[prillalar]

I've always figured that fiction should make the reader *think* that things are realistic, while never coming close to actual realism, at least not the kind you refer to.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

There's a reason why security cameras make dull viewing.

Hey, I just read your Aftereffects of Sustained Sarcophagus Use. Loved it. Funny stuff (WhooHoo! said Jack's libido?). I take it Jack felt like dirt making out with Daniel because a) he'd turned Daniel in, and b) he used continued making out as means to distract Daniel, and also c) because he was technically using Daniel to get off anyway, knowing Daniel was stoned out of his mind.

It's that last one that's very subtle, and makes Jack's POV very interesting, because you see the push and pull of his ethics (and his failure to live up to them). Hmm. I've noticed that seems to a theme of yours, failure to live up to one's standards, or the standards of one's profession, things not living up to expectations, sort of an unrepentant observation.

Icarus