So in an effort to keep things fairly real in my stories, I do mention regular activities like eating and a reader recently brought to my attention that I tend to give too many details about breakfast.
It is true, but after all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it’s really my favorite meal. I love diners and also cooking breakfast. I make all manners of meals for breakfast — from a variety of hash browns and home fries to eggs casseroles and a really delicious bird in a nest with apples and brie. But I digress. Anyway, the reader saved he loved The Last Disruptor but really didn’t need to know what the kids were eating for breakfast.
I agree, I do tend to over write about meals and breakfast and what people had. I particularly like readers to know what the character’s favorite morning meal is. I think this says a lot about a person and where they are in the world. If you’re a ham and egger, or a omelette kind of person that’s can be a bit different than someone who would eat pancakes or waffles every morning if they could get it.
Still, we must use some restraint and I’m working on that. I also noticed I like using the word “okay.” So in my latest manuscript, I’ve banned the word and have found different ways for characters to acknowledge some idea or plan. (By the way, I find it hard to call them characters. It seems to cheapen them. For me, they’re really alive and I work hard as the writer to tell their stories honestly.)
Anyway, so it is something I need to watch out for and I appreciate it when a reader points out something like that. Doesn’t mean I will not mention breakfast, but I will try to be more judicious about it.
So have you noticed some things you tend to write too much of into your work? Or, if you’re a reader, are there stories that you read that you felt spent too much time on something, and what was it? Does sometimes having to fight through those passages make the story a bit more real to you?
Keep writing, keep running.
Chalk Creek Writing Outfit 