have you read cormac mccarthy's no country for old men?
i read it on a sleeper train to charleston south carolina. helluva book, even having seen the movie five times. most notable thing about it? every page i couldn't help but think, "masterful." masterfully simple.
why does this matter?
well, if you're a writer you know how easy it is to over-explain. we all do it. we fear our readers won't understand us. we like to show off. whatever the case, mccarthy is a pro at not doing it.
here's a convo between Moss, a texas bumpkin who stole $2M from a dead mexican after a bum dope deal, and Wells, a hit man visiting him in the hospital. Wells talks first.
~
What do you do, he said.
What?
What do you do.
I'm retired.
What did you do before you retired?
I'm a welder.
Acetylene? Mig? Tig?
Any of it. If it can be welded I can weld it.
Cast iron?
Yes.
I don't mean braze.
I didn't say braze.
Pot metal?
What did I say?
~
now even if you don't give a hoot about welding, isn't it interesting how if you pick the right words for dialogue, the conversation stands alone. without writerly explanations.
when i write dialogue, i find i've gotta go back numerous times to cut meaningless words and replace bland words with sharper words to ensure the dialogue drives itself--sans explanation.
what about you? what tricks do you use to keep your prose sharp?
posted by: david bonck
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