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Subplots and sensory details?
So I asked on here yesterday what would be considered a "filler" in a novel. What I call "fillers" are unnecessary information authors put in their stories and something I'm desperately trying to avoid because I have hopes to write something to be proud of.
Now, sensory details. I learned in school that they are important to the novel just like it is important to "show" rather than "tell" what the character is doing/seeing/feeling... I have been told by many people that I have a very sharp eye for details and other sensory details: what the character is seeing, feeling, smelling, hearing and tasting. Since I think that I go overboard with detail, I'm afraid that they can be considered fillers.
And subplots. The book I am writing could be considered a drama. And what I know from drama is that many things are going on that builds the story. But many of the subplots are developing my main character and I already planned for them to be different in some way as the story progresses. Again thank you for helping.
1 Answer
- 5 years ago
As with so many other things to do with writing, there's no right or wrong answer as to how much sensory detail is too much. Ask yourself, does it move the story forward, or allow for development of one or more of the main characters? Would the reader notice if you took it out? If the answer is "no" or "probably not", take it out. If you think you tend to put in too much, you could make a rule for yourself, such as "never have more than three sensory details about the same thing in the same scene" or "limit yourself to one detail per sense."
Subplots should have some connection to the main plot, such that the story wouldn't work if you took a subplot out, or would need some major rewrites to make it work.
