Be As Elaborate As The Story Demands

Although you should be as elaborate as you are allowed, that is only half of the equation.  If you are only allowed a brief moment to tell your story, you must fit your story to that requirement.  But what if you have no time constraints?  What do you do when it's all up to you?


Be as elaborate as the story demands.  Some stories are easy to tell.  "I saw a raccoon for the first time today; it was cool."

Other stories take more time and effort.  Some have a lot of backstory.  Sometimes you have to tell one story just for another story to even make sense.

Fortunately, however much depth your story needs, you can give it when you have this kind of freedom.

No matter how much freedom you have to tell a story, the story itself gives you a natural demand.  I find that to be a comfort.  I'm not in a shapeless void; I am filling in the natural shape already in place to make my story be the best it can be.