Tell Things To Your Audience

Too much emphasis is placed on being subtle with writing. I agree that subtlety is good. I agree that we should not be heavy-handed with explanation or overbearing with narration. But the excessive emphasis leads writers to have the opposite problem: they don't give enough information to the audience.

I myself am a prime example. Whenever I write a first draft, my editors all agree that I haven't written enough. Scenes feel glossed over. Characters are confusing or not understandable. All the problems I have come down to me not explaining enough with my words.

Sure, I can try to hide behind the "I'm being succinct" excuse, but it is just that: hiding and making excuses. And you will not grow and will not create your best work if you do those things.

I need to suck it up and accept that I am not explaining enough. I think that I am leaving things for the audience to ponder and decide on, but that is not what I am ending up with. I am ending up with a lack of crucial information that would explain why things are happening as they are.

Stories need to be compelling. People need to be satisfied when they read them, not confused. Pondering comes after finishing a satisfying story. We think about what we read, what we experienced (vicariously), what we might have chosen to do if we had the choice, how we might live with the decisions that were made.

But, never forget that such thoughts and entertainment will not happen if you do not give enough concrete information for the audience to grab onto. If your tendency is to write too little, try too right too much. Most likely, you will end up writing just enough.