Forum / To Hell With The Iceberg

Misti Rainwater-Lites
Jan 05, 08:18pm

I have my own opinions and convictions and they are strong but I am curious and would enjoy feedback. In my current novel in chapter eight the protagonist spills her guts to a new friend and neighbor with a little encouragement. It goes against the whole iceberg/show don't tell school of thought but I think it is written in such a way that it moves the novel along and adds dimension. When I say "spill her guts" I mean she goes on for two pages about her childhood. This is just the rough draft but I like to keep my rough draft relatively clean, as I mostly revise as I go along and don't usually do a major overhaul in subsequent drafts. I'm just fishing for feedback.

Susan Tepper
Jan 05, 08:22pm

Misti, without seeing the text it is virtually impossible to give you decent feedback. Try and get a few readers who you respect their opinions to give it a look and advise you.

Misti Rainwater-Lites
Jan 05, 08:29pm

Thanks, Susan. I'm trying to find a "first reader" I can trust and respect but not having much luck. People are consumed with their own projects. It really is a general question, though...a lot of people are opposed to characters just coming out and spilling their stories in dialogue. I know the hard and fast rule of novel writing is to reveal layers with precision and subtlety.

Susan Tepper
Jan 05, 08:34pm

If I weren't busy promoting a new book, I'd look at it for you. I'm just so swamped and will be down the line for some time.
But here's the thing: Alice Munro breaks every rule of writing. It's a known fact that has been discussed throughout her career. And her stories and novels are deeply sucessful. There is more than one way to skin a cat (metaphorically speaking). Trust your gut but also attempt to get a good reader. Contact everyone here whose work you respect, someone is bound to step up to the plate.

Misti Rainwater-Lites
Jan 05, 08:39pm

I appreciate that, Susan! Thank you. You're right. I'm just now reading Alice Munro and a bunch of other readers I'd never heard of until last year. I have a lot of catching up to do. I know the novels that have resonated most with me over the years have broken all the rules. One of my favorite novels is Scary Kisses by Brad Gooch and it defies convention.

Misti Rainwater-Lites
Jan 05, 08:39pm

oops..."a bunch of other writers," rather

Darryl Price
Jan 05, 08:42pm

I don't think you would have gone this route if you didn't think it was important. Something in you was telling you to go there. The only rule in art is what works. You know if this is helping things along or not. Once you have the finished project in hand you can always go back and trim, or revise or rethink. Creative ideas sometimes come as fast as you can write them down--I say go with it for the moment until you don't feel the urge anymore. It's not wasted time, even if you end up not using it you've added depth to your own insight about the character you're inventing and investing in.

Misti Rainwater-Lites
Jan 05, 08:48pm

Thanks, Darryl. I'd been dropping hints about the protagonist's extremely dysfunctional childhood in previous chapters and touched on her mental instability. She'd only had short conversations with other characters and didn't really connect with anyone until she talked to her across the hall neighbor after a night of partying. They connected in a deep, real way and that unleashed something in the protagonist, hence two pages of gut spilling. I'm just rolling with this rough draft. It's been easy and fun so far. I'm enjoying it.