Tracy Chevalier on why less is more

   

    Over the last three Mondays we've had 'At the writing desk' posts with Adèle Geras, Deborah Lawrenson and Jane Rusbridge. I have another novelist as my special guest today, but this one is talking about working with needle and thread rather than pen and paper.

    I am thrilled to welcome Tracy Chevalier to Cornflower, and to direct all the readers of this site over to the other blog to see Tracy's post on the hands-on research she does for her books, and specifically her experience learning patchwork and quilting as part of the background for her new novel The Last Runaway (which I've written about here).

    Before you go, though, do read this piece by Tracy on the importance of editing and why - for her - less is most definitely more, (and getting back to the writing desk for a moment, if you watch the video to which I've linked at the bottom of the quilting post, you'll see that a notebook and pen are Tracy's tools of first resort).

Comments

[Mary]

Thank you for sending us over to Tracy's writing sample. My writing is prosaic (grants), but I definitely agree with that less is more in writing. (Ha-already edited these two sentences). Love being able to tighten up a thought until it is a gem, not a nugget.

[Cornflower]

I agree, and I like the point Tracy makes at the end of that article:
"By using fewer words, I am also giving readers the chance to fill the gaps with their own. "Less is more" encourages collaboration, which is what a book should be — a contract between writer and reader."
Very true.

[Freda]

Loving this series of posts..

[Cornflower]

I'm glad you're enjoying them, Freda.

[Margaret Powling]

I too try and pare my sentences down, making every word count (not always the case in Comments on blogs, though!) My early writing was much more verbose. Now I cut and cut, and often remove whole chunks of prose over which I'd worked really hard! First paras usually end up in the virtual bin and pieces often start with the second para, which usually introduces a topic when the first para has been an irrelevant preliminary.

[Cornflower]

That's very interesting, Margaret. Perhaps your first paragraph is your way of 'writing yourself into' your topic, and then you get into your stride with the second and as you say, the first can go.

[Julie Fredericksen]

I have read all of Tracy Chevalier's books, except her newest one, which just arrived at my house. I have loved them all but my very favorite is "Remarkable Creatures".

[Cornflower]

I must read that one, and I hope you'll enjoy The Last Runaway, Julie.