I was born organized, neat, and tidy. And while I enjoy a comfy cozy environment, I am more minimalistic than others living in my house. My mother tells stories of how, as a small child, I would precisely arrange my toys on my shelf. Heaven forbid if she helped to put them away and placed them in the wrong spot. A closet with evenly spaced hangers and clothes arranged by sleeve length and color calms my soul. And I have never “lost” a sock in the laundry.
My tendencies influence my reading and writing preferences. Flowery work makes my eyes glaze. I get disoriented, overwhelmed by the superfluous words swirling in my head, and I miss the story’s point. Vocabulary and etymology are a passion, which helps enrich and expand the nuances of a tale. There is a fine line between using a rich word, and a pretentious one. When in doubt, I force myself to opt for the simpler and more accessible option.
The economy of words, lets the story sing and gives the reader space for their imagination. In a month dedicated to accumulating 50,000 words, it is tempting to add fillers, unnecessary words, sentences, paragraphs, and tangents to reach the goal. The frantic pace can lead to excesses, and I challenge you to pause and consider how to best serve your novel.
Where are you on the minimalist scale?
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
Half way – I do like having a good clear out and minimalism can let in the light – literally. When we had a tiny conservatory built on to the dining room the window was replaced by a patio door. By happy coincidence daughter and son-in-law had bought a house and had no furniture. Off went the dark dining table and bookshelves and piano. Gothic was replaced by a garden room, yellow walls, pale green woodwork- nothing but table and chairs and big pot plants – it is so relaxing.
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It sounds beautiful, my friend. I love cozy not cluttered, clean but not sparse. Your room, as you describe it, seems to be just so. The perfect spot for a morning cup of coffee. ☕
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I try to get the most amount of meaning into the least amount of words, which may be a type of minimalism, but I think of as holding the reader’s interest.
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Ah, Robert, you are after my reading heart. The writing must engage the reader, offering enough description to be inviting and not so much it becomes oppressive. I hope you have a great writing day. ❤
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Thank you, JoHawk! And I hope you’re having a great writing day as well. 🙂
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In my life, there is clutter. But I know where things are. Does that sound dissembling? When reading, I prefer a minimalist style. Nouns, verbs, factual descriptors. The occasional powerful, unnecessary word or phrase. When writing–and I haven’t really thought about it, which is why your questions are so good–I think I try to go for the same.
This is a fetching narrative of yours and helpful. Learning about a lifestyle I don’t have but in parts I’d like to have.
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Balancing the line between clutter and chaos is a continuing struggle. No matter how much clutter, like you, I always know where everything is.
I am delighted you find my ramblings helpful. I know it is time for me to unload some stuff. I hope you have a wonderfully productive day. ❤
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I smiled when you mentioned how you hang your clothes even by sleeve length! I wish I could be a little more like that. I think you are right, you are born with that sense of organization. I have two daughters and one of them, not by my teaching, was extremely organized all by herself. I mean, I thought her some things, but she took it to a different level like you do. 🙂
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I really wonder where some of our personality quirks originate. It is the age old question… how much are we born with and how much is learned. And children demonstrate it so well.
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Yes, I agree. I do feel we are born with certain quirks, for sure.
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Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet.
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Thank you, Charles. 💕❤💕
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