As a child, my favorite book was “Go, Dog, Go,” by P.D. Eastman. The reveal in which the poodle appears in his spectacularly tall hat decked with
spiders and pin wheels and all manner of random and fabulous things will live in
my memory as a great moment in literature.
And yet, when it comes to plots,
sometimes adding that many flourishes makes the fabulous hat sag. When
you get enamored with your own twists, or start piling on subplots with reckless
abandon, or it requires half the book just to explain why a character would do what
you want them to do, suddenly, you’re not a poodle that has won over a
dubious Labrador with your amazing sense of style. You’re just a dork in a bent hat
with a bunch of crap stuck to it.
Don’t make the hat sag.
No comments:
Post a Comment