Thinking Deeper to Develop Writing Skills, Discuss Options

[Guest_Nina_*]

I would like to pick up on a comment Fran made in her Flash thread talking about the character moving from river bank to boat, using the branch of a tree overhanging the water.

The bounce required a bit of planning - needs pace but yet to show readers what is happening very clearly.

Now I'm still very green when it comes to writing prose and have a long way to go in terms of learning and improvement.  How do you learn to get the balance right, becoming more aware of how you are writing?  I tend to just write what I'm thinking or seeing, rather than taking an objective step back to consider the readers. I feel perhaps that my writing is still too distilled, missing out on the little details that bring a picture to life but I just don't think about it when writing. How do I develop that skill?  When does conscious become subconscious or is it a case that you either have the ability or you don't?


Nina

[jgdittier]

Dear All,
My first time through this door...
I've never consciously thought I might enjoy writing prose.
I've read much, but never thought about the way the author presented his story/thoughts.
My focus was on the plot/ topic. I'm just now learning of what I missed.
My only untutored thoughts:
I'd want a myriad of characters each with a separate but interwoven story like those of Arthur Hailey. (were it fiction)
I'd like to command the message by dropping in comments such as Nathaniel Hawthorne did in
"The House of Seven Gables".
I'd start this hobby by reading, reading, reading for at least 6 months. Always evaluating styles...
One of my main characters would be an R&M poet!
Cheers, ron jgd