Sara Edmonds | When It Comes To Location How Much Detail Do You Need?

October 17, 2009

Comments

43 comments posted.

Re: Sara Edmonds | When It Comes To Location How Much Detail Do You Need?

I love descriptions. I love to visit different places, so yeah, descriptions are important. Nora Roberts is the best for me. Through her books I've travelled almost everywhere in the US (Montana, Oregon, Napa Valley, Baltimore.... listing them would be too long ;-).
(Joeelle Jappissont 4:25am October 17, 2009)

Just a nuff to make me fill it.Christine Feehan makes you fill the places that the charaecters are at in most of her books.
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(Stacey Smith 5:32am October 17, 2009)

I have not read either author. I just found this site a couple weeks ago....Can't wait to start reading some of these books...Just found out about blogs too...I may be doing this all wrong, if so please just ignore this note..Debbie
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(Debra Davis 7:10am October 17, 2009)

I am so happy to have discovered Fresh Fiction! I have been introduced to so many wonderful authors! Many of whom have become favorites of mine!
(Stefanie Finn 8:09am October 17, 2009)

For the background descriptions, I don't have a favorite. I have enjoyed details background descriptions as much a basics.

Thanks
(Tracey Dent 9:52am October 17, 2009)

You're right about background info, I really only want it if it's central to the story. Sometimes too much info bores me. Jean Auel, (Clan of the Cave Bear series)some of her books were so rich in detail I was lost. I loved the series but skipped a few boring parts.
(Theresa Buckholtz 10:18am October 17, 2009)

Just enuf to let me know where I am - not fussy.

And a bundle of books is always always a wonderful prize.
(Helen Livermore 10:47am October 17, 2009)

Have never really been too into the background of a novel, unless, like you say, it is pivotal to the story. I read a book recently by John Boyne and found that the description of the wall and the house was really important to the story and found it fascinating.
(Joanne Reynolds 11:24am October 17, 2009)

With cold temperatures upon us.........nothing better than a cup of tea and a good book! Thanks for having this contest.

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(Katherine Reese 11:43am October 17, 2009)

I pay attention to the background description if it helps define the characters and/or move the story forward. Too much description and I start skimming.
(Maria Munoz 11:49am October 17, 2009)

Sometimes authors can get bogged down in background description and I tend to skim past that. I assume a character is dressed appropriately for the time period they are in. I don't need a tedious description of each outfit they are wearing.

Authors who re-visit a location in more than one book can paint a picture of the place a little at a time and give me a bird's eye view of the place. In my mind, I can tell you the location of every building in Robyn Carr's Virgin River, Ca., Adrianna Trigianni's Big Stone Gap, Va and Diana Palmer's Jacobsville, Tx.

I need detain, just not too much.
(Jill Hayden 12:14pm October 17, 2009)

I also travel in my books so I like a pretty good discription, but to much just gets boring sometimes. So I guess there is a fine line at being to much! If it gets to be to much I just kind of skim over it.
(Gail Hurt 1:32pm October 17, 2009)

I love scenic descriptions. They add to the book's atmosphere. I think Charlaine Harris' Sookie books are also great at descriptiveness. The bayou really adds to the otherworldliness of the stories.
(Jody Faltys 1:42pm October 17, 2009)

We share in the fun that Janet Evanovich give us!
Thanks!
Marajaorie
(Marjorie Carmony 1:47pm October 17, 2009)

I love the Fresh Fiction Website and would so love to win the contest. Would be a great early Christmas present.
(Joan Woods 2:17pm October 17, 2009)

I love Beverly Barton because her background info is pretty accurate since she writes about the southeast alot I can actually visualize these locations.
(Annetta Stolpmann 2:27pm October 17, 2009)

Emmanuelle, you are so right about Nora. The stories she sets in Ireland were some of the best background descriptions I enjoyed- she make the characters and their setting into one so that you need both.

Jill- I agree that is a good thing about series. You learn the setting as it develops. Charlaine Harris is good for that. Serrilyn Kenyon is too.
(Sara Edmonds 2:41pm October 17, 2009)

I only pay attention to the background
description if it's central to the story.
But some author's have the knack of
making sit up and pay attention whether I
wanted to or not.
(Sue Ahn 3:47pm October 17, 2009)

I don't like too much background information. Some authors describe things too much. When this happens, I tend to skip past it and get back to the story.
(Robin McKay 4:06pm October 17, 2009)

I like detailed descriptions. Allison Brennan is great at this. I know too much detail can bog down the story, but I like being able to picture the whole scene in my mind.
(Jane Cheung 4:40pm October 17, 2009)

Ilove background info. I have to many favorites to mention. I haven't read any Janet Evanovich books, but I will now. Until 11 yrs ago I lived in NJ. Now I'm in sunny and HOT SWFL.
(Evelyn Day 6:00pm October 17, 2009)

I don't need too much background information and probably would not even notice it. I prefer a good story with great characters and lots of inter action between them. But like you I enjoy Janet Evanovich's Plum series.
(Diane Sadler 7:04pm October 17, 2009)

I love detailed descriptions of the places in books. It adds so much more dimension and enjoyment for the reader in being able to be transported into the background and be part of the story along with the characters.
(Armenia Fox 7:20pm October 17, 2009)

I think it depends on the story some books you need more background than others some stories you would be lost without it. I love Sharon Sala and Jayne Ann Krentz and think they both do a really good job at enabling you to picture what they are talking about.
(Sherry Strode 9:36pm October 17, 2009)

Personally, I LOVE detail! But yes, I agree, there can be such a thing as too MUCH detail! Although my favourite authors (too many to name!) very rarely go overboard, every once in a while, someone slips up.

Later,

Lynn
(Lynn Rettig 11:00pm October 17, 2009)

Love the back round info. I so love it when there is detail in a book it gives a visual that adds to the dimension of the storyline.
(Cindy Olp 2:19am October 18, 2009)

I want just enough to get a feel for the location, situation, history etc. Then the stage is ready for the characters to do their thing.
(Mary Preston 3:09am October 18, 2009)

I love books that make me laugh! As
far as location details, too much is
overload and boring to read ( in my
opinion!) I love location details where
I can imagine with my senses:
temperature, smells, some details
about the surrounding structures and
people, but the most important to me
is the 'emotion' of the location
compared to that of the character or
situation (a beautiful, serene location
amist a turmoil of emotion a
character is experiencing, or vice
versa). Best wishes to you and all of
the Fresh Fiction fans!!!
(Stefanie Finn 8:56am October 18, 2009)

I enjoy descriptions of clothes and houses and locations if done in the right way.
(Theresa Norris 11:39am October 18, 2009)

I enjoy detail that truly enhances the story. But there can be too much of a good thing too. That puts me off the story and possibly the book. I have read books where I began to loose interest because of pages useless detail. I keep thinking out of this 400 page book, 50-75 could easily be cut without harming the story.
(Karen Haas 12:45pm October 18, 2009)

I like a little more details than the bare essentials, but I don't want so many that I know how many dust-bunnies are under the bed. When the author goes on and on and on, I lose interest in the book. Guess that's why Julie Garwood is my favorite author...her amount of details are just right.
(Patsy Hagen 1:31pm October 18, 2009)

Generally I like enough details to keep the story moving, but (there is always a but)if I am familiar with a location it distracts me if it's not accurate.
(Rosemary Krejsa 2:27pm October 18, 2009)

I love descriptions, the more the better. Mary Kay Andrews does a great job!!

Lisa Garrett
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(Lisa Garrett 2:47pm October 18, 2009)

I love descriptions of all the places I haven't had a chance to visit yet!
(Teresa Ward 5:23pm October 18, 2009)

I am more into writers developing the characters then spending a lot of time on the physicals surrounding, but I do like enough description to get a "feel" for it.
(Caroline Kolb 6:39pm October 18, 2009)

thanks for the contest fresh fiction
(Deb Pelletier 7:40pm October 18, 2009)

I like to get a feel of where the story is taking place. Detail descriptions are great.
(Stu Fleicher 11:06pm October 18, 2009)

I really like the details added in on the locations, but think it is the phrases and word choices used in the descriptions that is important. Also if it is introduced into pieces at a time versus large chunks.

With that said - I look forward to reading about all the different worlds and locations in novels.. it's a great way to travel ;)
(Pamela Sinclair 12:04pm October 19, 2009)

I need enough info to pull me into the book so I really want to read it. I need the location and time frame. I want to drawn in so I feel like I am a part of the novel, not just an outsider
(Lisa Glidewell 5:10pm October 19, 2009)

So many great books, so little time!
Thanks!
Marjorie
(Marjorie Carmony 7:06pm October 24, 2009)

Niagara Falls was more than 50% Italian when I grew up there. I'm half Italian and half Slovak and really feel at home with Stephanie Plum in the Burg, although she's Italian and Hungarian desent.
(Elaine Carlini-Davis 7:40pm October 24, 2009)

I really love descriptions and Debbie
McComber is one of my favorites but
sometimes I've read books where they
have gotten so much description that I
have lost sight of the main idea.

Val Pearson
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(Val Pearson 7:40pm October 24, 2009)

I don't need a whole lot of detail but it MUST be accurate. For example, in the first few pages, Dan Brown says you can see I think it's the Eiffel Tower from a spot from where I know you cannot- I've been there- it irritated me and I almost decided not to read it- especially after his little caveat that everything in the book is true!
If you're writing about Paris- be accurate- if you're writing about a known city then the facts should be right. If you're not sure, make up a city or village- the story's the thing- not the setting!
(Maribeth Curry 9:21pm October 24, 2009)

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